Notes

That was it. The Japanese Americans had finally been rounded up to be put in internment camps, and I was one of them. The Pearl Harbor bombing happened about six months ago on December 7, 1941. we were told a while ago, on April 21, that we had ten days to pack then we had to report back to the Tanforan Assembly Center by noon of May 1. Some FBI men had come to get my father to ask him some questions, we didn't hear from him for a few weeks. When we did hear from him, we were told to bring him his clothes, shaving kit, and some other essentials so he could go to Montanna to get questioned more. My mother and I had no idea why the government had to ask him so many questions, we still didn't. We had gotten packed for Tanforan, sold what we couldn't bring with us or gave it away, and told some of our closest friends to take care of our house and our pets. The one person I would miss the most was my best friend Ashley, she wasn't Japanese so she couldn't come with us, and I couldn't stay. We had known each other for our entire lives and I didn't know what I'd do without her.

We're on the train now, on our way to Tanforan, my mother and I. It seemed like the longest ride of my life even though we're supposed to get there within a half hour. I spent most of my time staring out the window, day dreaming about what life at the camp would be like. A short time later, the train stopped and we got into a bus to drive the ten minutes to the actual camp. When we got there, some nice men helped me, my mom, and the rest of the people who had been taken here out of the bus. Our luggage had gotten here before we did so I went to go get our packages, while my mother went to the information center to find out where we would be staying. After I got the bags, I decided to take a look around. It wasn't much, just a racetrack that had been hastily made into a place suitable for living, there were a few trees here and there but not many, and the patches of grass were yellow from death. I went back to find mother after a while. I found her looking around at all the barracks, searching for ours I suppose. When she sees me approach, she reads to me, "barrack 12, apartment 6." I nod my head and continue on with her to find where we would be living for the next two years.

When we got there, I couldn't believe my eyes. "This isn't an apartment! It's more like a shed!" I exclaim looking around the small stall. This, is where we have to stay? That's when someone knocked on our door and said to get our plates and utensils, it was time for dinner. After the man left, my mother and I grabbed two plates, two forks, two spoons, and a couple of knifes. We walked out of our stall and down to the dining hall, where at least 1,000 other people were standing in line, all waiting to eat. Was this really what our lives were going to be like until the war ended? I didn't know if I even wanted to know.

When we finally got into the hall, everyone was being served the same thing. Corn, mashed potatoes, and a bit of what looked like beef. I ate, then went to go explore the grounds a bit more. I found the showers, toilets, sinks, and wash tubs, which was good because I was already filthy from walking around all day. I walked back to my stall, grabbed a towl and extra clothes, then went back to the middle of the block to wash up. The water went from burning hot to freezing within seconds. Great. The warm water's gone. I guess that's what happens when you try to stuff 110,000 Japanese Americans into one camp with one plumbing system. I finished up my shower, changed, then got to washing my clothes in the dirty water of the tub. After I finished, I walked back to my barrack and lie down on the scratchy, straw, mattress and close my eyes.

I guess I just had to face it, this is what my life was going to be like until this horrible war was over.