My Ukrainian grandfather worked as a section man for the Canadian Pacific Railroads, making minor repairs to rail tracks. He did this for 30 years. Steady job, but poor pay.

My Slovak grandfather assumed a flood irrigation farm that "English" farmers easily quit. The land was not that level. The better farmers were up all night, fighting mosquitos, to make water "move uphill" and get to the crops. It took my grandfather 29 years to buy a ticket back to the old country.