Learning Survival the Immigrant Way
I was in the third grade when the Whittier Earthquake struck in 1987. As a precaution and to teach us about preparedness, my teacher had each student fill a large ziplock bag with supplies that would sustain us in the event of a major disaster. We were supposed to procure items like matches, a collapsable cup, batteries, a flashlight and a first aid kit. Thanks to my parents, my ziplock bag consisted of several packages of Saltine crackers and a 6 pack of orange flavored Hi-C juice boxes. The juice kept me from zipping the bag shut, so I had to use tape to keep the crackers from falling out of the opening.
