Many years ago in my misspent youth, I worked for a summer at the Green Giant canning factory in Dayton, WA. We had migrants working, both in the fields harvesting green peas AND in the canning factory where I worked. I'll give them this, they were hard workers, and it was long hours in a very hot environment. The canning lines at that time were located very close to the steam retorts, which would heat the cans to a high temperature and kill any bacteria in them. I had a little high-school Spanish back then and could communicate in a rudimentary way, but for the most part, they kept to themselves and even had their own bars they went to.... we gringos went to other bars and restaurants. I was told if I went into one of the migrant's bars, there was a good chance I could get stabbed, so I stayed away from them. The workers were bused in by contractors who I am sure exploited them every way possible. Once the pea growing season was over, they would get on the buses and go further south where other crops were coming in, in Oregon and then California. Interesting life, I'm sure. But as I said, that was AGES ago.
Is Green Giant still located there? My next exposure to hispanics (I was born and raised in a little rural mountain town in east Tennessee, so we never saw them at that time) was when I was stationed at Marine Barracks, Rodman Canal Zone, for guard duty. Frequent trips into Panama City and Coco Solo over on the other side of the isthmus really improved my Spanish, and game me an appreciation for life in America. The level of squalor in Panama City at that time was something to behold! Although it's been many years since my enlistment, I can still speak basic Spanish with ease when dealing with my landscaper here or other situations that call for it.
Many years ago in my misspent youth, I worked for a summer at the Green Giant canning factory in Dayton, WA. We had migrants working, both in the fields harvesting green peas AND in the canning factory where I worked. I'll give them this, they were hard workers, and it was long hours in a very hot environment. The canning lines at that time were located very close to the steam retorts, which would heat the cans to a high temperature and kill any bacteria in them. I had a little high-school Spanish back then and could communicate in a rudimentary way, but for the most part, they kept to themselves and even had their own bars they went to.... we gringos went to other bars and restaurants. I was told if I went into one of the migrant's bars, there was a good chance I could get stabbed, so I stayed away from them. The workers were bused in by contractors who I am sure exploited them every way possible. Once the pea growing season was over, they would get on the buses and go further south where other crops were coming in, in Oregon and then California. Interesting life, I'm sure. But as I said, that was AGES ago.
Is Green Giant still located there? My next exposure to hispanics (I was born and raised in a little rural mountain town in east Tennessee, so we never saw them at that time) was when I was stationed at Marine Barracks, Rodman Canal Zone, for guard duty. Frequent trips into Panama City and Coco Solo over on the other side of the isthmus really improved my Spanish, and game me an appreciation for life in America. The level of squalor in Panama City at that time was something to behold! Although it's been many years since my enlistment, I can still speak basic Spanish with ease when dealing with my landscaper here or other situations that call for it.
I went to Panama City a few years ago and to visit the Panama Canal. The poverty and crime are awful.
Ah well, some things never change.
$2 fee? You should see what places like Manpower, Robert Half, Excel, etc take... more than that.