After I got married, my life was a big change. Three years ago, my husband brought me to America. I got really hard time but he was great man, so I felt very happy about him. At the time I felt so bad when I just moved here,he helped me to be strong. He let me do everything by myself, and he pushed me to the way, "Growing up with whatever I know and I learn". That way I could know about here faster.
In 2005, two months after I moved here. He drove me to school of district 2 with some help for my English. He said, "Language is the most important for people who live here from other countries." However, he knew school is the best place to learn or study English. Again, he told me, "If I wasn't too old,I would have studied English better." And, "I would have more time for school if I hadn't working on two jobs." That's why he wanted me to speak and understand English much as I can.
After two years, I've been in Harrison school. I felt much better about English, so I just wanted to stop school right there. But my husband tried to make me continue on school. He didn't let me stop, he kept pushing me to not cut off school. However, I was so tired at work, I had too many things need to do at home that's why you know? Until now I can't come to school very often, but I am so happy with what I got. I think, "If my husband didn't help me to kept going to school, I wouldn't have understand English as good as like right now."
Thanks so much to my husband(my great partner). And thanks a lot to people and teachers working in Harrison school. I love them very, very, ... much. I will try to go to school next year again.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
WHY I MISS PANAMA?
I miss Panama, because it is totally different to The United States of America (food, culture, traditions, holidays, music etc.). We all always were together in my Mon's house. That's the epicenter of everything in our family. I just lived with my Mon is Panama, but every day everybody came over after their jobs to stay for a while. Sometimes we discussed or fought verbally between each other when someone disagreed with another about anything. At the end of the day, all was peace and the disagreement left in the past.
The most important thing in our family, is always to keep us together in any good or bad circumstance. We spent together all our birthdays and holidays, until the death separated us.
I really miss them so much, more than any other thing in my life. Getting together with your family and laughing, talking, watching TV, eating or simply doing activities together is just the best ever.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Remembering the Past
I never had a secret place when I was a child. But I remember when I went with my friends to their house without permission. The name of my friend was Guadalupe.
After school we walked to her house for seven minutes. Her father was a carpenter and we played at the carpentry with the shavings. It was a beautiful time. Today I'm sorry for her because her parents died.
When I went back to home my mom always was scared, because she was thinking something happened to me. Some times I was running in the yard, but my mom caught me and spanked. I did it because I was always alone, my sisters lived in USA. Finally I think she was happy because I came home.
After school we walked to her house for seven minutes. Her father was a carpenter and we played at the carpentry with the shavings. It was a beautiful time. Today I'm sorry for her because her parents died.
When I went back to home my mom always was scared, because she was thinking something happened to me. Some times I was running in the yard, but my mom caught me and spanked. I did it because I was always alone, my sisters lived in USA. Finally I think she was happy because I came home.
My birthday on Independence Day
My birthday is on Independence Day, so every Fourth of July is very special for me,because we are celebrating both of them. However there is one that I remember very well. It happened a few years ago,my family did a party for my birthday. Most of my relatives went and got me gifts. Within them was one very unique. It was a big box. When the time came to open the gifts and got to the big box,every body was asking me to open it. I went ahead and opened that big box, and every body was waiting to see what it was. To my surprise,when I opened it there was another box. I went to the other box,and I had to go through a few other boxes,before I got to the gift. It was a handmade belt, and it was made with two buckles. One has a bulls head on it,and the other has my name initials. This belt was a gift from one of my brothers. I still have it, and only wear it when I go to parties or some other special occasions.
About my Job
I have been at McDonald's for 2 years. I like to work with customers, because you can see how people are different. I'm a swing manager, the means I have to be looking at all the store.
Some people are so nice, and have a conversation with you. But some people they're so mean, sometimes they get mad, because the cashier took the order wrong. The customer doesn't want to pay more, because it wasn't their fault. That is the time for a manager to talk with them and fix the problem. Some people are customers for many years and we already know them.
All managers have a chance to go to Denver to the classes. In Denver is the McDonald's corporation, and they teach you how to care for this kind of customers.
