As A+ As Always

So... guess who got an A+ on her midterm? That's right! This girl! I realized that I actually like studying because it means that I get stinkin awesome grades. Why didn't anyone tell me this before?

So my midterm was last Thursday then my final was the Tuesday following it! That's so soon after! We were all freaking out!



Aren't those awesome pictures of Isaiah and I bowling? Oh wait... no! We're not bowling, that's us studying for our finals at the bowling alley. Great job planning mandatory events there Kyle! (And by the way, I got a perfect score on my final! My boycott of bowling paid off!)

So, remember that poem I told you about? You do! Well, I performed it today! Here's the video of the excerpt I did for our presentation, then after that is the full poem that I wrote.

We had to do something that related back to our scholarships so I wrote mine about discrimination of Mexican immigrants and reverse discrimination It is entitled "Why Does Color Matter (Products of America)".

Never mind, the video doesn't want to upload, so it's just the poem!

Why Does Color Matter (Products of America)

By: Ali

Summer heat,

cold drink.

See the sweat

drip.

Suburban life,

born white.

I am a product

of America.

            Dark night,

            cold sand.

            Feel my hands

            shake.

            Frightened, desperate

gunshots, “Pah!”

            We just want a

            better life.

Dark skin,

shifty eyes.

They’ll never be

American.

Illegal immigrants,

border hoppers:

go back to your

own country.

            Tan skin,

            brown eyes.

            I’m not like

            them.

            I’m happy –

            being me.

            Will this ever be

            my home?      

New boy,

from Mexico.

He doesn’t fit

in.

My fists,

My message.

Why the hell are

you here?

            Sister dead

            at border.

            Grandfather is in

            jail.

            Father can’t

            get work.

            Why the hell are

            we here?

I’m strong,

he’s weak.

I like this

feeling.

Why stop?

It’s too fun.

He’s not even a

real human.

            I scream,

            no reply.

            They won’t help

            me.

            Why won’t

            they, “STOP!”

            I cry, but they

            only laugh.

Moved schools,

no whites.

I’m the only

one.

Oh no,

he’s here.

Please Lord don’t let

him remember.

            Moved schools,

            no whites.

            This could be

            fun.

            Oh look,

            he’s here.

            Thank you God for

            this revenge.

Taste copper,

bloody nose.

I’m trapped in

hell.

How is

this fair?

I’m sorry for everything

I did.

            He’s weak,

            I’m strong.

            Now he knows

            pain.

            I’ll beat

            him blue –

            Wait… when did I become

            the monster?

I’m sorry

I hurt you.

            I’m sorry too.

            How did this happen?

We’re all human.

            We all have purpose.

So tell me,

Why does color matter?

 

Anyway... throughout this summer, we've been doing community service work at the Boys and Girls club every Monday and Wednesday morning. Well, this past Wednesday was my last day with all the little munchkins and I'm going to miss all their bright, shining faces... even the obnoxious ones.

It was really fun being there because the little girls were just in love with all of us girls. They wanted to braid our hair and sit in our laps and stuff: it was so adorable.

I tried my hardest to entertain the kids. So I found my inner Brookhill Counselor and taught them all of the games I knew from Hodge Podge. Their favorites were Ships & Sailors and Mafia. The boys especially loved Mafia. They were always adamant about playing and would even go ask all the other kids to play so they would have a big enough group for it to be fun.

I got roped into numerous games of tag, volleyball, kickball, pretend, pool, Foosball, etc. and loved every minute of it because I knew the kids were happy I was there.

And some of my little artists are even so talented that I plan to display their masterpieces on the wall in my dorm next year. They were on display in the room I'm in now, but I had to take them down when I packed everything up.

Here are a few pictures of them. I didn't get to take pictures with the little ones, but hopefully I'll be able to go back and they'll still remember me!

So, today is Thursday. This is my last night here. We had our ending ceremony this afternoon so a bunch of people left already, but we're trying to make the most of our last time to be together.

It's going to be weird not to see all of them everyday; I know it's been less than four weeks, but it feels like it's been an entire semester. Whether they believe me or not, I am going to miss every single person in this program and I will treasure every moment I get to see them next year.

I wish them all the best in their endeavors.

Well, I'm hopping on a plane tomorrow so they next time you hear from me I'll be in Florida! Whoop!!!

See you there!

As A+ As Always,

Ali