Students Write - Prof. Martin's Class: Jennifer G.

Living in Aldine
by Jennifer Guevara

MacArthur High School

I have been living in the Aldine Community for five years now. I still remember the first day I arrived in Aldine on July 16, 2013, at night 10:00 pm. Everything was so strange and the streets looked so lonely and they still look lonely. I remember that I was so frustrated because I could not go out like I did in Mexico.

The days passed and I found myself lonely and homesick because all my family stayed back in Mexico. I remember that I used to cry every night because I really missed my mom and brothers; I still cry sometimes. The days seemed so long and then my birthday came and I really did not want to celebrate my 16^th birthday because it was the first time that my mom would not wake me up singing to me Las Mananitas.

On August 24^th, 2013, I attended my first day of high school, which was terrifying because I didn’t speak the language. I remember that I did not know what classroom I had to go to, and I did not know how to ask anything, but I found a math teacher and he helped out. The months were passing and I got used to the school and to the language, but I still was thinking that I wanted to go back to Mexico. In that same year I always thought that I would not be able to go any further and I wanted to give up, but luckily I have a mom who supports me in everything, she was always cheering me up.

My sophomore year was not that bad; I was happy because I could understand the language a lot more and I was more confident in myself. I also had this amazing English teacher. Ms. Lanczos was always willing to help me and for that reason she became so important to me. 

My Junior year was amazing because I stopped taking ESL classes, which meant that I was able to communicates with others in English, also I made to the honor roll for all A’s and B’s. My senior year was memorable because I was a few steps away from becoming the first generation in my family and that made me so proud.  I worked so hard for graduation day because I only wanted to make my mom proud of me. I remember that when I walked to the stage on graduation day, I thought that my mother was there cheering for my and screaming so loud.

Now with hard work and dedication I am attending Lone Star College, which made my family extra proud because, like I said, I’m first generation. My mom always tells me, “Échale ganas a la escuela y seas una mujer de bien y no tengas que trabajar bajo al sol como yo lo hice.” Those words mean a lot to me because every time I remember that I work harder and harder to make her proud because she is my everything in this universe.