Our homeschool adventure has gone through many changes in the past two years. It seems we (and by that I mean me) are always trying to find new ways to do things, adapting to new schedules, you get the idea.
After the holidays, I decided that my kids spent too much time in front of the tube. If asked, they would emphatically deny that statement but I know what I know. So a new rule was established: no TV during the week, and only allowed with permission on weekends.
Too harsh? Not in my book. I grew up in a household with no TV. On those days when I wasn't outside playing with the neighborhood kids; I would be sitting somewhere in the house with a book. I simply love books. I have been known for spending a weekend lost in a book and forgetting all about the laundry, the dishes, and eating takeout.
So cutting TV time was an experiment to get my kids to read more. Don't get me wrong, they do read. But I want them to love books as much as I do. My suggestion was met with several raised eyebrows, so I suggested we have "family reading time" at first; until we all got into the groove of things.
I chose to begin with The Chronicles of Narnia books. Kids have seen one of the movies, so it seemed like a perfect choice.
Picture this: a mom sitting on a chair with the children at her feet, attentively listening to every word she reads to them, with a roaring fire in the background.
That isn't quite the image we created. Ours looks something like this.
"Kids, it's reading time. Let's all gather on my bed". "Do we have to?? Can I read a different book?" "NO, I'm reading and you are listening. Now gather up".
Picture a mess of kids and a dog (gotta have the dog on the bed, he likes stories too) in one bed. I begin to read about Digory and Polly, and how Narnia was created when Aslan began singing...
"leave the dog alone!". "stop putting your feet on your brother!". "put your legs down, you are going to kick your sister on the face"
I continue on to how the wiser animals formed the council, how the Cabby and his wife became the first King and Queen of Narnia...
"why did he choose the Cabby?. "who made him King? "weren't you listening? mom just said Aslan did". "I wasn't asking you. Mom, would you answer my question?"
Sigh. There is no roaring fire, or perfect little kids gathered at my feet, eager to hear every word. But we are doing it. We are close to the end of the first book and will move on to the next one until we have read them all.
As a mom who spends 9 hours per day away from home, this is my quality time with the kids. There are nights we only get to read a couple of pages, and other nights when the kids want to take turns reading. They get to hear quality literature read to them and hopefully it will eventually spark in them a desire to read that will never go away.
Either way, we are not giving up on our reading time. Even when the dog is the most attentive of all the participants.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
What I've learned from my dog
Dog owners everywhere, unite! There is no greater joy than owning a dog, is there? They just make life better, don't they?
Back in October, we added Max to our family.
This little fur ball arrived at Casa Johnson in October. He was 4 weeks old and I just knew he was a keeper. There have been so many lessons learned since Max joined our family. We are a homeschooling family after all, we find lessons everywhere.
1) Potty Training a dog is very much like potty training toddlers. Most of the time they know what they are supposed to do, but it's a lot more fun to watch mom react to you going in the middle of the floor.
2) Bath time can be fun. Just delegate it to the kids and pray the house isn't flooded by the time the dog is clean.
3) Your kitchen counters are never high enough, specially if your dog is half Great Dane.
4) Having a sick dog is just as bad as having a sick kid. You will not sleep well, you will make yourself sick with worry; only to have the creature bounce back as if nothing ever happened. True story.
5) Your bed is their bed. And by their I mean the kids' and the dog's. That's where they all go to congregate. I have found the dog and kids all piled on the bed, pondering the laws of the universe. Or just watching TV.
6) The puppy stage doesn't last long when your "puppy" is part Great Dane. We have a dog that looks like an adult but still behaves as a puppy. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves he is still a baby.
7) There is no moment as precious as your family holding hands and praying together; including the dog. Kodak moment.
8) No one is as happy to see me after a long day at work as Max is. All he knows is "Mama is home"!
9) Need to let the stress melt away? Just climb in bed and let that big baby snuggle up to you. Pure bliss.
10) Dogs will steal your covers, your pillows, your food; and most importantly, your heart.
