Personal Childhood Web

Growing up in a very overprotective very very strict  Hispanic household, my interactions with others were extremely limited. Our lives was going to school, and coming home, homework. It was a loving, old school upbringing was definitely what made me who I am today.



My mother: She was the key to any decisions I made in my life. My mother never stopped dedicating her skills, dreams and wishes. The best part of growing up was when my mother would sit and help me with my homework. What makes these moments so special was the simple fact that she did not know how to speak English very well. My mother always participated in any school functions or activities with me and I got to be the interpreter and I felt like a million bucks, because I helped her. Till this day my mother participates in any school activities I have. For example,  I had a fashion show with my students and she took a couple of hours from work to see my students perform!







My Father: My father had a great love of music. He would sit in the living room with his guitar and sing. He took time to teach me the songs and tried to teach me how to play the guitar. I couldn't get the hang of it. One christmas I got an organ. I practiced and practiced with him. He taught me the old Christmas Carols that were sung during the holiday when we had "parandas" a form of caroling. And of course The Puerto Rican Anthem' En mi viejo San Juan


My brother: Though he is younger than I am, he was definitely the leader a tough cookie. He is until this day. He was my only playmate. He taught me how to ride a bike, and try skateboarding. Our favorite time was the summer and getting wet with the hose. He always knew how to make me laugh. Even til this day he still runs his stand up sarcastic comedy that we grew to enjoy and even now expect.

My Aunt Lucy (Titi Cookie) My aunt was and still is like my second mother. My aunt would watch over my brother and myself when we got home from school. She always made sure we had snacks and sometimes if the weather was right, she would play with us in the backyard singing songs she learned while growing up. Titi Cookie as we all affectionately call her is always there sharing stories and sings with us. I enjoy this very much as I share these songs with my own children.

My grandmother. My grandmother has always and still is a major part of the family. She is the glue that holds us together. Even though she was very proud of all my successes in school, she would always say that our home was our school and what we learn at home completes us a people. Her main contribution in my childhood was making sure that I learned how to cook, but the way she did when she was little.  At the age of 5 I would stand on a stool and helped her making pasteles I even learned how to make coffee from coffee grounds! Keeping our family traditions and our customs were very important to her.

My kindergarten teacher Ms. Alferi:  I remember walking though the door holding my mothers hand crying my eyes out. I begged my mother and was inconsolable. I remember being confused because my mother never let me out of her sight.  My kindergarten teacher asked my mother what was my favorite thing to do at home. My mother told her I loved to color and loved brand new crayons. Ms. Alferi showed my a box of crayons and pointed out my name on the box. Once I walked in the room Ms. Alferi made sure I was comfortable in the classroom. Even though I was very very shy, she always managed to bring the artist in me and would praise all my work. Many years later at an inservice I was asked to discuss my kindergarten experience and would you believe that it was Ms. Alferi giving the workshop! When I said my name she instantly remembered the shy quite long haired girl in her classroom. We both stood in front of the training and began to sing the school song and got the crowd to join. Ms. Alferi is still around and continues to praise my work now as a teacher. She proudly tells everyone that I was her student many years ago. And was also there when my students had the fashion show with a big smile next to my mother. I was five years old again.