So after 5th grade Renee moved away to Utica Michigan. She started a new school over there, I still visited her on the weekends, sometimes it was every weekend and then sometimes it was every other weekend. She had sports like softball and basketball, even cheerleading at one point. I still lived in the same place.
I was now going to middle school - Algonquin middle school. Even though Renee wasn't there I still made other friends. In 6th grade I didn't have many, I was in band and had friends there,we would have practices together. I played the saxophone taking after my older brother. During those years I used to always wear a Jean jacket and have my hair in a pony tail. Now the only option for my hair was a pony tail, it was so poofy that it was pretty hard to tame. One day I remember a guy came up to me who was in 7th grade,he said are you a boy, what a slap in the face, I told him no, and got pretty upset. Well I was there at school pretty early so I just went in my first hour class and sat down in my seat, and pretended to be ok, but I wasn't. After that day I never wire the jacket during school hours,tried to dress a little bit more girl like. It was hard I was raised by 3 older brothers. My parents were always working,plus my mom never really played with me, when I was younger. So who can blame me really.
Had a pool party that I was invited to that year, my mom made me put my underwear underneath my one piece bathing suit. If that's not embarrassing enough when I was swimming the girls older brother yelled out why was I wearing ny underwear. I tried to play it off like it was part of my bathing suit. Well I left after that and that girl never said anything to her brother.
I also had a birthday sleepover one night. It was all the girls from the band.I wasn't invited at first, my friend Jane had asked what I was buying for the birthday girl, but I had no idea what she was talking about. And when I told her, she didn't understand why because the whole class was invited. Just the girls. Her mom apparently found out and the girl had to invite me.I didn't want to go after knowing that I wasn't invited, but I went anyway. I did have fun though.
So In 7th grade I made some new friends, Emily and Christy. They were my best friends for 7 - 9th grade. We did a lot together. The biggest shocker was finding out they smoked cigarettes already. I couldn't believe it.
You know what's really embarrassing while I was in science class I had a table partner. She was one of the most popular girls in that school, but she was nice to me. One day it was close to Christmas and she was telling me how she found out there was no Santa Claus at an early age, and when she asked me when I found out......well truthfully I had to lie and tell her that I was really young. Not true, I just found out when she told me. I know that's pretty bad but my brothers didn't want to tell me and told my mom and dad not to say anything either. They wanted to see how long it would be till I found out. I don't know if that's horrible of them or what but to tell you the truth finding out took the fun out of Christmas.
Now I had school friends and a neighborhood friend. She was friends with Renee too, her name was Tamara. She was black, and now that I think about it, not a very good friend. When it was my birthday one time, She made me a cake, I thought that was nice until I saw what type it was. It was a miss piggy cake. Yeah I loved to eat, but I wasn't fat. She was a little bit older than me. Rollarskating was the thing to do on Friday nights. The mall was also the hangout. Tamara was a bad influence on me. One time she asked me to steal the tip off of a table. I wasn't going to do it but then I did it. the waitress asked where the tip was, I tried to play it off like I didn't know. We left and the security guard was talking to us about it. Tamara acted like she never wanted me to do it, she said it was all my thinking. I couldn't believe she put me under the bus. She then stole a ring that same day from Hudson's. I couldn't believe it.
She was also more advanced sexually than me, she had a boyfriend and I never did. She would tell me that she has sex with him and everything. they also would break up and get back together like all the time. I wasn't allowed to talk to any boys on the phone or date anyone. I had my first boyfriend named Eric. he was a friend of Tamara's boyfriend. Their was a basketball game at her school and we went but my dad dropped us off which meant I better be outside when the game ended. Well Eric was part of the team, and when the game was done Tamara told me he was waiting for me in the locker room. Now I never had a kiss before at all. So I was scared and nervous, plus my dad was waiting for me outside. Well that's what Eric wanted, basically to make out with me. And Tamara was right there in our face making is duo it . Kiss that is. My dad was looking for us all over and at that time I was loosing it cause I could hear him and hear that he was frantic. So I wimped out on the kiss and said to him I have to go. Well because I wasn't that type of girl that he wanted me to be, he dumped me.