Our family is complete with Max. He is spoiled (and he knows it!); he is crazy at times (fits right in with the kids); and he has brought the joy we didn't know we were missing.
How can you not love a face like this one?
Back in October, we added Max to our family.
1) Potty Training a dog is very much like potty training toddlers. Most of the time they know what they are supposed to do, but it's a lot more fun to watch mom react to you going in the middle of the floor.
2) Bath time can be fun. Just delegate it to the kids and pray the house isn't flooded by the time the dog is clean.
3) Your kitchen counters are never high enough, specially if your dog is half Great Dane.
4) Having a sick dog is just as bad as having a sick kid. You will not sleep well, you will make yourself sick with worry; only to have the creature bounce back as if nothing ever happened. True story.
5) Your bed is their bed. And by their I mean the kids' and the dog's. That's where they all go to congregate. I have found the dog and kids all piled on the bed, pondering the laws of the universe. Or just watching TV.
6) The puppy stage doesn't last long when your "puppy" is part Great Dane. We have a dog that looks like an adult but still behaves as a puppy. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves he is still a baby.
7) There is no moment as precious as your family holding hands and praying together; including the dog. Kodak moment.
8) No one is as happy to see me after a long day at work as Max is. All he knows is "Mama is home"!
9) Need to let the stress melt away? Just climb in bed and let that big baby snuggle up to you. Pure bliss.
10) Dogs will steal your covers, your pillows, your food; and most importantly, your heart.
Our family is complete with Max. He is spoiled (and he knows it!); he is crazy at times (fits right in with the kids); and he has brought the joy we didn't know we were missing.
How can you not love a face like this one?
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Of plants and worms?
Why are weekends never long enough? It seems time speeds up during the weekends and creeps along during the week.
Saturday the kids had a chance to help their uncle K build a swing set. They love visiting because he lets them help out in whatever project he is working on around the house. They had shovels, and drills and left numerous holes in my sister's yard, much to their delight (and her horror!). They dug for worms, they made mud; and learn how to build something. Who said learning only happens inside?
They now have a new project at home. Mimi has given each of them a potted plant to take care of. I guess I should confess I do not have a green thumb. Many of the women in my family (abuela, mom, sisters) have been blessed with the ability to grow anything. A plant may be brown and almost dead and these women will resuscitate it and bring it back to life! I, on the other hand, have been known for killing a cactus (or two) in my life.
So the kids have to depend on my mom to learn all about taking care of plants. She gave each of them plant they are to take care of from now on. Let's hope their thumbs are greener than mine! They are so excited to watch these plants grow and I'm excited for them. What better way to learn about plants, photosynthesis, etc? I can't think of one.
We have set the plants by the window, on a bench my uncle built for me when I was 3 years old. This bench has traveled thousand miles or more to be here today. For many years, Abuelo (my mom's dad) kept it at his house, while my family moved to two different countries. A few years back, before he passed, he sent it to me. He said I should have it so one day I could pass it on the kids. It holds such a special place in my heart. It ties me to my childhood, to my roots back in Panama, to my grandfather, and my uncle and all those who had such an important place in my life as a kid.
Now the kids get to use to watch their plants grown. I am sure Abuelo is smiling down on them.
Saturday the kids had a chance to help their uncle K build a swing set. They love visiting because he lets them help out in whatever project he is working on around the house. They had shovels, and drills and left numerous holes in my sister's yard, much to their delight (and her horror!). They dug for worms, they made mud; and learn how to build something. Who said learning only happens inside?
They now have a new project at home. Mimi has given each of them a potted plant to take care of. I guess I should confess I do not have a green thumb. Many of the women in my family (abuela, mom, sisters) have been blessed with the ability to grow anything. A plant may be brown and almost dead and these women will resuscitate it and bring it back to life! I, on the other hand, have been known for killing a cactus (or two) in my life.
So the kids have to depend on my mom to learn all about taking care of plants. She gave each of them plant they are to take care of from now on. Let's hope their thumbs are greener than mine! They are so excited to watch these plants grow and I'm excited for them. What better way to learn about plants, photosynthesis, etc? I can't think of one.
