Pappa Followed His Dream And Made It To America

This is a true, inspiring, warm family story of a young man growing up in Norway in the early 1920's. His dream since childhood was to one day go to America and experience the country. Growing up poor, only with an elementary school education, reading books was his entertainment. He plans to make the most of his life and follow his dream one day. Nothing worthwhile come easy in life, something Einar learns at an early age. He lost his mother as a toddler. His grandparents take him in and they raise him. When they too are gone he is only 17 years old and feels alone in this world. It is time for him to set out trying to find an open port somewhere, where he can hire on a ship and that way make it across to America. Having little money he sets out on a journey that takes him north to Trondheim. Luck does not follow him; the pots are all still frozen over from winter. Almost out of money, he just has enough for a train ticket to Ostersund, Sweden and travels there with new hopes.

In Sweden he uses "his apostles horses" as he calls his feet, and starts walking. He soon learns from a stranger how to get along when there is no or little work to be found, having to sustain yourself. We follow him hundreds of miles walking in Sweden, hungry and cold as he thinks of America and his future. Sadly for him, he ends up back in Norway still poor but with new experiences behind him. Later on somehow he manage to get to New York where he skips the ship he worked across the ocean on. He is in America at last, a free man.

The next seven years we find Einar in America, travelling by foot or jumping the trains with thousands of other young men trying to survive. He learns the life of a hobo and he experiences much of the country as he goes from place to place, also working. He is homesick for Norway, hires on a ship for Glasgow, Scottland, crossing the North Sea to Sweden where he again skip out.

Back in Norway he never forgets America. It is easier said than done trying to make it back, after he meets and marries his sweetheart and their children, five of them in time, is born. He wants to take them to America where he knows there are endless possibilities for a good future for them. WW ll breaks out and Norway is invaded by the Germans for five years. Finally a way is opened for the family to go to America where the children grow up, get educated and have the life so desired for them.
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I need to remember that most immigrants that come to America, had a dream , where the tiny sparks of that dream burst into a flame that grew and grew until the time was right to take action. In their eagerness to come here, they had to have faith and determination, courage and perseverance to survive.

My grandfather was such a person. For me, it is difficult not to feel a sense of pride and a bit of humility as I read about his childhood and youth. I am forever thankful for him and the sacrifices he made for me and my family to be able to live in and enjoy the American way of life.
A Grandchild