Oh well. There was another time when we were Rollarskating skating and Tamara's boyfriend was there and a friend of his that was an ass to everyone. Well his name was Jason. Well I was sitting in the food area waiting for my dad to pick me up and well here they come to sit down with me. I'm getting nervous cause my dad could come in at any time. well Jason sat by me and he wanted to kiss me, but I thought he was a jerk. but he went in for the kiss anyway, and we did, and did you know what happened at that very moment..... yea, my dad walked right in and walked right out. my mom had to come in and tell me that they were there to pick us up. That moment he was so upset with me and disappointed with me. I was grounded and wasn't able to go out. Well a few months went by and well Tamara went to go see a movie, Malcolm X, well they were there also, I didn't know. And Jason sat with me. In my head I was like what the hell is going to happen now. I remember him putting a jacket over his legs and mine. We were holding hands and he put my hand under the jacket in his pants.... I was really grossed out to tell you the truth. Skip through this part if your grossed out by this but that was the first time I ever felt a penis, and let me tell you it was small and very very thin. Then he frenched kissed me, and that was my first as well. Look I'm only 12-13, I have no experience of any kind. He knew this yet he still told me I kissed like a dog. I got pretty upset, cause that's why he was an ass. After that I never talked to him again.
Worst remembrance of my life.
Well after a few months I wasn't able to see Tamara anymore or hang out with her because my mom found a written note in my jeans back pocket. the note said things like check closets, drawers, shelves.... my mom asked me what this was. And I tried to lie about it, but I am not a very good liar. So I had to tell her: basically when we went to the mall Tamara always met strange men there. there was one man who was a lot older than us who could drive that she would see a lot. she thought that this guy was hiding something. so when he took us to his house in Detroit, she asked me to look into different things to see if I could find out anything. While she was downstairs doing god knows what with this guy. Apparently he heard me moving upstairs and she tried to play it off like I was trying to find the bathroom. But he told her that he was taking us back to the mall. Well after that day that was the end because my mom also told her mom about that. I didn't see her until I was in high school. she invited me to talk before she went to prom.
So instead of hanging out with Tamara I hung out with Emily and christy more. We had fun during the 7th and 8th grade of middle school. There was a eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. for the weekend. my parents till this day can't remember I even went to that. But I did.
When I started 9th grade, I went to a high school called Chippewa Valley High School. During that year it was different, I didn't see much of my friends because we were everywhere, there was this g
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Memoirs of a Hispanic woman (Page 1)
Hello everyone who cares to even begin reading these. I have never blogged before and since I don't want to start writing a book I just rather do this. I wanted to start writing about my life thus far. I'll start when I was born and day by day I will keep on blogging till I reach my age now of 34. Then I'll just keep on going.
First, I'll start off by thanking my family for giving me a great life, I won't name them here because being Hispanic, I'll end up writing a whole book.
Anyways, it would be a lie if I started out by saying I remember the day I was born, which we all know that is impossible as my brain can't remember when I was a baby. So I'll just start by saying I was born on March 19, 1979. Of course, I have always asked my mom what she can remember about my birth, I always get the same answer, you took forever and it hurt like a bitch. Thanks mom. I was told that I was born with a defect because of some great pre-natal pills that they used to prescribe woman back then. I was born with a clef palete. That means the roof of my mouth was gone. Yes it was fixed a couple months later but before that I was told that every time I would drink a bottle, the milk would come out of my nose and I would sometimes choke. That's a great mental picture I will cherish always. Thanks again mom!
I don't really start to rmember anything till I was 5 years old. And at that time my family was already moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Michigan to be exact. Talk about culture shock! To being in 90 degree weather, always sunny... To going to a freezing state. When we got out of the airport in Detroit it was about 30 degrees out and snowing! That is the first time we ever saw snow. Have you ever seen the movie Cool Runnings? It was about a bobsled team from Jamaica and they go to the winter games. Well there is a scene where they come out of the airport and it's snowing and cold and they don't even have jackets.... Well that was kinda like us.
Our very first home was in a little town called Clinton twp. Linda street to be exact. Our first winter was the worst, and apparently it was the worst winter experienced in that town, so I guess you can say we came in at the best of times!! Yeah right! I remember my moms hands got frostbite for the first time. She had to run her fingers under hot water for awhile. My dad had just started work and had to shovel out the drive way and scrape ice out of the car window. Pretty bad.
It was a great neighborhood, I had only 3 good friends.... hey guys I was only like 5 or 6, so how many good friends can we really have other than stuffed animals. Out of 3 I can only remember 2 names - one was Tony who always wore a red micheal Jackson jacket, and the other was Melissa. I met Melissa at school and Tony lived across the street from me. As far as I know life was good.
The only memories I really remember at this time frame was having a scary basement, throwing rocks into a pool, peeing in the back of the garage with my clothes on (yea I peed on myself), a party that Tony and I and the other person I just can't remember the name of, had in the backyard. Now the funny part of the party is that it wasn't a party, it was just the three of us eating chips. Lets see what else can I remember: Now I got made fun of in elementary school, it was never by girls just boys.... I don't get that. Anyways, I used to be in the Brownies too, it's part of the Girl Scouts. And that's where Melissa and I got really close. But she eventually went to another school and I never saw her till High School. I'll get to that later.