We have set the plants by the window, on a bench my uncle built for me when I was 3 years old. This bench has traveled thousand miles or more to be here today. For many years, Abuelo (my mom's dad) kept it at his house, while my family moved to two different countries. A few years back, before he passed, he sent it to me. He said I should have it so one day I could pass it on the kids. It holds such a special place in my heart. It ties me to my childhood, to my roots back in Panama, to my grandfather, and my uncle and all those who had such an important place in my life as a kid.
Now the kids get to use to watch their plants grown. I am sure Abuelo is smiling down on them.
Friday, August 23, 2013
We made it thru week 2!
We survived our second week of homeschooling without any casualties. No one has ran away from home in a screaming fit, no one has asked to go back to "regular school", no one has locked themselves in the bathroom and refused to come out. And that's just the adults!
The truth is, we have settled into this a lot easier than I anticipated. The kids are slowly finding their own rhythm. The twins have adjusted really well, they are ready and eager to get their work done in the morning so they can get to the important stuff, like PE lessons and terrorizing their sister. My girl is taking her time finding her rhythm. Slowly, she is taking more and more ownership of her school work; and feeling more and more confident about structuring her daily schedule.
Every day brings a lesson, at least in my opinion. So here are a few of the lessons/realizations/thoughts for our 2nd week of homeschooling. (Disclaimer: These are not all my own. My husband is the one who does the teaching, but he doesn't blog and many of these are his thoughts. The others are the kids, a few are mine. I'm simply the crazy lady with the laptop and a blog)
Starting every "school day" with a prayer makes it go easier. We are a Christian family. Even though we did not choose homeschooling for religious reasons, we are raising our kids in the ways of our faith. Every week, I write our weekly Bible verse and place it on our bulletin board. Every morning, my husband prays before everyone begins to tackle their assignments. Wednesday, he mentioned how well things were going, and said "Starting every day with a prayer really does help me get thru the lessons".
We are all teachers, even my husband. If anyone had told my husband he would one day homeschool his children, he probably would have called them crazy (among other things). I'm not sure anyone would expect my Harley ridding husband to have the patience to teach. Yet here he is, educating his children. And he is so good at it! He finds ways to engage them, and keep their interest, and even quiz them without them realizing it.
The cleaning fairy does exist. Really, she does. I'm not sure how it happened, but now that we are homeschooling, our house is cleaner than when the kids were attending regular school. Mind you, it is NOT spotless. There are still shoes they forget to pick up, and dishes they forget to take off the table. But I can actually see the floors! All the school books and notebooks are always in its place and I don't have to wonder where the pencils are when it's time to work on something. Maybe the kids like to have things in their place? Nah, I'm pretty sure the cleaning fairy is real.
The laundry fairy, however, does not exist. Laundry multiplies, no matter where your kids attend school. I had this idea that once we started to homeschool, the amount of laundry would diminished. I mean, the kids could do their school work in their pajamas. Rather than wearing 3 outfits each day (school clothes, home clothes, then pajamas); they would wear maybe 2. Nope, apparently my kids like to look their best no matter the occasion.
Kids are highly adaptable creatures. I have been amazed to see how easily they have become homeschoolers. I know every week won't be easy. I'm sure there will be whiny days, and sick days, and days we will all reconsider this choice. But the kids do understand that, even though we have a flexible schedule now, school work is still required. They don't need a classroom, a chalkboard, to understand that school work is important.
We are a team, all five of us. I knew we were a family. I married the boy, we had the kids, we became a family. But now we are a team. The success of our homeschool depends on all of us; not just the adults. The kids have taken their place on the team and are doing their part. Our girl will help dad with a lesson if the boys are just not "getting it" the way he is explain it. They don't fuss when she does, they simply listen to her. The boys do their assignments without issues, always ready to get done and move to the next thing. And my husband, the tough guy who many doubted could do this, is doing an amazing job at engaging and teaching the kids.