I feel OK working in McDonald's. My supervisor is nice and she is so flexible with my schedule, she helps me all the time.
Some people are so nice, and have a conversation with you. But some people they're so mean, sometimes they get mad, because the cashier took the order wrong. The customer doesn't want to pay more, because it wasn't their fault. That is the time for a manager to talk with them and fix the problem. Some people are customers for many years and we already know them.
All managers have a chance to go to Denver to the classes. In Denver is the McDonald's corporation, and they teach you how to care for this kind of customers.
I feel OK working in McDonald's. My supervisor is nice and she is so flexible with my schedule, she helps me all the time.
A Family Tradition
Every summer the Lamar County Annual Rodeo would come to town. My sister, her kids, my cousins, friends, and I - there were so many of us! We would all get together and get ready for the Annual Rodeo. The families would all dress up in our boots and our hats. My cousins would suite up the horses and off we went. Anthony, my cousin, would always compete in the Bareback Bronc Riding competition. It was very stunning to watch. I always got very worried about him, especially when getting hurt. If Anthony couldn't stay on for 8 seconds the horse would throw him. Every once in a while we traveled with my cousin {Anthony} to another town or state like Collgate,OK and Deport, TX just to see him ride. We had a blast!
I miss those days. The Rodeo was a tradition for us. Now we are all grown up, we all have are own families and moved away.
"A Big Prank by Two Sisters"
My parents all the time they left us alone in the house because they worked in a foundry. They left just my older sister and me. However my little sister..... they took her with them.
One time my older sister told me, " My parents don't love us, just love Laura that's why they leave us alone all the time, we have to abandon this house and leave our parents alone with Laura." We planned to escape from our house, and we made the luggage and we departed. Daddy always closed the door with key. We had to jump the fence. Lizbeth my older sister jumped first. When she was on the floor, I didn't want to jump because I was scared. She told me, "You have to, because I'm on the other side." I told her "I can't!" However she went for my neighbor and she helped me to jump down the fence. Finally we were out of the house, and we stared to walked on the way to the taxi station.
My older sister and I thought we have to go at some place where our parents can't find us ever. But guest what?, we escaped to my aunt's house. That is was the first place where my parents looked for us. Anyways when we walked through the neighborhood my sister told me "When we arrived to the taxi station I'm going to make sound in my pocket with these 2 coins" (but these coins didn't have value). We thought if the taxi driver heard the coins, he was going to think that we had money to pay.
When we arrived to the taxi station, I was scared, that we were going to be kidnapped by the driver. So I told the driver, "We have to be at my aunt's house in 20 min, if not she was going to call the police." I thought if he knew this, he wouldn't kidnap us. I don't know if he thought, we were crazy or not, I don't know? However I was so scared. I was only 7 years old and my sister was 11 years old.
Finally we arrived to my aunt's house and she paid the taxi. We started to tell her the story. She was so angry with my parents. She called them and told my mom, " Do you know where your children are?" and my mom told her, "In the house why?" " Just ask". She hung up the phone. When my parents arrived to my aunt's house, we were scared. And my aunt called us. I ran to my mom crying and I told her, "It's Liz's idea, it's not my fault forgive me?" In that moment my older sister told me, " You are disloyal". I said, "I'm sorry but my mom was going to punish me." And the only one who received the punishment was my older sister.
After that day, my parents never left us alone again. However this was so amusing and I'm going to remember it all my life.
This story makes all my family laugh all the time when we remember this together.
One time my older sister told me, " My parents don't love us, just love Laura that's why they leave us alone all the time, we have to abandon this house and leave our parents alone with Laura." We planned to escape from our house, and we made the luggage and we departed. Daddy always closed the door with key. We had to jump the fence. Lizbeth my older sister jumped first. When she was on the floor, I didn't want to jump because I was scared. She told me, "You have to, because I'm on the other side." I told her "I can't!" However she went for my neighbor and she helped me to jump down the fence. Finally we were out of the house, and we stared to walked on the way to the taxi station.