Well we eventually moved to another house on James Street. That is where I spent most of my life, so from ages 7-14. At this time, I had started Elementary School, 1st grade and there where I met Renee, my life friend. I didn't know very much English and she basically helped me out. I learned later that she lived right down the street from me. She taught me all the bad words in English.... probably not a good role model at the time, but hey we were young. So we spent almost every day together just like best friends should. I would go to her house a lot, she had a bigger house with more toys, and her mom let her do whatever she wanted. Of course, it was better than my house but she came to my house too. My mom always wanted me to call right when I got there, I never did.... so she would always get mad at me. We would have the longest bike rides through the neighborhoods. I wish it was like that now, you can't even let kids go out or they will get kidnapped. Horrible.
Anyways, she was a good person, we were in school together from 1st to 5th grade. She had her braces first, than I had them. I got glasses in the 3rd grade, she never did. I feel like she was perfect, she always got everything at times I would envy her.
I only had her as a best friend, I had school friends like Fara, she was Italian. I got made fun of a lot at school, Renee was never made fun of, she loved sports so she was friends with a lot of guys. I remember in school I tried to play basketball with her and her friends, I accidentally lost the ball, it went out of bound, and when I got it and came back they said I was out of the game cause I didn't dribble the ball back. I was a little upset but oh well, I have to admit I'm not a sports girl. My friend was sad for me but she didn't say anything, but I could see her face.
I also remember running up a hill and it rained so yeah I slipped and got my bottom all dirty and I had to go to the office to get a change of clothes. Now the only clothes my mom could bring me were sweat pants and a sweatshirt. At that time I was a little chubby, like Honey Boo Boo, but it didn't phase me, and that was my favorite sweat outfit, but it wasn't for school. The sweatshirt had a fuzzy rabbit on the front and they were lavender color. Plus I had like penny loafers on, so I wasn't looking that great. There was this guy in my class that I had a crush on, his name was Scott, well he embarrased the hell out of me that day. I was picking up everyone's papers and when I went by him he grabbed the fat on the side of my stomach, in front of everyone, I dropped all those papers. Needless to say I hated him after that.
The kids there had a chant for me, everytime I walked around they would say "Maria Mojica from Portorica" It wasn't hateful at least I don't think it was, but it sucked hearing it all the time. I was so nice to everyone there.... but why were some so negative towards me.
I also remember being friends with two guys, they were nerds and I was too, they were Darren and Jason. I don't ever remember them ever being mean to me.
In the neighborhood I lived in Renee was loved by everyone, they always wanted to play with her and her brother. One day a lot of the neighborhood kids were in the front yard of Renee's house. One kid who was older came by and since it was so hot on that summer day he invited everyone to go into his pool. Everybody was happy including me, as I started to get on my bike and head over he stopped me and said except you, your not invited. I said why, and he said I don't like you. I have never met this kid or even talked to me. That's the first time I have seen hate to someone that wasn't like him. Everybody left to get there bathing suits and I started crying and when I started to ride off my friend saw me and asked what was wrong, I told her and she said that she wasn't going to go, and she stayed with me.
A lot of people didn't like me there, there was also a girl that was Renee's friend but she hated me. I had nothing against her, but that's when I learned the word two faced because when Renee was gone one day on a trip she called me to come by her house and play with her. I was going to say no but since I never had a problem with her I said yes. I knew she hated me, but I wasn't going to be like her.
First, I'll start off by thanking my family for giving me a great life, I won't name them here because being Hispanic, I'll end up writing a whole book.
Anyways, it would be a lie if I started out by saying I remember the day I was born, which we all know that is impossible as my brain can't remember when I was a baby. So I'll just start by saying I was born on March 19, 1979. Of course, I have always asked my mom what she can remember about my birth, I always get the same answer, you took forever and it hurt like a bitch. Thanks mom. I was told that I was born with a defect because of some great pre-natal pills that they used to prescribe woman back then. I was born with a clef palete. That means the roof of my mouth was gone. Yes it was fixed a couple months later but before that I was told that every time I would drink a bottle, the milk would come out of my nose and I would sometimes choke. That's a great mental picture I will cherish always. Thanks again mom!
I don't really start to rmember anything till I was 5 years old. And at that time my family was already moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Michigan to be exact. Talk about culture shock! To being in 90 degree weather, always sunny... To going to a freezing state. When we got out of the airport in Detroit it was about 30 degrees out and snowing! That is the first time we ever saw snow. Have you ever seen the movie Cool Runnings? It was about a bobsled team from Jamaica and they go to the winter games. Well there is a scene where they come out of the airport and it's snowing and cold and they don't even have jackets.... Well that was kinda like us.