I'm doing my part too, I guess. I do the planning and make sure their weekly schedules are ready for them. As my friend Terri said, I'm just managing the team, they are doing the real work.
And they are doing a beautiful job.
The truth is, we have settled into this a lot easier than I anticipated. The kids are slowly finding their own rhythm. The twins have adjusted really well, they are ready and eager to get their work done in the morning so they can get to the important stuff, like PE lessons and terrorizing their sister. My girl is taking her time finding her rhythm. Slowly, she is taking more and more ownership of her school work; and feeling more and more confident about structuring her daily schedule.
Every day brings a lesson, at least in my opinion. So here are a few of the lessons/realizations/thoughts for our 2nd week of homeschooling. (Disclaimer: These are not all my own. My husband is the one who does the teaching, but he doesn't blog and many of these are his thoughts. The others are the kids, a few are mine. I'm simply the crazy lady with the laptop and a blog)
Starting every "school day" with a prayer makes it go easier. We are a Christian family. Even though we did not choose homeschooling for religious reasons, we are raising our kids in the ways of our faith. Every week, I write our weekly Bible verse and place it on our bulletin board. Every morning, my husband prays before everyone begins to tackle their assignments. Wednesday, he mentioned how well things were going, and said "Starting every day with a prayer really does help me get thru the lessons".
We are all teachers, even my husband. If anyone had told my husband he would one day homeschool his children, he probably would have called them crazy (among other things). I'm not sure anyone would expect my Harley ridding husband to have the patience to teach. Yet here he is, educating his children. And he is so good at it! He finds ways to engage them, and keep their interest, and even quiz them without them realizing it.
The cleaning fairy does exist. Really, she does. I'm not sure how it happened, but now that we are homeschooling, our house is cleaner than when the kids were attending regular school. Mind you, it is NOT spotless. There are still shoes they forget to pick up, and dishes they forget to take off the table. But I can actually see the floors! All the school books and notebooks are always in its place and I don't have to wonder where the pencils are when it's time to work on something. Maybe the kids like to have things in their place? Nah, I'm pretty sure the cleaning fairy is real.
The laundry fairy, however, does not exist. Laundry multiplies, no matter where your kids attend school. I had this idea that once we started to homeschool, the amount of laundry would diminished. I mean, the kids could do their school work in their pajamas. Rather than wearing 3 outfits each day (school clothes, home clothes, then pajamas); they would wear maybe 2. Nope, apparently my kids like to look their best no matter the occasion.
Kids are highly adaptable creatures. I have been amazed to see how easily they have become homeschoolers. I know every week won't be easy. I'm sure there will be whiny days, and sick days, and days we will all reconsider this choice. But the kids do understand that, even though we have a flexible schedule now, school work is still required. They don't need a classroom, a chalkboard, to understand that school work is important.
We are a team, all five of us. I knew we were a family. I married the boy, we had the kids, we became a family. But now we are a team. The success of our homeschool depends on all of us; not just the adults. The kids have taken their place on the team and are doing their part. Our girl will help dad with a lesson if the boys are just not "getting it" the way he is explain it. They don't fuss when she does, they simply listen to her. The boys do their assignments without issues, always ready to get done and move to the next thing. And my husband, the tough guy who many doubted could do this, is doing an amazing job at engaging and teaching the kids.
I'm doing my part too, I guess. I do the planning and make sure their weekly schedules are ready for them. As my friend Terri said, I'm just managing the team, they are doing the real work.
And they are doing a beautiful job.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Remembering Abuelo on Good Friday
Lately, I've been having a "spiritual crisis" of sort. I have been questioning my beliefs, and those of my ancestors. You see, my family has always been Catholic. I was born into a Catholic family, in country where the vast majority (90% or more at that time) were also Catholic. To worship differently was to be an outsider.
So, 36 years later, I'm questioning where I am spiritually and where I'd like to be when the day comes to depart this earth.
Wow, that was deep, wasn't it? But this blog isn't about my journey, or my crisis.