My older sister and I thought we have to go at some place where our parents can't find us ever. But guest what?, we escaped to my aunt's house. That is was the first place where my parents looked for us. Anyways when we walked through the neighborhood my sister told me "When we arrived to the taxi station I'm going to make sound in my pocket with these 2 coins" (but these coins didn't have value). We thought if the taxi driver heard the coins, he was going to think that we had money to pay.
When we arrived to the taxi station, I was scared, that we were going to be kidnapped by the driver. So I told the driver, "We have to be at my aunt's house in 20 min, if not she was going to call the police." I thought if he knew this, he wouldn't kidnap us. I don't know if he thought, we were crazy or not, I don't know? However I was so scared. I was only 7 years old and my sister was 11 years old.
Finally we arrived to my aunt's house and she paid the taxi. We started to tell her the story. She was so angry with my parents. She called them and told my mom, " Do you know where your children are?" and my mom told her, "In the house why?" " Just ask". She hung up the phone. When my parents arrived to my aunt's house, we were scared. And my aunt called us. I ran to my mom crying and I told her, "It's Liz's idea, it's not my fault forgive me?" In that moment my older sister told me, " You are disloyal". I said, "I'm sorry but my mom was going to punish me." And the only one who received the punishment was my older sister.
After that day, my parents never left us alone again. However this was so amusing and I'm going to remember it all my life.
This story makes all my family laugh all the time when we remember this together.
~*WHEN THE DAY CAME*~
January 05, 2005 would become one of the happiest moments of my entire life... It was then that I had my little girl. It was that Wednesday at 12:22 so special to me because I always wanted to have a girl because I thought they were so cute. When I was in the stores shopping, I looked at them with their moms in their strollers with such innocence. They were looking around smiling at every little thing that passed in front of their bright little eyes. I liked to see them. In that moment I hoped with all my heart that in the future I would have one little girl with such innocence.
One day at school I met the man who would become my husband and the father of my child. I met him. Then we were boyfriend and girlfriend. One year and a half later we decided to live together and we did. When I got pregnant four months later, I didn't know what to do because I was too young. I was just 16 years old and really wanted to finish school first rather than have a baby. That's why I was not happy at all. Sometimes bad things went through my head like not to have her. Sometimes thinking about that made me sad.
However, the day finally came when I was in the hospital and the doctor gave me her. I held that little girl in my arms with such innocence... just like when I saw those babies before in the stores. It was the best thing to feel my own little daughter in my arms. I felt her warm and gazed at her big eyes and little nose. It was so wonderful that my eyes were filled with tears and they rolled down my face. They were tears of happiness that I was living in that moment.
I felt so grateful that at last my dreams and hopes came true. I did have my own little family.
My Sweet Grandma
When I was a child. At that time, I was 5 or 6 years old. I didn't really have a special place to go. However I liked to go to grandma's house.
In her house I felt peaceful. Even if I did something wrong, she never said anything to me. That's why I liked to go to her house. By the way she was a very, very, very lovely person. She was special to me. She always had something to give me, like a candy or cookies. However, the most important thing was the love she gave me. She was so kind with her grandchildren.
When my mom started getting mad I always ran to my grandma's house. She lived close by I walked there every day. She just lived 5 minutes from our house. Then when I was 8 years old. My father made a little house on the side of our house. Where my grandparents moved, and they lived there till they past away. I miss her a lot.
In her house I felt peaceful. Even if I did something wrong, she never said anything to me. That's why I liked to go to her house. By the way she was a very, very, very lovely person. She was special to me. She always had something to give me, like a candy or cookies. However, the most important thing was the love she gave me. She was so kind with her grandchildren.
When my mom started getting mad I always ran to my grandma's house. She lived close by I walked there every day. She just lived 5 minutes from our house. Then when I was 8 years old. My father made a little house on the side of our house. Where my grandparents moved, and they lived there till they past away. I miss her a lot.
I Learned the Lesson
A secret place that I escaped to when I was a child, it was a cave in front of my father's ranch. I used this cave to play and to hide when I was in trouble.
