I remember the playground yard in elementary school.
I remember the trips to Jamaica.
I remember learning how to write in script.
I remember winning my first soccer championship.
I remember my first basketball game in 4th grade.
I remember when I first got my dogs.
I remember collecting my teeth that fell out.
I remember my first job at the movie theater.
I remember pizza parties back in school.
I remember making my college decision.
I remember switching high schools.
I remember when I was vegetarian for a while. I remember going to my first Knicks game.
I remember going to my uncles wedding in Ethiopia.
I don’t remember my first words I spoke.
I don’t remember what my grades were before high school.
I remember when my cousins used to mess with me.
I remember sleeping in my bunk bed.
I remember my first day of college.
I remember potty training both of my dogs.
I don’t remember when I got my first tooth.
I don’t remember the first pair of shoes I purchased.
I remember studying for the SAT.
I remember playing in my high school basketball championship.
I remember meeting all my new friends in high school.
I remember my parents driving me to school.
I don’t remember my first day of school.
I don’t remember the first meal I ever ate.
I remember graduating from high school.
I remember sitting on the bus for school.
I remember going on school field trips.
I remember having fun lunch in elementary school.
I remember life without masks.
I don’t remember moving to Long Island.
I don’t remember my first doctors visit.
I remember my sister graduating from college.
I remember going to after school.
I remember playing football in the schoolyard.
I remember when I could do cool flips.
I remember when I would sleep over at my grandmas house.
I remember the trips to Disney Land.
I remember the bike rides after school in the neighborhood with friends.
I remember the yearly family Christmas breakfast.
I remember the first pair of basketball shoes I had.
I remember my parents having to take my tooth out of my mouth.
I remember me and my siblings creating shows for my family.
I remember my sister teaching me several dance routines to memorize.
I remember when my sister broke her leg roller skating.
I remember the summer camps at the Recreation Center.
I don’t remember my sister coming up with my nickname “Teenus”.
I remember the sleep over I had in elementary school.
I remember my birthday party when I went Go-Karting.
I remember sleeping with my siblings on the night of Christmas Eve.
I remember the nights we made homemade pizza.
I don’t remember my grandmas first cooked meal for me.
I remember being taught how to do the dishes.
I remember the Thanksgiving times in North Carolina with family.
I remember being deathly afraid of dogs.
I remember first learning how to write in script in 4th Grade.
I remember learning how to swim with my sibling at the Recreation Center.
I remember me playing video games against my dad and he would always win.
I remember playing haunted house with my cousins in Florida.
I remember having endless fun throughout my childhood.
How am I? Well that depends on when you ask me.
The emotions fluctuate and become unknown and that’s just how the world has been as of late.
I remember being at my desk and hearing all the chatter and panic in peoples voices.
I don’t know if I’ll ever go home again.
I don’t know who I’ve seen for the last time.
My family, 10 minutes away but it feels like we are in different countries.
I’m locked inside here all day with my thoughts on repeat.
I could really use that dance with my family now to a nice Caribbean beat.
The hope that we might be past it begins to set into everyone’s body.
I am so eager to show the time I have spent on my brand new hobbies.
The world in a frenzy unknown how we will all act.
My mind is already on a long vacation and I’m ready to pack.
The days, weeks, months fly fast, I wish I could leave this whole experience in the past.
Before you know it I’m walking on the big campus.
I can finally see all of my peers but I can’t really see their faces.
Being on the campus brings me joy but could the unusual situations we currently live in be the new normal?
Now I sit here today unknown of what the future holds.
But I do remember the journey my past has bought me.
Hearing my name called over and over again while I try to ignore.
Waking up to that toasting smell in the morning.
Rushing and frantic to enjoy my meal because late is what I can’t be.
The engine vrooms, Im in the seat excited to be with friends for hours.
The day felt so free no worries on my mind but fun and more fun.
Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, and nobody wanted to end the day on red.
The fun part everyday was the cafeteria and the playgrounds outside.
The rainy days were the worst it meant no play time outside.
We loved the party and movie days where we could bring all the sweets we wanted.
The clock would strike 3 and I get my things but outside the building is where my grandpa awaits.
I get in the car and to Queens I go, do my work and then off to kick the ball I go.
I get picked up and head on home and right to sleep I must go.
Hearing a noise over and over again but this time it’s the sound of my phone ringing.
No more waking up to a toasting smell, that’s something I must create on my own now.
Rushing and frantic to get all dressed because if I miss the bus stop it will be a big mess.
I run out my house and run two blocks, I’m out of breath but I made it to my stop.
More responsibility, more worries but the fun I still want to have.
No more color systems and multiple bells now instead of one.
I have a combination, lockers, and a hallway to navigate around.
I am one of the youngest in the building, intimidated by all these older new faces.
I now become the older new faces much more experienced in this environment.
I finally feel comfortable and settled in feeling like this is easy I can do this.
Just like that in the blink of an eye it is time to move on up.
Whispers about how different and scary the next place is leaves me uncomfortable and unsettled.
Waking up this day no sounds needed to hear, no names being called because I am already awake.
No more decisions on what to wear my uniform is what I must put on now.
I have to make sure I’m dressed correct or a consequence I will receive.
No time to make that toasting smell I must leave by 6am.
I have to make it to those train tracks because across town I must go.
The whispers were right the next place is scary and different.
I look around not even one face I recognize, I’m nervous I don’t want to be here.
Where do I go? I’m lost can’t find my way around what feels like a big maze to me.
Long hair? No. Facial hair? No. Unbuttoned shirt? No. Incorrect tie? No. I’m intimidated.
The athletes they are even bigger and stronger with more talent than I’ve experienced before.
The pressure and responsibility seemed too much for me to handle, I couldn’t picture fun.
As the years went on the more faces I began to recognize and the more fun became a reality.
Four years later and there I am I made it to the last number in the journey.
An experience that was, but it’s time to move on to the next level no more numbers to go by.
A decision purely for me to make that will change my life, maybe a little dramatic but that’s what it felt like.
That journey has not yet been completed so I will have to finish another time.
This is one of my favorite Haitian Dishes called legumes on the left. The smells that arise from the kitchen when my grandma cooks this are the best. Growing up I was never really a huge fan of it. If you go to any Haitian and almost every family party I have been to you will most likely see this dish. It is made with some eggplants, carrots, cabbage, spinach, and more. When I eat it I like it best when you pair it with white rice and mix it all together. Everyone knows that there is that one person in the family that just knows how to cook and when everyone sees them cook they get excited, well that person is my grandma.The dish can also be eaten with meat or without meat but of course I love it the best with some chicken. The other Haitian Dish you see on the right is called Griot. This is basically pork that you have to fry and this personally happens to be my favorite Haitian dish no matter who makes it.
Sometimes there are different sauces you can put on it or a famous topping in the Haitian culture known as Pikliz which is typically very hot.It is a mixture of cabbage and vegetables that have been mixed with different spices and have been pickled to make it have that spice and I must say it is very delicious and makes a great combo with almost every Haitian dish.