For as long as I can remember, Good Friday has been a day of mourning. Even before I really understood what Christians were celebrating during these holy days, I just knew it was a special day.
The whole world would shut down once the Tridiuum began. Holy Thursday marked the beginning as we prepared for the days to come.
As a kid, I was taught on this day, we were to reflect and pray on the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind. There was no secular music on the radio stations, no fighting or shouting at my house. It was a day of prayer.
Abuelo (my maternal grandfather) was a spiritual man but not a religious man. That's not to say he wasn't a believer. He was a man of faith, and he prayed. His temple wasn't a building, it was simply nature. He loved being in nature, and cherish all the things God had given him.
On Good Friday, Abuelo didn't work. He always said it was a day of prayer and reflection. He would rise early, as always, and without saying a word, he would go outside for his Good Friday ritual. I'm not sure what the ritual was about or what exactly he did. All I know is this was his quiet time with God and he took it very seriously.
Abuelo grew up in the mountains, where the nearest church was at least a day away, and you had to ride a horse to the main road before you could find a bus to ride to town. So attending church wasn't something he did regularly, even when transportation became more available.
But he lived his 93 years of life by the Golden Rule: Love your neighbor as yourself, and God above all things. He helped strangers and family alike. He was kind to people, and thankful of the blessings God gave him. He didn't need to be in church every Sunday to know that God was just a prayer away.
So today, on Good Friday, I'm thinking of Abuelo. He knew that his salvation was not coming from a building where a man presided over the service. He never doubted his salvation would come from the one who died on the Cross. I miss Abuelo. But I'm certain he is finally home and rejoicing in the presence of his Savior.
So, 36 years later, I'm questioning where I am spiritually and where I'd like to be when the day comes to depart this earth.
Wow, that was deep, wasn't it? But this blog isn't about my journey, or my crisis.
For as long as I can remember, Good Friday has been a day of mourning. Even before I really understood what Christians were celebrating during these holy days, I just knew it was a special day.
The whole world would shut down once the Tridiuum began. Holy Thursday marked the beginning as we prepared for the days to come.
As a kid, I was taught on this day, we were to reflect and pray on the sacrifice Jesus made for mankind. There was no secular music on the radio stations, no fighting or shouting at my house. It was a day of prayer.
Abuelo (my maternal grandfather) was a spiritual man but not a religious man. That's not to say he wasn't a believer. He was a man of faith, and he prayed. His temple wasn't a building, it was simply nature. He loved being in nature, and cherish all the things God had given him.
On Good Friday, Abuelo didn't work. He always said it was a day of prayer and reflection. He would rise early, as always, and without saying a word, he would go outside for his Good Friday ritual. I'm not sure what the ritual was about or what exactly he did. All I know is this was his quiet time with God and he took it very seriously.
Abuelo grew up in the mountains, where the nearest church was at least a day away, and you had to ride a horse to the main road before you could find a bus to ride to town. So attending church wasn't something he did regularly, even when transportation became more available.
But he lived his 93 years of life by the Golden Rule: Love your neighbor as yourself, and God above all things. He helped strangers and family alike. He was kind to people, and thankful of the blessings God gave him. He didn't need to be in church every Sunday to know that God was just a prayer away.
So today, on Good Friday, I'm thinking of Abuelo. He knew that his salvation was not coming from a building where a man presided over the service. He never doubted his salvation would come from the one who died on the Cross. I miss Abuelo. But I'm certain he is finally home and rejoicing in the presence of his Savior.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Unforgettable Moments: Part 2
Took a while to get back and finish my list of unforgettable moments. Sometimes life gets in the way of writing.
6) October 19, 1998. First date my husband and I had. I had seen him at the local gym a few weeks before. I remember him walking in, as I looked up. Our eyes met and a voice inside my head said "this man is going to change your life". Love at first sight? Maybe. The truth is he did change my life for the better. We went out on our first date and have been together ever since.
7) May 20, 2000 Our wedding day. As I was getting my hair ready, it started to rain. I started to get a bit nervous then. Here I was in this puffy white dress, about to walk out in the middle of a storm. The girl doing my hair said her grandmother always told her rain on your wedding day was good luck. In our case, it is true. On that day I married my other half, my best friend.
