Last one.

Wow, I am done with the book. It seems like it went pretty, darn fast...

Although I did not like the book in the beginning, it started to become more entertaining at the end. I have also realized that Carlos's family is very similar to me. A women's role versus men’s are visible and distinguishable in the vignettes and in my family. That is why the book became more delightful and valuable to read.

In How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, by Julia Alvarez, in the third section, the vignette that shocked me the most was: An American Surprise.

In many countries, families have maids. And the maids are very close to the family, but know when they cannot do certain things and can.

 In this vignette, the maid, Gladys, she was black (I think?) was accused of stealing Carla's bank, when evidently Carla gave it to her because she did not want her to sell the wallets her dad bought for her. I believe the reason why she accused Gladys is because, first of all, she is a maid; they are there for the money, and if they sneak a few more bucks they will do so. But not all maids are like this; some are trustworthy, honest, and respectable with other peoples goods. They will not take "clean-up" and swipe everything in their belongings, assuming they did not do anything. In An American Surprise, the mother assumed she stole the bank maybe because she saw her stealing before, she looked suspicious, or was always eager for her money. Her acts maybe gave the mom a reason not to like her. All of these factors are intertwined in the assumption of Carla's bank to be "stolen".

Well, back where I am from, we had a similar incident, and it did not go well...

We had a maid. She was really nice, helpful, and funny. She never said she was tired, sick, or asked for more money. She was the best. One day, my eight year old cousin went into his parents room (In Eritrea, a family lives together, not like the American house hold- mom, dad, and two kids) and saw the maid cleaning, she went into his moms jewelry closet and saw her putting it inside her apron. He yelled, well in Tigrinya. Well, in English terminology, he said: Mom, Mom, she took your gold, she took your gold, (In Eritrea, you know not to touch peoples jewelry without their permission, just compliments on their gold. That’s it!) And so, his mom came up and they started to fight, she was yelling and yelling (like someone was trying to steal her stuff; that's exactly want happened :b). After the battle, the parents threw her stuff out the house and did not pay her. It was all-bad.

In conclusion, the events in book were very similar to my family experiences, which made it more enthusiastic and amusing.

I Like it How We Dribble Up and Down the Court.

While scouting through many student blogs, I have found and interesting and fascinating post. While reading through Vy Truong's post about basketball, I felt it should be shared once more:

Basketball is one if the sports I am most confident with playing. I spent most my child hood playing basketball with my brother or at a youth center I used to go to. I used to play basketball almost everyday but then I got lazy and really busy with school. Basketball was now not part of my life but I want it to be. This is why I want to play this year and to get in fit. It is a great way to work out. I never know why I enjoy playing basketball cause I hate running and balls but basketball has always been the sport that I never hated.

Vy is so really cool. She's like my role model.

Realizing how confident she is about this sport shows true dedication. This shows my how I should not give up a sport I like, just for school purposes. I say this because; I fear if I play a sport or do any other alternative activity, I will ruin my academic career, and downfall. I fear that I will not do as well and ruin my grades. I do not want that to happen, so I just do not do anything besides school stuff. What a boring life, huh?

While reading through Vy's blog, and looking at how she is taking the courage to play the sport she loves, makes me feeling like, I am a chicken. Chicken, chicken, chicken... Being able to balance school-life and an extra curricular activity shows responsibility and integrity. This is also beneficial because colleges understand how challenging it is to balance an additional activity that can interfere with school. This will show colleges that you are able to level yourself between two activities. That is so good! This is the main reason why I want to play a sport. I love badminton. 

Badminton is so much fun. Although I am not good at the sport, I could improve by playing on a team, because you do not have to start well, but soon after will become an expert. I wish I had the similar push as Vy, to make me join a badminton team. Is there such thing?

Anyways...

Vy, I love you. Your blog makes me very happy. Considering that you go to ASTI, and have a lot of work and adding another activity in to your hectic schedule is risky and beastie-like. I believe in you and i hope you make the team.

As a result, when loving something, you should try to do something about it. I feel like I'll be in a dream if I was on a badminton team and getting good grades in school. Ughh 

Oh, I have this notebook titled True Stories I Made Up. I have not written in it since middle school. I should start, and my dream life will be my first…

Losing a Friend

These past days have been unbalanced and hectic. I almost forgot we had to do a blog. Thank God for planners...

While reading many blog posts, I came across Amber Gomez's post about one of her friends. It sounded that she was really sad and wanted to back track to the "good times" (when they were close friends), she states:

 And so I cry. And I remember all the good times we had together. And I just pray that if we aren't ever going to have times like that again, then I hope that I will never forget them. And maybe, you never will either.

This part of her blog made me cry and feel really devastated about the friends I lost throughout my life. 

