Welcome to my childhood web of people
who nurtured and cared about me when I was a child.
♥♥♥♥
My mom Teresa
All my life, my mom always told me “I want you to live a better life than I have. Find a good job and a good home so you are not struggling like us now”. Growing up, my mom was always there to support my brother and I. She would always pick us up from school, make sure we were fed, and ask us how school was. When homework came into the picture, she would tell us to sit down and do it because everything was still fresh in our minds from what we learned. We eventually understood her logic and did it without her having to say it again. She did not receive much education yet she understood the importance of it.
My dad William
My dad would work, however, anytime he did not (before or on weekends) he made sure to spend time with us. Every morning, my dad would check over our homework and bring my brother and I to school. Almost every weekend we hung out with him. Saturday morning, he would take us to the park. On our way there, we would stop to buy bread to feed the pigeons. Then we would play basketball and/or catch. Then he would teach me how to ride my bike. Sundays, we would go to church together. My dad also taught us that school was important and that we should continue to go even after high-school. Although he gained his high school diploma, he only went to college for a short time.
My great-aunt Concetta (or Zia)
I call her my aunt, however, she is really my mother’s aunt. She is my grandmother’s sister, therefore, she can be considered my grandmother. She treated my brother and I as if we were her own children (she does not have any). She lives next door to our apartment, so she would come in and out and check in on us. She would say “hi, how are you? everything ok?” and give us candy and such. Always gave us money, even if it was a dollar, and told us to put it in our piggy bank so that “one day when you get married or whenever you need it, you can use it”. If my parents got upset with us for some reason, she would be there to defend us.
My third grade teacher, Mrs. Bruno
Third grade was the hardest grade for me ever! I did not like it and I really did not want to go to school anymore. For some reason it was a struggle for me and I could never understand why. My eight year old self felt as though she was too tough on us because of the amount of work (which now I think about it was not a lot) and then the homework was not easy at all! I never could understand how she loved to make crafts, and was such a sweet humble person doing it. Yet, when it came to doing work, she seemed strict. However, when she spoke to my parents she loved me as her student. Many years down the road, I realized that she did that for a purpose. Her reasonings were not to torture us, but to further expand our knowledge and help us with both our strengths and weaknesses.
My aunt and uncle, Maria & Shameer
Growing up, I would visit my cousins during the holiday breaks and during the summer time. We would have fun, however, both my aunt and uncle did not want us to forget that we should never take a break from learning. We had to read for at least an hour and I believe retell what we read. As well as learn our multiplication and then we were tested on it. Also, we had to know our geography such as the 50 states and their capitals. Of course this did not happen all in one day it was spread out, but when it was done we either had fun and then did work or vice versa. My aunt and uncle taught me that learning is never-ending and that we should always expand our minds.
My aunt Antonietta
My aunt Antonietta helped me learn how to make a salad and approaching customers by working in her restaurant in North Carolina. Anytime she was not working, she would take me for a drive and we would sing along to her favorite italian songs. Her company alone was and is always great! She would take me to the mall to buy clothes, and buy go to the bakery to buy sweets. She would make her famous cheesecake and teach me how to make it. She has such a out-going personality that she made sure I was never bored. Every time she came to New York, she would not say a word until she was by our door or if I was at school she would surprise me and scoop me up to go somewhere.
Teaching Adventures 