Poruks

Outer skin Canadian inner Latvian Mirdza recalls, still cook like my mother cooked in Latvia, can't blaim Canada for anything.

The Poruks family travelled by train from Halifx and Pier 21 to an unknown destination and worked in the Lethbridge area at a sugar beet farm. They went back to Montreal area for one year so that Mr. Pruks could attend uhiversity to do one year of post graduate studies in Veterinary medicine

Dr. Lesins picked us up to help us get around town, Dr. Lezins a Genetics professor, son played in NHL, we lived in the Lezins basement in Guelph Ontario

maija Mcleod Poruks discusses the fatc that for her Latvian and Canadina - they go together, birch tree in Canada like Latvia and flowers

Family herilooms buried in yard and never recovered ( books, box, mandolin, trumpets). "We never went back. They were left for good."

Mrs Poruks reflects about how her kids adapted to canada, remaining engaged in latvian community, their church and retaining latvian language. One son speaks Latvian well and wanted to attend Song Festival.

More of Mirdza Poruks description of seeing Latvian people locked in cattle cars with narrow tiny windows - taking a last look at Latvia, her grandfather asked to coem to railway stationand sent, seperated men and women in Siberia, children put in orphanages, through Russian swould leave and English help us, people lived to dream and hope.

Mirdza Poruks father completed university studies to become a Veterinarian in a German University in 1944. Complete his degree in Montrael , Canada becasue someone heard he needed to complete his degree in both countries. Family wored on sugarbeet farm in Lethbridge area first.

Mr. Poruks sent to university in Montreal one year to finsih graduate studies in Veterinary Medicine

Description of the family life in Latvia, losses due to German and Russian invasions and lifht form Latvia into Germany. Immigration into Canada, early life in Alberta, and Guelph ontrion and back itno Edmotnon Alberta. The children lives in schools in Latvia, Germany and Canada. Adjusting to a new country, language. Chruch attendence.nece

Mirdza Poruks talking about life in Canada and how she cannot blaime Canadians for anything, wonderful life here

Mirdza Poruks describes the idyllic life their family had living near the Baltic Sea in a small home with chickens by the railroad tracks. The children played on the beach and walked severla kilometres to school. Picked berries, mushrooms in forest. Latvian children well educated. Coupe in Latvia.

Years spent running between the German and Russian armies and occupations, the various trains, wagon trecks, railroad workers, refugee camps, Russian front, bombs, multiple nationalities, Halifax Pier I, Germany hard to survive, Edmonton alberta, no private homes, learning to speak English language, family car, travel to Vancouver, Canadian Citizenship, church attendence at Holy Trinity, school in Canada

Mirdza Poruks recalls seeing Latvians locked in cattle cars and thankful she has not been sent, thought it would not last and family coudl return, hoped that the English would help, people ( families) seperated - women alone, men alone and children in Russian orphanages in Siberia and Soviet Union

Poruks family buried family treasures under the ground on property when Russian army invaded Lativa. These item swere never recovered.

A group of young people under young oak trees with bunches of oak leaves in their laps and daisies in bouquets in in their hair

Mirdza Poruks Registration of Canadian Citizenship certificate

A group of open railway cars loaded full of cut and split firewood, with a small group of people standing on tracks at rear of cars

Pereris Poruks legal documentation with photo

Pereris Poruks Registration of Canadian Citizenship paper

The Poruks in the garden at the family farm in Latvia

Stamped legal document

Peteris Poruks student Identification paperwork from a German Iniversity where he studied towards his degree in Veterinary Medicine

The elder Poruks celebrating a birthday with some of their grandchildren

A Latcina certificate (stamped and dated)