Knowing Amber, she has been through a lot. She is very smart, talented, and an amazing friend. Noticing that she is slowly losing/ or lost a friend makes me feel that I should do something about. When I say, do something about it, I do not mean go over to that person and attack or threaten him in anyway. I mean, talk to her about it and try to establish a plan where she can talk to him or be able to see him more often. Sometimes, a friend you may love may not have the same feeling towards you.

People change...

When knowing someone for many years and instantly change before your eyes may: want new friends, different friends, or want to become a new person. To do so, the person takes away the people he uses to hang with, and change his past self for a new self (if you know what I mean).

When I was in sixth grade, I had a friend who would boss me, and other people around. I became her friend so I can become "popular", "cool", and have the right to make fun of others. After all the insults she gave others and myself, I had to walk away. I felt what she was doing was unreasonable and unfair. So, I hanged out with the other girls. After a few months, the "popular" girl came to us and wanted to apologize towards her past comments. We forgave her, but we did not hangout with her. We wanted her to feel bad about her actions. Looking at her all-alone at lunch, lunch recess, after school, I felt the need to hang with her. I did this because I thought I was going back to the old me. So, during lunch, we talked and talked. She was actually really nice and sweet. I liked her. We later became close friends. 

What I am trying to say is: People change for better, for worse...

I hope your friend and yourself will justify away to hangout or see realize if it was for the better...

Hope you feel better Berrrrr :)

Dude, chill.

While looking through Amber Gomez's posts, I found an interesting and unaware topic. Love. This abstract word has many twists and turn's about what people believe it is. Love, hmmm. 

Noticing that Amber was angry toward the freshman's thought's, I was thinking it should be posted once more:

You are freshmen. You are wayyyyy too young to say love is fake. Oh my gosh! You've got me screaming! Love does exist; you just haven't found it yet! Relax and stop depressing the people that ARE in love!

Woe, Amber, that took a lot of... dedication.

Even though I clearly understand where she is coming from, everyone is entitled to an opinion, nuff said.
People have the right to implement their idea about anything, and in this case, Love.

Many people who are in relationships would always say, " I love him/her". They say this because they believe that the person would never leave them and always be by their side. This is not always the case. People have relationships that do not feel like a relationship. Meaning, the guy/girl does not want to hang out with them, they might be really shy, or just not the type of guy; they might love them but the other spouse may not. This turns into hatred and angriness

People have relationships where they loved him/ her but the other did not. This automatically turns the person who is in love- angry and humiliated. They had so much love for him/ her that they did not realize if the other spouse did as well, (maybe, some of the freshman's, had a similar scenario, and soon after- they believed love is not real).

Amber, I am happy you are in love, but you have to take into consideration that everyone does not (or did not) have the same feelings as you. You may be a lucky one. In which, your spouse love's you as much as you love him, but that is not the same to the six billion people on this earth. I guess what I am trying to say is: love has its twist's and turn's and changes people's belief on it.

This fundamental word can create many debates upon ones thoughts.

Ps. " Love don't cost a thannnggg," I really wanted to put this in my paragraphs, i just did not know where.

Peace Out!

Bruh, Bruh.

I cannot believe the amount of test's we had today; it was insane!

Anyways...

Here I go. I am sitting down with the brother on the right side and my sister on the other. Furthermore, my dad is in the living room watching a soccer tournament in Dubai, they are screaming so loud I cannot concentrate on my post. So if my bog sound's weird it is not my fault. 

Anyhow...

I cannot believe my brother is in the sixth grade. I feel like he school is in elementary school forever. Even-though that would be weird, do not want my brother to grow up (woe, I feel like a parent). He used to go to Shelton's Primary Educational Center (S.P.E.C), but then the school closed down. My sister, brother, and I went to that school for nine year. I was private. We were rich then... Now, he goes to Academy of Alameda, I could not he is in middle school.  He was so excited on the first day of school; He wanted to be there an hour earlier. I had the same feelings as him, but I wanted to go to school early so I can have a tour of the school and understand my campus so I would not get lost. He just wanted to open his locker and make new friends. We are such opposites. Friends were the last priority I wanted to exhibit or maybe the last thing I wanted to think about. 

Today, I went to my brother’s school for the first time. He gave me explicit instructions on how to open a longer because I have not opened one since eighth grade... so sad. His instructions were clear that I finally opened the lock; I was proud of myself. Then, I tried it once more and it did not work- stupid lock.

In the end, I have concluded my brother is growing up. He will never stay young, not even if you try to trick him about his age (which I have tried before... did not go well). It is time to let go.

Ps. did you notice I did not tell you my brother's name? Well, here it goes, *drum rolls*... Ahmed Ahmed. Pretty neat, huh? Or not?