The story of Oma’s life begins in Indonesia in 1954. After a detour in the Netherlands, the family immigrated to the United States of America in 1961. It is the best present Oma’s parents bestowed on their progenies. Oma love America and all that it represents.
 |
| Daniel Malcolm, president of Mrs. Green’s class shows the three Dutch visitors: Toni age 9, Z. age 5, & Rein age 7, the class’ events bulletin board (Star News Photo) |
This narrative was taken from a newspaper article written in 1961.
Students in Mrs. Kathryn Green’s third grade class at Lilian J. Rice School found their three visitors from Holland more than a little different from the wooden-shoe-wearing Dutch children most Americans imagine. The three children and their parents live with Mrs. Green. The family’s immigration is being sponsored by Mrs. Green’s church, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church.Z. speaks no English Mrs. Green said, but is a happy child, singing all the time. Her older brother Toni speaks English fluently, while Rein does a pretty good job with his “new tongue.”The family comes from Armsworth. They came from Holland to this country by boat and from New York to San Diego by rail. The two boys were attired in new jeans. Mrs. Green said in their country they had worn short pants to school, but had insisted they have long pants before they would come to school here in the United States!