8) September 12, 2001. Our first born, a daughter was born. She was so beautiful and innocent and I was taken immediately by her. Even though the world was in turmoil over the events of 9/11, my memories of those times are happy and sad. Happy to have my little girl finally here, sad for all those who lost a loved one the day before her birth.
9) May 2003. Master degree. Environmental Engineering. A long way coming. I took classes at night, and finished this milestone while tending to my child and my husband. I was able to share that day with my family and have my daughter in attendance. She may not remember the day, but she will see the pictures and will know she, too, can do anything she sets her mind to.
10) May 1, 2006 The arrival of our twin boys. As soon as we found out I was expecting, we told our daughter. She was happy and said "mami, you are going to have two babies". We tried to explain to her she would get one brother or one sister, but she was adamant there were two babies in there. A few weeks later, we found out we were having twins. They arrived early and stayed in the hospital until they proved to the world they were ready for it.
They are a team, each other's ying yang and their own individual persons. It's amazing to watch them interact, and see the love between each other and with their sister. Our family is now complete.
6) October 19, 1998. First date my husband and I had. I had seen him at the local gym a few weeks before. I remember him walking in, as I looked up. Our eyes met and a voice inside my head said "this man is going to change your life". Love at first sight? Maybe. The truth is he did change my life for the better. We went out on our first date and have been together ever since.
7) May 20, 2000 Our wedding day. As I was getting my hair ready, it started to rain. I started to get a bit nervous then. Here I was in this puffy white dress, about to walk out in the middle of a storm. The girl doing my hair said her grandmother always told her rain on your wedding day was good luck. In our case, it is true. On that day I married my other half, my best friend.
8) September 12, 2001. Our first born, a daughter was born. She was so beautiful and innocent and I was taken immediately by her. Even though the world was in turmoil over the events of 9/11, my memories of those times are happy and sad. Happy to have my little girl finally here, sad for all those who lost a loved one the day before her birth.
9) May 2003. Master degree. Environmental Engineering. A long way coming. I took classes at night, and finished this milestone while tending to my child and my husband. I was able to share that day with my family and have my daughter in attendance. She may not remember the day, but she will see the pictures and will know she, too, can do anything she sets her mind to.
10) May 1, 2006 The arrival of our twin boys. As soon as we found out I was expecting, we told our daughter. She was happy and said "mami, you are going to have two babies". We tried to explain to her she would get one brother or one sister, but she was adamant there were two babies in there. A few weeks later, we found out we were having twins. They arrived early and stayed in the hospital until they proved to the world they were ready for it.
They are a team, each other's ying yang and their own individual persons. It's amazing to watch them interact, and see the love between each other and with their sister. Our family is now complete.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Unforgettable Moments: Part 1
Blogging helps me release stress. Strange, I know. I've been trying to blog every day and sometimes, I just have nothing interesting to say. So I found this idea generator that helps me on those days when my "rock star life" is not inspiring me to write.
So I give you the 10 most unforgettable moments of my life. Some are happy moments, some a little scary, but all very defining in my life.
1) My first day of school. I remember the anticipation and excitement of finally being able to attend school with my two oldest siblings. I remember my mom taking me out to buy the uniform, my new shoes, my lunchbox. The day finally came, and I was the most excited child in the classroom, at least I'd like to think so. While some kids were crying, I was ecstatic to be there, to finally have a chance to learn.
It was March in Panama, and a beautiful summer day. Once we had met our teacher, they took us out to the assembly area. They lined us up, the principal went up on the stage, and then we sang our National Anthem. I'll never forget that moment, I was finally growing up!
2) The year was 1989. Panama's government was under the command of General Noriega. Things were scary to say the least. I was 15 then and understood most of what was happening. I knew our school had been shut down by the government because it was run by a religious group. Electricity was being rationed so we spent many hours every night without power, sitting outside, listening to a radio station from Costa Rica in a small battery powered radio.
