Phoenix

Chapter 1: Bullying

It was hard for me growing up. Maybe many of you had a rough childhood too. Some of you may have had problems at home or at school. Whatever your situation is, I just wanna say that you are not alone. When growing up here in the United States as an immigrant it was kinda hard for me due to my lack of the English language. Since, I couldn't speak it well I became the mock of my kindergarden class. It got to the point that I would fake being sick just so I didn't have to go to school. I would stay home and color or read a book.
In addition to being mocked at school, there was one day I remember it has if it was yesterday. The class had a minor presentation it was about what we wanted to be when we grew up, and when it was my turn I was unable to say it properly and my class started to laugh at me. You would think that the teacher would have asked the class to stop and apologize, but that's not what happened... What she did will be in graved in my head to the day I die, she started to laugh with the class. Kids were pointing fingers and calling me names and the teacher was turning red from the laughter. That day I went home crying to my mom asking her to let me stay home.

I cried until my dad got home and asked what was going on. As a child I was terrified of my dad because he always said "Para de llorar o te dare una razon para llorar" which means stop crying or I will give you a reason to cry. My mom explained what was going on and the next day I cried and begged to not go to school because I didn't feel well. I was afraid to go back to the place where people  told me that I was a forginer, that I didn't belong here, that I was better of being in the kitchen helping my mom. My mom made my dad take a day off work so they could take my brother and I to school. My brother keep saying not to pay attention to them. He said that by the end of the year i would be the only one in my class to speak two languages. But I kept saying they are right I'm not smart. My brother got mad and gave me a hug and said that I was one of the smartest people he knew. I smiled at him and walked off the car behind him and my parents. He gave my hand a squeeze and said "Buena Suerte ( Good Luck)." My mom walked to my class and I hid behind her while my dad said he had to go but would be back to pick us up. My mom with her best pronunciation of English, she told the teacher what had happened in class yesterday because I didn't want to come to school today. The teacher told mom what had happened and bent down to my eye level while I hid behind my mom's legs and apologized. My teacher said that it was rude of her to laugh that she should have told the class to stop. She asked my mom to stay with me for the rest of the school hours.

My mom sat in one of the small chairs and would ask me what we had to do. I would pay close attention and translate to my mom what the teacher said. My mom would smile and hug me. No one sat next to me, but that day we were coloring. I gave my mom a toothy grin with my front teeth missing and told her. She pulled my crayons out and asked me how i was going to color the page. I told her to be quiet and let me concentrate. She laughed and zipped her mouth. When I finished my drawing I went to my teacher and turned it in. After lunch, she had the class sit in a circle and she want to congratulate a student for having a creative mind. She pulled out my drawing and it was the girl that I drew with a little help of my mom. She told the class and they were amazing by my creativity since everyone drew the saming thing and colored it.

After that day I tried my best to learn English. I did it until I excelled at it. I would call my aunt and tell her everything I learned and translate the new words I was learning each day. Thanks to my mom, aunt, and brother who believed in me I was able to up rise my bullying.
By first grade everyone knew who I was and would always ask for help. I was a very polite child and always smiled even if I wanted to cry. I tried to learn things fast. I was the first in my class to know two languages, to ride a bike without training wheels, to swim by myself, and to help others.

But one day I heard that my great grandma had died and it broke my heart I was broken all over again. I was glad to hear she had a peaceful death since she died in her sleep. However, I was close to her because to me she was known as Mama Victoria. She was the best and I would talk to her a lot on the phone. The day of her passing I was the last one that spoke to her. I was happy to know I was the previlged one to know that she was able to say goodbye to me.

She will forever be in my heart. Along with the rest of my family... ❤