Across the Water
My Great-Grandmothers Expedition
Benson
Asian American Studies
April 12, 2026
California
Michelle
Sicily
My Interview
For this project, I interviewed my grandma, Frances Benson, to learn about my greatgrandmother, Frances Woods (formerly Frances La Daveichi), who immigrated to the United States from Sicily, Italy
I chose to interview my grandma because I felt that she carried stories that could closely connect me to my families past
~ Mamma Mia Dammi Centro Lire
Life in Sicily
My great-grandmother grew up in Sicily, where life was difficult and opportunities were limited. People worked hard just to survived and leaving wasn’t always a choice, it was necessary.
“My mom didn’t leave Sicily because she wanted to, she left because she felt like she had to.”
PORT OF S0349
Her Immigration Journey
Her journey to the United States was long and emotional. She had to leave her home, her family and everything she knew behind.
“She always talked about how hard it was to leave her family behind, she was very torn between missing them versus missing out on a better future for herself.”
Struggles in America
When she arrived, she faced language barriers, cultural differences and financial struggles
“She didn’t know the language... she had to learn everything from scratch. Although she was used to cooking from scratch, that didn’t do her very much good in this situation.”
She had to build a life from nothing, with nobody to lean on
Silence & Hidden Struggles
I can only image what she endured when rebuilding her life in the USA. The amount of loss, fear and questions she had must’ve felt unbearable at times.
“She didn’t complain much... a lot of things just werne’t mentioned or talked about. Looking back on those conversations I feel like she was trying to protect me because she didn’t want me to worry about her.”
Culture & Identity
Even after leaving Sicily, she kept her culture alive through food, traditions, religion and family values. Things that my grandma still carries down through our family today
“She never really left Sicily behind, instead she brought it with her. I still remember her teaching my tradition Italian dishes when I was young.”
Reflection
In terms of struggles, my great-grandmother fac survival, like finding work, adjusting to a new c isolation. My struggles are different, but I still and make the most of the opportunities that came connection made me realize how her experiences s Overall, this project has really helped me learn m family It made me realize how important it is t because if they aren’t shared, they can easily be more about her, I feel a stronger responsibility down my family’s history, because it plays a big am and I feel more connected to her than I e