I also knew we weren't allow to congregate on the streets. If more than 3 people met on the street to talk, they could be put in jail under the pretense they were conspiring against the government.
I remember this day because my sister and I were sitting outside, just watching cars pass by and people walking towards town. I remember the men stopping to chit chat, two of them on their way to town, one of them on his way home. They stopped in the corner, right across from our yard. I remember the military jeep stopping right next to them, heavily armed and looking like something out of a movie. They dropped something on the ground, the jeep left, and the men started running, and coughing.
My sister and I weren't sure what was happening but it was scary. We got up and started to run towards the house, that's when we felt a funny taste in our throats. It was tear gas.
It was scary to see how we had lost our right to be free; simply because of the ambitions of one man.
3) Moving to Costa Rica. The situation in Panama had gone from bad to worse after the military threw out the results of the elections and put a puppet government in its place. The decision was made we would move to Costa Rica. We were to cross the border, undetected, and ask for political asylum. We rode to the border, as many people do, in a bus. People went there all the time to buy things, trade things, so it wasn't suspicious.
We crossed the border in an area that wasn't patrolled. I was terrified. What if we got caught?
Once on the other side, we headed to the immigration headquarters, located right on the "safe" side of the border. I remember my parents doing all the talking, signing papers, our passports were stamped, and we bought our bus tickets. We were allowed in.
That first night in our adopted home was scary. I was terrified "they" were following us. What if they found us? What would happen to us? I hardly slept. I remember being cold. San Jose was at a much higher elevation than my hometown and the nights were pretty cool. I remember walking out of the little hostel the next morning, and admiring the beautiful mountains that surround the city. I knew a new life awaited us.
4) December 1, 1990. Our plane had reached its final destination. New Orleans. So much had happened in the past year and half. Here we were, another country, a new home, and the promise that our dreams could finally come true.
5) May 1997. Bachelor's degree. Chemical Engineering. I had graduated 6 months before, but since there was no graduation ceremony in December, I was invited to participate in the ceremony in May. By now, I had a job so I thought I would go and "walk" to give my mom the satisfaction of watching me graduate.
As we started to walk into the coliseum where graduation was held, the magnitude of the moment hit me. I had to fight the tears, I had come such a long way since I had left my home 8 years before. The world awaited.
So I give you the 10 most unforgettable moments of my life. Some are happy moments, some a little scary, but all very defining in my life.
1) My first day of school. I remember the anticipation and excitement of finally being able to attend school with my two oldest siblings. I remember my mom taking me out to buy the uniform, my new shoes, my lunchbox. The day finally came, and I was the most excited child in the classroom, at least I'd like to think so. While some kids were crying, I was ecstatic to be there, to finally have a chance to learn.
It was March in Panama, and a beautiful summer day. Once we had met our teacher, they took us out to the assembly area. They lined us up, the principal went up on the stage, and then we sang our National Anthem. I'll never forget that moment, I was finally growing up!
2) The year was 1989. Panama's government was under the command of General Noriega. Things were scary to say the least. I was 15 then and understood most of what was happening. I knew our school had been shut down by the government because it was run by a religious group. Electricity was being rationed so we spent many hours every night without power, sitting outside, listening to a radio station from Costa Rica in a small battery powered radio.
I also knew we weren't allow to congregate on the streets. If more than 3 people met on the street to talk, they could be put in jail under the pretense they were conspiring against the government.
I remember this day because my sister and I were sitting outside, just watching cars pass by and people walking towards town. I remember the men stopping to chit chat, two of them on their way to town, one of them on his way home. They stopped in the corner, right across from our yard. I remember the military jeep stopping right next to them, heavily armed and looking like something out of a movie. They dropped something on the ground, the jeep left, and the men started running, and coughing.
My sister and I weren't sure what was happening but it was scary. We got up and started to run towards the house, that's when we felt a funny taste in our throats. It was tear gas.
It was scary to see how we had lost our right to be free; simply because of the ambitions of one man.
