El que piensa que ser maestro es fácil, no ha tratado de calificar 174 papeles en una noche. Pero, ¿qué puedo decir? eso es parte de mi carrera. Vamos a continuar la historia.

Adios Balboa Elementary – hello Ft. Gulick!  Ft. Gulick was in Colon – one of the nine provinces in Panama. The Army base was surrounded by rainforest - ¡Era un escenario majestuoso! Really, the beauty of God’s creative hand all around our house was incredible. There were little monkeys that sounded three times their size, tiny lime-green colored parrots that circled in our backyard, a woodpecker in one of the hollow trees behind the house… And a beautiful lake across the wire-fence.

For reasons I don’t remember, I started 4th grade a couple of days after everyone else. Lo que si recuerdo, es haber visto algunas peleítas porristas bailando y saltando fuera de mi ventana. I would have loved to go outside and join them – but when it came to dancing in public, I was awkward to the 1oth power. Those couple of days, as I watched the little cheerleaders practicing – I learned the routine in my bedroom and sang “Straight-up now tell me” to myself. I wished I could dance – but that was one talent I had not been granted.

So by the beginning of 4th grade,  I was definitely not wearing my hair in pigtails. I was a young lady – a young lady who was crazy about her hair. I brushed it morning, noon and night. My hair was past my shoulders, reaching almost mid-back. Recuerdo que teníamos una vecina, la mamá de mi amiguita Xiomara, que me hacía unas trenzas francesas preciosas. After I let my braids go, my hair looked all pretty – like the mermaid in the movie Splash.  And every time I went to my grandma’s house in Chame, the neighbors – las mellas - would put my hair in a gorgeous high-ponytail they called: Una Fuente      - a fountain.

I loved my hair! Simplemente dicho, me fascinaba mi cabello largo, color café, ondulado en partes y lacio en otras. If there was something that I thought made me pretty, it was: my hair. You see, before I continue…me in 4th grade is one thing I have to illustrate.

Since I can remember, my face has been round. Small hazel eyes (most of the time – they change color when they feel like it); nice, plump latina lips, and chubby-chubby cheeks. Some people’s faces change as they grow – mine - ¡No’ombe, mi cara se ha quedado igualita desde kínder! I wasn’t thin, but I wasn’t chubby…always a good little eater. So when I began 4th grade at Ft. Gulick Elementary School, with my long light-brown hair loose past my shoulders, I was pretty confident it was going to be a great year…or so, I thought. 

My teacher’s name was: Mrs. Chisholm. I can’t remember too much about her physically – thin, full-grey hair, unique fashion style – nonetheless; I can remember that at first – she didn’t like me very much.  ¿Por qué?  You might ask. Well, because I loved talking, just about as much as I loved my hair. And since I would finish my work fairly quickly, talking is what I did most. I remember having to press my nose against the cold, green chalkboard many times at the beginning of the school-year, angry/embarrassed-salty tears streaming down my fat cheeks, as I stood behind the class (there were two chalkboards). Was it my fault I already knew some of the material? Sometimes, adults can be SO UNFAIR! Es que no entienden que uno se aburre.

But then, a couple days into the school-year, I was placed in the TAG class once a week (Talented And Gifted). I was also in track. This helped calm me down and led Mrs. Chisholm to give me alternative assignments. Although I was a bit of a chatterbox, when it came to performing in public – I was quite shy.  Another one of my passions has always been: singing – just not when people are staring at me… or for that matter, not doing anything where people are staring at me. My mom tried to help me out with this by putting me in a Shotokan/Karate class.

So can you see me? Little bit nerdy…little sporty…girly and a bit bossy – eldest child.  y lo mejor…!está por venir!