Kallabat 1

Journey To Detroit
Hana Kallabat
Dr. Kevin Ball
Honors 1000 Essay 2

Kallabat 2
My eighteen years in Iraq were cut short because of an absence of opportunity and
availability of jobs. My family was in dire need of change in order to support ourselves
with our daily necessities. The time came when I was left with no choice other than to
leave in search of a better life. Looking back once more, all that I have left is the mere
memory of my hometown Telkeif, Iraq. Since my departure, I have been exposed to a
new perspective of living and working. I see an open door of opportunity in America. I
see my house, family, and the melancholy that fell upon us because of my departure, but
the positives of being able to support and care for my family outweighs the distress. As
the days pass in my new life in America, I know that my future will lead me to prosperity
with my job in the Ford Factory.

Kallabat 3
September 16, 1915
My name is George Kallabat. I am an eighteen-year-old Chaldean from Telkaif, a
village in northern Iraq. Today marks the last day of my life in Telkaif; tomorrow I will
be traveling across the world for a better life in America.
The time is just past five o clock in the morning and I am preparing for the long
day I have ahead of me. I have many responsibilities to take care of before my trip
tomorrow. I must tend to my familys farm, feed the animals, and water the crops. This
all must be done before daily mass at Sacred Heart Church with the rest of the village at
eight o clock (Sengstock, N.D.).
I am very anxious to see what awaits me in America. Everyone in the village has
been talking about my departure. Some think I am brave for this move, while others say I
will end up back here with the rest of them. My familys farm has been the means of our
income all of my life. I have continuously gone to school and come home and helped my
parents on the field. They have always stressed the importance of education and I have
had goals to become a schoolteacher here in Telkaif. My future goals, however, are no
longer the same.
Our farm in Telkaif isnt as successful as it once was. We have been having more
periods of drought than usual which is affecting our crop yield. We are barely producing
enough food for my family, let alone making a profit off of the crops. I had to drop out of
my final year of high school because of the failure of our farm. My mother and father can
no longer support the family without my help and there is no chance that I will be able to
find another job here in Iraq without the proper education.

Kallabat 4
As the eldest son, I have taken it upon myself to move to America where there
are jobs available in the Ford Factory. A friend of my fathers, who lives in Detroit, has
arranged the job opportunity for me. I will be supporting my family from Detroit until I
am established enough to move them with me (Martelle, 2012). Tonight, I will be praying
for a safe and sound trip.

Kallabat 5
September 23th 1915
These past few days have been extremely hectic. After a long journey, I have
finally arrived to Detroit.
My ship ride to America was awful. Although I had bought my ship ticket in
advance, the boarding process and check in was time consuming and difficult. Before
sailing, each passenger was asked numerous questions about their name, sex, last
residence, and ability to read and write (No author, 2013). When we were all set to board,
I was cramped in the vessel with thousands of other steerage passengers heading to
America (No author, 2013). The ride was uncomfortable and it did not improve once we
reached Ellis Island, our first destination in America.
I was astonished by the variety of ethnicities of people who were also
immigrating to the US. I have learned some English back in Telkaif, but I still struggled
to understand what was going on once we arrived. I was being rushed around the ship to
have different medical examinations done in order to depart the ship (No author, 2013).
Many immigrants who were not of good health were pulled aside and deported back to
their homeland after the inspections were over (No author, 2013). Thankfully, I was
healthy enough to move forward in the immigration process. I witnessed quite a few
families being broken apart due to an illness. The experience was quite sad and made me
miss my family more than I expected.
When I was finally free to leave the island, I bought a ticket for the nearest and
soonest train ride to Detroit. I had already arranged to stay with a friend of my fathers
who had moved out to Detroit a few years back. My fathers friend, Kareem, had fixed a
job opportunity for me at the Ford Motor Company, since I am under 22 and working to

Kallabat 6
support my family (Martelle, 2012). Kareem is the reason why I was able to leave Telkaif
so soon compared to other Chaldeans who want to move to America. I couldnt be more
thankful for what Kareem is doing for my family and I.
I was at a loss for words when I first saw New York City. The liveliness and
amount of people strolling through the streets was remarkable. There were more people
roaming the city in just a few hours than there were people in my entire village back
home. I have spent summers in Baghdad, Iraqs largest city, but New York was just not
the same. Baghdad has more of an ancient, and historic look and feel to it and it isnt
prospering. New York on the other hand, was packed with business and skyscrapers.
There is construction and expansion wherever you turn (Rybczynsik, 1995). I couldnt
wait to make it to Detroit and see what my new world of opportunity would have in store
for me.

Kallabat 7
September 25th 1915
Today was my second day at work for the Ford Motor Company. I cannot
complain about how things are going. The pay is great as long as I follow through on the
rules in the Ford Manual. I have been reading it these past few nights just to make sure I
understand them all. I was inspected for cleanliness and living arrangements before I
began working yesterday. I must maintain my dental hygiene, physical health, and
cleanliness of my body and home (Ford Manual, 1914).
Kareem has made it a lot easier for me to follow all the guidelines of the Ford
Manual since he has provided me with a clean home in a safe neighborhood. Thus far,
Kareem hasnt had an investigator come into his home, so he expects one in the near
future (Ford Manual, 1914). I have my own bedroom and desk; Kareem and I share the
shower and I have offered to keep the house clean (Detroit Free Press 1914). We are
living in a rural neighborhood near the Highland Park Ford Plant. The area seems to be a
safe and it is predominantly filled with Lebanese-Christian immigrants and just a few
Chaldean immigrants (Sengstock, 1969). Being surrounded by others with similar
ethnicities as mine is comforting. I envy the men my age that have moved with their
families. This whole process would be much easier if my mother and father were here to
help me through it.
I am very excited for my eight-hour workday tomorrow (Martelle, 2012).
According to the Ford Manual, the bank is a safe place to keep my excess money, so I
have a plan to set aside a dollar a day for savings. I will spend minimal money on myself
and I will give Kareem some form of rent for letting me stay with him for the time being.
Whatever money I have left over, I will be saving and sending to my family in Iraq (Ford

