That's what it was called: "L'America." To say it was to admit you were a dreamer. To say it meant you hoped for something better. My family dreamed of this "America" 100 years ago. They were inspired enough by the idea of it to cross the ocean, to risk everything. And who were some of my family's dreamers? Who boarded ships in Naples and ventured across the ocean first? The story goes something like this: Nicola Freda (kneeling) of Carife, Italy, left for the United States nearly a decade before his wife Maria (left) and their children, including my great grandmother Angelina Freda (second from left). Nicola had found good work in Philadelphia, so he decided to settled there with his family. Hard work paid off. Nicola saved enough to assure his wife's and children's passage across the Atlantic. When they arrived at Ellis Island they encountered a world unlike any other--skyscrapers, the statue of liberty, ships, factories; they encountered wealth, they tasted opportunity, but most important they were reconnected. The family grew, business prospered, then cultures mixed. With time Italian was spoken less. Home became Philadelphia. My ancestors became "l'America" they had long dreamed of. These days many of us wonder about our past. Where did our great grandparents and grandparents come from? What was it like for them when they first arrived on U.S. soil? Recreating their stories is not easy, but one way to do so is to really take a good look at the photos they left us. Here are some of my family--click on those to the right. I hope you enjoy. I'd like to invite you to send me photos of your family. E-mail them to me by clicking here. It'd be my pleasure to post them here along with captions, if you'd like (name, location, date). Let's share our stories. Let's take some time to remember "l'America" they dreamed of. And I leave with one thing: If you are looking for a beautiful and likely accurate immigrant tale, take a moment to watch the film Golden Door (dir. Emanuele Crialese, 2006). Also, do have a look at more photos and a story about Carife, Italy, by clicking here. I look forward to your photos and your stories! Buon viaggio.