March 17, 1942
So here we are the Internment Camp. Just me, mother, and father (Yuki was shipped off to Japan). We were told a week ago to get ready to leave so that we would be here yesterday. We packed all our bags but when the time came, the officers told us we were only allowed to bring whatever we could carry. I brought one suitcase with some clothes and some books, but that’s it. Everything that was left behind was sold by the government and we didn’t get ANY of the money. Yeah, I’m mad about that, but there’s nothing I can do about it so I just suck it up and sit here in camp doing nothing. Besides not having anything to do, it’s not too bad here. The only thing is that there’s no space and barely any work for anyone. Father has been volunteering to work in some farms around our camp that are having issues with labor shortages because of the war. Camp life is nothing like California was. My mother has always been used to cleaning and cooking, but because we don’t have a big enough house to clean and since food is cooked by the entire community, my mother has nothing to do anymore. She and I are getting quite bored in this camp. I hear there are some night classes for knitting and such that my mother might start to take. I don’t like doing any of those girly things so mother has just been telling me to write to take my mind off of things. The only problem: everything I write has to do with the war and everything that has been going on. Just read my blog, HAHA. Well, dinner is going to start soon so I better get ready. I’ll be back soon.
Information taken from: “Japanese American Women During World War II” by Valerie Matsumoto
Niseis Do It Best 