DIARY OF JAN C. BOEKEMA:FINAL PART
Friday June 18
The sky is dark and it rains a bit. Calm weather and not cold at all. The Nature is here better than in Holland, a little bit warmer and a more stable climate. They have the potatoes only recently in the ground, and then after 2 months they can take them out again, they say, and they are then mature and have big potatoes. Shows how fast it grows here because the climate is always the same. Here is also one of Brabant with us, still young people, with two small children, they are waiting also here wit us for a farmer (the Machielsen who settled down in the Antigonish area in Nova Scotia). Waiting becomes easily annoying, in particularly for the boys. For us also, but yea those are such small things in your live which you have to endure patiently, and then you become really strong, because setbacks you have everywhere, and in particular the first year is here also dificult. The language, and then you do not know the people, and you possess nothing, you have to start again from the very beginning. Well we brought our Cor back again to the college, said the rosary together in the chapel. Because through prayer you obtain strenght in accordance with your cross and do you feel yourself strong again. Because the last time we said farewell to our parishpriest, the parishpriest said: don't forget, our God is thre the same as in the Netherlands, only the people might be different. But yes God is everywhere the same, so when you go here to Communion you feel yourself as happy as in Holland, and are you in your thoughts again all together. And God does tempt nobody more than he can endure. So we remain full of confidence in God, and then we will for sure soon find work. Although there are here English people who are here already for 4 weeks and still no work. But they say here everywhere that they prefer Dutchies to have working for them. At least our Cor told that there in it missionary house they say that they are really after Dutch farmhands. Well we will wait and see what will happen. Well I and Jantje just happened to be home and very tired from walking, we for sure had walked today 20 KM. And we just happened to rest out awhile in our room, and there we had to go together with them. Well w to the office and there we were told that they had a farmer for uns in Stephen in New-Bruswijk (Dad's spelling!)close to the American border, a 700 K.M. from here. If we would approve of that. Our Johan had then to go to an other farmer 20 K.M. from us, if that was not an obstacle. Well we said that is no hindrance, he takes care of himself. He has there cost and lodging, they said, and would initially gain f 50 (dollars? a week. I and Tonnie are then going together to a farmer and we will have there a house. How it is there and how much we will gain, we do not know yet, but most important is that we have a house and work. We will leave here on Monday morning at 9:15. Well the boys were all very happy when we told them the story and we are now in a hurry to sleep because it already eleven o'clock our time, in Dutch time already 5 o'clock in the morning. Well goodnight everybody.
Saturday June 19This night heavy rain. This morning first mist. Now beautiful weather again. This afternoon together at Cor's playing soccer. I and Jantje stiff from running, and from hill up and hill down. We were in magnificent woods like in Holland, many beautiful birds, everywhere wild berries, raspberries, strawberries, but only blooming. Well, we go to bed again. It is passed 10 o'clock. Goodnight, until tomorrow.
Sunday June 20This morning out of bed quarter passed five. 6 o'clock to church because we have breakfast at 7:30. So before that we could nicely all together go to Communion. The weather is nice again, not much wind and the sun nicely warm. This afternoon to a Parc in Halifax, a very immense prc, many flowers, thousands of goldfishes and all kinds of birds. A lot of people had a walk in the parc or sat on the benches. Well it is our last evening here and pack in our stuff again for early tomorrow in the morning with the train. We are here close to the train, 5 minutes walking. And then we will see how far and where we come in the wilderness. Well goodnight everybody. Until tomorrow.Monday June 21
The diary ends here. That very evening we arrived by train in Saint-John, via Moncton, at five o'clock.
MOM FRANS COR
Will we find our way?Nobody had told us that the train would not bring us that day to St-Stephen. In the railwaystation I noticed volunteers of Travelers Aid and they brought us to a not expensive hotel where we spent the night. The next morning we got a train for St-Stephen where we arrived around noon. Mr Moffatt was waiting for us. It would be too long to tell here the rest of our adventures.
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