The story of a family who sought for The story of a family who sought for a better future.a better future.

My great grandmother Carmen was My great grandmother Carmen was born in Venice but after falling in love born in Venice but after falling in love with my great grandfather Enrique, with my great grandfather Enrique, she moved with him to a farm in she moved with him to a farm in Pordenone. She changed the comfort Pordenone. She changed the comfort of a wealth family for the hardworking of a wealth family for the hardworking life in a farm, all for love. life in a farm, all for love.

Enrique lived with all his family in a Enrique lived with all his family in a farm where they worked hard every farm where they worked hard every day. When he met Carmen, he only day. When he met Carmen, he only wanted to be with her, no matter the wanted to be with her, no matter the place. place.

In 1938 they had a beautiful baby In 1938 they had a beautiful baby called Maria, she came to complete called Maria, she came to complete their happiness. their happiness.

Since 1922 Italy was controlled by the fascist Benito Since 1922 Italy was controlled by the fascist Benito Mussolini, who in 1925 ended democracy in that Mussolini, who in 1925 ended democracy in that country by dismissing the Italian Parliament. In 1936 country by dismissing the Italian Parliament. In 1936 Mussolini and Hitler created an alliance called the Axis. Mussolini and Hitler created an alliance called the Axis.

The World War II The World War II was a global conflict lasting from was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, that altered the political alignment and 1939 to 1945, that altered the political alignment and social structure of the world. In 1943 the Italians social structure of the world. In 1943 the Italians attemped to surrender to the Allies (they were the attemped to surrender to the Allies (they were the countries that opposed the countries that opposed the AxisAxis powerspowers) but German ) but German forces invaded.forces invaded.

The German forces finally surrended in 1945. When the The German forces finally surrended in 1945. When the war finished, the Italian economy was devastated and war finished, the Italian economy was devastated and

more than 300.000 italian men and boys were killed. more than 300.000 italian men and boys were killed.

When the World War II took When the World War II took place in Italy, the country fell into place in Italy, the country fell into poverty and fear. My great poverty and fear. My great grandfather went to war as a grandfather went to war as a soldier. My great grandmother soldier. My great grandmother saw airplanes flying in their saw airplanes flying in their backyard and hid in the cornfield. backyard and hid in the cornfield. They did not know if they were They did not know if they were going to see each other again. going to see each other again. And the worst fear was for Maria, And the worst fear was for Maria, they were really concerned about they were really concerned about her. It was a terrible situation. her. It was a terrible situation.

When the War ended Enrique When the War ended Enrique returned home, but he was not the returned home, but he was not the same person, he had changed.same person, he had changed.

After a cousin’s offered After a cousin’s offered Enrique decided to come to Enrique decided to come to Argentina. He was not happy Argentina. He was not happy any more in Italy. They were any more in Italy. They were starving no matter how hard starving no matter how hard they work. They were they work. They were surrounded by sorrow, they surrounded by sorrow, they knew many of the dead soldiers knew many of the dead soldiers and their families. They could and their families. They could not stand living in that sadness. not stand living in that sadness.

Six months later, he called Six months later, he called Carmen and she sailed for forty Carmen and she sailed for forty five days to join him in a new five days to join him in a new country. country.

When they got to Argentina When they got to Argentina they felt hope again, they felt hope again, something they lost in time of something they lost in time of war. They visualized many war. They visualized many opportunities to improve the opportunities to improve the way of living.way of living.

They raised their children in They raised their children in Argentina. The oldest was Argentina. The oldest was Maria, my grandmother, who Maria, my grandmother, who got married with Martín in got married with Martín in 1954. And they had two kids: 1954. And they had two kids: Mirta and Jorge, my dad. Mirta and Jorge, my dad.

My father and my mother met while they were working at a My father and my mother met while they were working at a bank. They got married and had two children: Pablo, the bank. They got married and had two children: Pablo, the oldest, and me. oldest, and me.

My family got bigger after my parents divorced. My mother My family got bigger after my parents divorced. My mother had one son called Sebastian, and my father had three more had one son called Sebastian, and my father had three more kids: Emiliana, Jimena and Lautaro. When I was eight years kids: Emiliana, Jimena and Lautaro. When I was eight years old my mother died, so we moved with my father and his old my mother died, so we moved with my father and his family. We were a lot of children so we spent a great family. We were a lot of children so we spent a great childhood, we always had someone to play with. childhood, we always had someone to play with.

In February of 1999 my father became ill and a few months In February of 1999 my father became ill and a few months later he died. It was an awful time, but we could face that later he died. It was an awful time, but we could face that because we were together. because we were together.

I lived with my family until I met I lived with my family until I met my husband. We met in a friend’s my husband. We met in a friend’s birthday and fell in love. We birthday and fell in love. We spent all the time together and we spent all the time together and we love each other so much we love each other so much we decided to have a baby. decided to have a baby.

We moved together and lived in a We moved together and lived in a small house for about two years. small house for about two years. Then we moved to the apartment Then we moved to the apartment we are still living in. we are still living in.

We love being together and we We love being together and we have lots of things in common: we have lots of things in common: we love listening to music, watching love listening to music, watching movies in bed and doing sports. movies in bed and doing sports.

Our next goal is to learn how to Our next goal is to learn how to play the guitar, some friends are play the guitar, some friends are trying to teach us. trying to teach us.

We enjoy every single moment We enjoy every single moment with him, he makes us laugh even with him, he makes us laugh even in the worst time.in the worst time.

He loves books and animals. He He loves books and animals. He is always asking to have a dog, is always asking to have a dog, but we live in an apartment where but we live in an apartment where is forbidden to have animals. We is forbidden to have animals. We bought him six fish, and he said bought him six fish, and he said he liked them but he could not he liked them but he could not run or play with them.run or play with them.

He is growing so fast, he has five He is growing so fast, he has five years old and the next year he is years old and the next year he is going to school. We are glad to going to school. We are glad to have such a great family. have such a great family.