Our very first home was in a little town called Clinton twp. Linda street to be exact. Our first winter was the worst, and apparently it was the worst winter experienced in that town, so I guess you can say we came in at the best of times!! Yeah right! I remember my moms hands got frostbite for the first time. She had to run her fingers under hot water for awhile. My dad had just started work and had to shovel out the drive way and scrape ice out of the car window. Pretty bad.
It was a great neighborhood, I had only 3 good friends.... hey guys I was only like 5 or 6, so how many good friends can we really have other than stuffed animals. Out of 3 I can only remember 2 names - one was Tony who always wore a red micheal Jackson jacket, and the other was Melissa. I met Melissa at school and Tony lived across the street from me. As far as I know life was good.
The only memories I really remember at this time frame was having a scary basement, throwing rocks into a pool, peeing in the back of the garage with my clothes on (yea I peed on myself), a party that Tony and I and the other person I just can't remember the name of, had in the backyard. Now the funny part of the party is that it wasn't a party, it was just the three of us eating chips. Lets see what else can I remember: Now I got made fun of in elementary school, it was never by girls just boys.... I don't get that. Anyways, I used to be in the Brownies too, it's part of the Girl Scouts. And that's where Melissa and I got really close. But she eventually went to another school and I never saw her till High School. I'll get to that later.
Well we eventually moved to another house on James Street. That is where I spent most of my life, so from ages 7-14. At this time, I had started Elementary School, 1st grade and there where I met Renee, my life friend. I didn't know very much English and she basically helped me out. I learned later that she lived right down the street from me. She taught me all the bad words in English.... probably not a good role model at the time, but hey we were young. So we spent almost every day together just like best friends should. I would go to her house a lot, she had a bigger house with more toys, and her mom let her do whatever she wanted. Of course, it was better than my house but she came to my house too. My mom always wanted me to call right when I got there, I never did.... so she would always get mad at me. We would have the longest bike rides through the neighborhoods. I wish it was like that now, you can't even let kids go out or they will get kidnapped. Horrible.
Anyways, she was a good person, we were in school together from 1st to 5th grade. She had her braces first, than I had them. I got glasses in the 3rd grade, she never did. I feel like she was perfect, she always got everything at times I would envy her.
I only had her as a best friend, I had school friends like Fara, she was Italian. I got made fun of a lot at school, Renee was never made fun of, she loved sports so she was friends with a lot of guys. I remember in school I tried to play basketball with her and her friends, I accidentally lost the ball, it went out of bound, and when I got it and came back they said I was out of the game cause I didn't dribble the ball back. I was a little upset but oh well, I have to admit I'm not a sports girl. My friend was sad for me but she didn't say anything, but I could see her face.
I also remember running up a hill and it rained so yeah I slipped and got my bottom all dirty and I had to go to the office to get a change of clothes. Now the only clothes my mom could bring me were sweat pants and a sweatshirt. At that time I was a little chubby, like Honey Boo Boo, but it didn't phase me, and that was my favorite sweat outfit, but it wasn't for school. The sweatshirt had a fuzzy rabbit on the front and they were lavender color. Plus I had like penny loafers on, so I wasn't looking that great. There was this guy in my class that I had a crush on, his name was Scott, well he embarrased the hell out of me that day. I was picking up everyone's papers and when I went by him he grabbed the fat on the side of my stomach, in front of everyone, I dropped all those papers. Needless to say I hated him after that.
The kids there had a chant for me, everytime I walked around they would say "Maria Mojica from Portorica" It wasn't hateful at least I don't think it was, but it sucked hearing it all the time. I was so nice to everyone there.... but why were some so negative towards me.
I also remember being friends with two guys, they were nerds and I was too, they were Darren and Jason. I don't ever remember them ever being mean to me.
In the neighborhood I lived in Renee was loved by everyone, they always wanted to play with her and her brother. One day a lot of the neighborhood kids were in the front yard of Renee's house. One kid who was older came by and since it was so hot on that summer day he invited everyone to go into his pool. Everybody was happy including me, as I started to get on my bike and head over he stopped me and said except you, your not invited. I said why, and he said I don't like you. I have never met this kid or even talked to me. That's the first time I have seen hate to someone that wasn't like him. Everybody left to get there bathing suits and I started crying and when I started to ride off my friend saw me and asked what was wrong, I told her and she said that she wasn't going to go, and she stayed with me.
A lot of people didn't like me there, there was also a girl that was Renee's friend but she hated me. I had nothing against her, but that's when I learned the word two faced because when Renee was gone one day on a trip she called me to come by her house and play with her. I was going to say no but since I never had a problem with her I said yes. I knew she hated me, but I wasn't going to be like her.
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