3) Moving to Costa Rica. The situation in Panama had gone from bad to worse after the military threw out the results of the elections and put a puppet government in its place. The decision was made we would move to Costa Rica. We were to cross the border, undetected, and ask for political asylum. We rode to the border, as many people do, in a bus. People went there all the time to buy things, trade things, so it wasn't suspicious.
We crossed the border in an area that wasn't patrolled. I was terrified. What if we got caught?
Once on the other side, we headed to the immigration headquarters, located right on the "safe" side of the border. I remember my parents doing all the talking, signing papers, our passports were stamped, and we bought our bus tickets. We were allowed in.
That first night in our adopted home was scary. I was terrified "they" were following us. What if they found us? What would happen to us? I hardly slept. I remember being cold. San Jose was at a much higher elevation than my hometown and the nights were pretty cool. I remember walking out of the little hostel the next morning, and admiring the beautiful mountains that surround the city. I knew a new life awaited us.
4) December 1, 1990. Our plane had reached its final destination. New Orleans. So much had happened in the past year and half. Here we were, another country, a new home, and the promise that our dreams could finally come true.
5) May 1997. Bachelor's degree. Chemical Engineering. I had graduated 6 months before, but since there was no graduation ceremony in December, I was invited to participate in the ceremony in May. By now, I had a job so I thought I would go and "walk" to give my mom the satisfaction of watching me graduate.
As we started to walk into the coliseum where graduation was held, the magnitude of the moment hit me. I had to fight the tears, I had come such a long way since I had left my home 8 years before. The world awaited.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Reminder
The holiday season has begun for us, but not without its share of drama. But I guess in the midst of it all, we have been reminded again of what is important.
It isn't about the gifts, the food, the obligations we have to entertain other. It is about love, commitment, family.
We woke up Christmas day as we had many other Christmases. The kids were thrilled to see what Santa had left under our tree, and ready to put it all to good use. Grandparents came over to have breakfast with us, and I placed a call to my mom, who was late for our celebration.
She had been sick all of the night before, and was not feeling well. We weren't quite sure what was wrong with her, but she was not doing well. Mom isn't the type to succumb to illness, she will go to work if she can, even when ill. For her to stay in bed is a huge ordeal and a sign of things not going well.
I headed over to her house, along with 2 of my sisters, and we did our best to make her comfortable. The rest of the days have been spent at doctor's offices, and the ER. We finally have a diagnosis, and a course of treatment. She will need surgery but at least we found the cause of all her discomfort.
None of us really minded that our Christmas was unusual. We did what was right and took care of our mother's need. We cancelled our get together and hope to reschedule it later so we can exchange gifts. There have been no complaints, not even from the kids who don't quite understand what's happening.
In a way, this year reminded us of what's truly important. It is not about having the perfect decorations, perfect food, perfectly set table. It's about family, about taking care of each, about love.
It isn't about the gifts, the food, the obligations we have to entertain other. It is about love, commitment, family.
We woke up Christmas day as we had many other Christmases. The kids were thrilled to see what Santa had left under our tree, and ready to put it all to good use. Grandparents came over to have breakfast with us, and I placed a call to my mom, who was late for our celebration.
She had been sick all of the night before, and was not feeling well. We weren't quite sure what was wrong with her, but she was not doing well. Mom isn't the type to succumb to illness, she will go to work if she can, even when ill. For her to stay in bed is a huge ordeal and a sign of things not going well.
I headed over to her house, along with 2 of my sisters, and we did our best to make her comfortable. The rest of the days have been spent at doctor's offices, and the ER. We finally have a diagnosis, and a course of treatment. She will need surgery but at least we found the cause of all her discomfort.
None of us really minded that our Christmas was unusual. We did what was right and took care of our mother's need. We cancelled our get together and hope to reschedule it later so we can exchange gifts. There have been no complaints, not even from the kids who don't quite understand what's happening.
In a way, this year reminded us of what's truly important. It is not about having the perfect decorations, perfect food, perfectly set table. It's about family, about taking care of each, about love.
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