It happened a long time ago in Mexico when I was seven years old. After I finished helping my mom with some chores in the house, I ran in to the cave and played there for hours making piles of rocks and drawing figures in the walls with a stick. Of course I always carried a lamp with me.
If you think this was all, wait until I get in trouble! One day I was playing with an ax hitting a log. Then my youngest sister Ana came and asked me to give it to her. However by an accident at the same time she asked, she put her hand between the ax and the log. I cut her fingers. When I saw that, I threw the ax and ran away to hide in the cave. I remember that it happened around 11:00 AM, but I didn't come out of the cave until it was night time. Of course everybody got tired of looking for me.
Then it was dark out side and I decided to go to the house. As soon as I show myself in there, I got in trouble. My parents were worried for me but at the same time they were mad at me, because I had cut Ana's fingers. She was okay. My parents took her to the hospital, and Ana had stitches on her fingers. Believed or not, by just remembering what my parents did to me, my butt stills hurts!
Because I had fun there and it was the perfect place to hide when I was in trouble, that cave was my secret place to escape when I was a child.
It happened a long time ago in Mexico when I was seven years old. After I finished helping my mom with some chores in the house, I ran in to the cave and played there for hours making piles of rocks and drawing figures in the walls with a stick. Of course I always carried a lamp with me.
If you think this was all, wait until I get in trouble! One day I was playing with an ax hitting a log. Then my youngest sister Ana came and asked me to give it to her. However by an accident at the same time she asked, she put her hand between the ax and the log. I cut her fingers. When I saw that, I threw the ax and ran away to hide in the cave. I remember that it happened around 11:00 AM, but I didn't come out of the cave until it was night time. Of course everybody got tired of looking for me.
Then it was dark out side and I decided to go to the house. As soon as I show myself in there, I got in trouble. My parents were worried for me but at the same time they were mad at me, because I had cut Ana's fingers. She was okay. My parents took her to the hospital, and Ana had stitches on her fingers. Believed or not, by just remembering what my parents did to me, my butt stills hurts!
Because I had fun there and it was the perfect place to hide when I was in trouble, that cave was my secret place to escape when I was a child.
The innocence of a girl
I remember when I was a child 5 years old. I just wanted a special toy. This toy was a Christmas present kitchen. When I saw the T.V., I saw some wonderful kitchen toy with a stove, oven and sink. It had a lot of stuff, and it was like a real one.
When I woke up in the morning, it was great because I thought "I have my genuine
kitchen". That morning I was ready to play with my "real one kitchen" a lot of my time. When I started to play I felt so excited. First I went to prepare a cake. When I was done I took the cake and put into the oven. I was so happy, I just needed to wait. When I heard the oven bell... SURPRISE!! The cake just was a toy not a real one. I felt so sad. Maybe the innocence of child was lost.
I never forgot this moment. When somebody reads my story maybe they will remember the child life. I'm thinking if played with some friends, I might have more fun.
When I woke up in the morning, it was great because I thought "I have my genuine
kitchen". That morning I was ready to play with my "real one kitchen" a lot of my time. When I started to play I felt so excited. First I went to prepare a cake. When I was done I took the cake and put into the oven. I was so happy, I just needed to wait. When I heard the oven bell... SURPRISE!! The cake just was a toy not a real one. I felt so sad. Maybe the innocence of child was lost.
I never forgot this moment. When somebody reads my story maybe they will remember the child life. I'm thinking if played with some friends, I might have more fun.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Happy New Year!
Hello everyone, and a special welcome to the new students who will be making their first posts very soon. I look forward to reading all of your personal narratives here. It took an enormous amount of work for you to get your stories ready to publish-you should be very proud of them. Write On!
Also, take a look on the side of your blog at the new "recent comments" section. Here is where you can see if anyone has left you a comment recently. Click on the person's name or the title of the post, and you will be taken there!
Also, take a look on the side of your blog at the new "recent comments" section. Here is where you can see if anyone has left you a comment recently. Click on the person's name or the title of the post, and you will be taken there!
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