I can perfectly remember myself 13 years ago, sitting in the back seat of my Dad’s car, on my way to my first day of school at Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It was the start of August 2002, I didn’t measure any higher than a meter, I was sitting down in the car with my new grey uniform and my hello kitty lunchbox, with my shoulders curved forwards and my hands together. I can clearly picture myself asking my parents infinite questions with my low and shy voice and staring out the window anxiously. The butterflies in my stomach were so strong, that I can still remember them to this day, despite 13 years have already passed.
This past Wednesday was my little brother’s, León, play day. Different from past years in which new students were interviewed, now kids are invited to a “play day” in which they go to school and play with a group of kids and some mentors. León had been talking about this day for weeks “I am going to visit Isa’s school because I am already a big kid”. He is only three years old but he speaks and acts as if he was 20. In that sense, he’s definitely the opposite to me. It’s very funny and surprising to contrast my little brother to myself when I was his age. To begin with, I was much more petite and restrained, unlike him, who is confident and jaunty. León never gets tired of running around, of speaking like a little parrot, and of lark around. He is rarely sitting down calmly, and he is always looking forward to start a conversation and loves meeting strangers.
Looking at León is like looking at myself at the mirror, only that finding myself as a boy, 20 times less shy, much more active, and much more sociable. It was incredible to walk my little brother into the school I first entered 13 years ago, and watch how the story started to repeat. While I was holding his little hand, walking him into the EC area, I could remember myself holding my parents hands, who were doing the same thing for me. So many years and memories flashed through my brain, filling me with nostalgia but tenderness and excitement at the same time. When we arrived, we ran into Ms. Mandy and Ms. Julie, my EC-4 and first grade teachers. They couldn't believe how big I was and how cute León was, and I couldn't believe how identical they looked after so many years. I remembered Ms. Mandy receiving me my first day of school, with the typical tender and humble voice in which adults speak to kids, “Welcome Isabella". Now, I saw her using this friendly and tender voice with León, "Hey! Welcome Leonsito!". Each voice, each memory, and each recollection of my first years at Roosevelt filled me up with nostalgia. Watching León running around through my school, playing with my old teachers, and playing in the games I used to play in made me feel very emotional but also excited for the years ahead of him.
My big sister is finishing college, I’m finishing school, and my little brother is just entering school. It is incredible to watch this three highly important stages of life so closely and it loads me with excitement and thrill. The three of us are in a really remarkable and critical phase of our lifes right now, and I love the contrast there is between us. Although this fills me with nostalgia, uncertainty and fear, it motivates me and it allows me to appreciate my family and everything I have and feel excited for all of us.
This past Wednesday was my little brother’s, León, play day. Different from past years in which new students were interviewed, now kids are invited to a “play day” in which they go to school and play with a group of kids and some mentors. León had been talking about this day for weeks “I am going to visit Isa’s school because I am already a big kid”. He is only three years old but he speaks and acts as if he was 20. In that sense, he’s definitely the opposite to me. It’s very funny and surprising to contrast my little brother to myself when I was his age. To begin with, I was much more petite and restrained, unlike him, who is confident and jaunty. León never gets tired of running around, of speaking like a little parrot, and of lark around. He is rarely sitting down calmly, and he is always looking forward to start a conversation and loves meeting strangers.
Looking at León is like looking at myself at the mirror, only that finding myself as a boy, 20 times less shy, much more active, and much more sociable. It was incredible to walk my little brother into the school I first entered 13 years ago, and watch how the story started to repeat. While I was holding his little hand, walking him into the EC area, I could remember myself holding my parents hands, who were doing the same thing for me. So many years and memories flashed through my brain, filling me with nostalgia but tenderness and excitement at the same time. When we arrived, we ran into Ms. Mandy and Ms. Julie, my EC-4 and first grade teachers. They couldn't believe how big I was and how cute León was, and I couldn't believe how identical they looked after so many years. I remembered Ms. Mandy receiving me my first day of school, with the typical tender and humble voice in which adults speak to kids, “Welcome Isabella". Now, I saw her using this friendly and tender voice with León, "Hey! Welcome Leonsito!". Each voice, each memory, and each recollection of my first years at Roosevelt filled me up with nostalgia. Watching León running around through my school, playing with my old teachers, and playing in the games I used to play in made me feel very emotional but also excited for the years ahead of him.
My big sister is finishing college, I’m finishing school, and my little brother is just entering school. It is incredible to watch this three highly important stages of life so closely and it loads me with excitement and thrill. The three of us are in a really remarkable and critical phase of our lifes right now, and I love the contrast there is between us. Although this fills me with nostalgia, uncertainty and fear, it motivates me and it allows me to appreciate my family and everything I have and feel excited for all of us.