Amazing story of your grandfather, John. I have been to Ellis Island even though I never immigrated to the US (lived there for 14 years and immigrated to Canada) - no doubt there is some marketing hype to tourists today but the waiting rooms were humble and I could easily imagine the anxiety of people arriving there. Very moving.
I have one relative whose ancestor stowed away by boat at 17, worked all kinds of jobs, later went to college and practiced medicine for many years. His grandson was writing an essay about him for school which is how I learnt the story. A highly unusual background for an Indian-American. Another person I met came from Punjab to Mexico and arrived through the Mexican tunnels! Their stories were a great break from the usual narrative of the post 1960s immigration from India.