Kallabat 8
Manual). After I am established, I need to go searching for a small, cheap place I can
afford.
Kareem has shown me around America. When I am not at work, I spend my
leisure time going to cafs and drinking coffee with Kareem and some of his friends. His
American friends have familiarized me with their pastimes, such as enjoying nature and
participating in neighborhood sports. When I am not at work, I read books to help me
with my speaking and grammar. I am trying my best to acclimate to American culture
while preserving my Chaldean roots.

Kallabat 9
October 1st 1915
Today is the feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux. Back home, the whole village is
having a celebration with mass and a gathering late at night with dancing and the most
delectable Arab dishes (Sengstock, 1969). I know Im missing out on the festivities and
prayers, but I have to think about my family. My family will be joining me as soon as
possible. I have sent them a letter but I do not expect a response any time soon. Not being
homesick has been hard lately. I long for my mothers cooking and to go mass with my
family. I have yet to find a church to attend in Detroit.
Finding a job at Ford with such good pay has been a blessing. Working the
assembly line hasnt been too difficult; it is just a dull job. The assembly line is an
efficient process. At the start of the track, a front axel unit, rear axel unit, and a frame unit
are assembled (Detroit Free Press, 1915). After the production of the axel units, the
motion begins by the means of a chain conveyer (Detroit Free Press, 1915). Each worker
assembles the same part that is assigned to him for the entire shift (Detroit Free Press,
1915). Once the car reaches the end of the line, it is ready to run on its own power
(Detroit Free Press, 1915).
Detroit seems like a diverse city. I feel that foreigners, both at work and during
my free time, always surround me. Many of my coworkers, along with myself, speak
different languages when we are outside of the Ford Plant. We may communicate in
differently, however, what unifies us is our determination to prosper in a country that has
given us a second chance. I will not let my Chaldean roots hold me back. Ford has given
me the chance to start over and I will not make the mistake of having the same mindset I
would have had in Iraq leading to the limitation of my success in Detroit.

Kallabat 10
The eight-hour workdays are bearable because of the busyness in productivity.
The work is consistent, but its consistency is what helps pass the time. Ford has expanded
after the $5 an hour workday was enacted. The Ford Company has demanded expansion
that more model Ts be produced; it has reduced the price but increased the quantity of
job availability. In the last year, Ford produced 308,162 cars, more then all other
automakers combined (Ford Motor Company, 2014). The mass production of the model
T allowed a deflation of the price (Ford Motor Company, 2014).

Kallabat 11
October 10th, 1915
I feel like I am a new person since I have moved to Detroit. I am in the city alone,
yet so many people surround me. I havent been here for long, but I dont think I would
go back to Telkaif. Everything here is so much more developed and it is continuously
thriving. I have a chance to make something out of myself when I have saved enough
money. In Telkaif, I wouldve probably ended up just like my parents, barely making it in
our enclosed community. I have traded my family, my old life, and my friends to come to
America alone, but from that I have gained the opportunity to be successful and the
ability to provide a better life for my siblings and future family. I cant wait for the day I
can be reunited with my family. Until then I will continue working hard in this city of
opportunity.

Kallabat 12
Works Cited
"FINAL ASSEMBLY AT FORD FACTORY: Speed and Ease Mark Operation of
Putting Together Popular Car." Detroit Free Press 24 Oct. 1915, sec. 5: 1.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Detroit Free Press (1831-1922). Web. 24 Oct.
2014.
<search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/565901290?accountid=1492
5>.
Ford Motor Company. Helpful Hints and Advice to Employees. Detroit: Ford Motor,
1914. Print.
Ford Motor Company. "The Model T Put the World on Wheels." The Model T Put the
World on Wheels. N.p., 2014. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
Martelle, Scott. Detroit: A Biography. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review, 2012. Print.
No Author. "Ellis Island National Monument." The Immigrant Journey. APN Media,
2013. Web. 25 Oct. 2014.
Sengstock, Mary C. "Differential Rates of Assimilation in an Ethnic Group: In Ritual,
Social Interaction, and Normative Culture." International Migration Review 3.2
(1969): 18-31. JSTOR. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3002074?ref=no-xroute:a9fc3420da0eb374c41ca87e2b3aedfa>.
Sengstock, Mary. "Countries and Their Cultures." Chaldean Americans. N.p., n.d. Web.
25 Oct. 2014.
Rybczynski, Witold. City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World. New York: Scribner,
1995. Print.
"WORKERS MUST LIVE DECENTLY, FORD ASSERTS: Men Receiving Share of
Profits Are Warned to Improve. SCORES SLEEP IN SHIFIS, SELDOM
TAKING BATHS; DUCKS WADDLE IN TUB Head of Motor Company Says
Employes Will Have to Become Americanized." Detroit Free Press 18 Apr.
1914: 1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Detroit Free Press (1831-1922). Web.
26 Oct. 2014.
<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/565671219?accountid=
14925>.