As a child everything is happy and joyful, aside from a little trantham here and there, but all around one does not have to stress about much. One could say I was a “normal” child. I played with my toy horses, went outside, did a few chores here and there, and even had my unhappy moments. However, up until kindergarten, my world revolved around the spanish language. Being born into a traditional mexican home, it was obvious that my first language would be spanish. Even though I consider it a good thing, because being bilingual will help my in my future, throughout my early and recent school years it makes both worlds more complicated.

Throughout my first years in headstart and kindergarten I was more fluent in signs and symbols than english. I struggled day by day, as if it was me vs the whole world fighting to get through. I still remember how my hands where my mouth, and how my teachers looked at me with a blank stare trying to understand. This infuriated me because I was not a “special kid” but it seemed as if everyone around me thought I was. Like how homeless people are “lazy people who just don't want to work” or how black males are considered to be more likely to become criminal. All these false assumptions are examples of how it felt to be a kid without a tongue.

With the help of time, and english classes from kindergarten to second grade, I was able to become fluent in the language of my new world. Reading on the other hand came a million times more easily to me because I never really read much in spanish; so when it came to reading in english it was fairly new to me. I adored reading, mostly due to the pictures in the books. However, as I grew and books became picture and colors, I still enjoyed reading for hours. This is one of the reasons that I think I was able to exceed some of my fellow students and now I am in a more challenging english class.

Then there is writing, where I had bits and pieces from both ends. At a young age my mother would write down phrases, in spanish, for me to copy and write down. Later she would say something asd ask me to write it down. For example one would be “ El niño corre en el campo” (the boy runs at the field) or “La vaca come zacate”(the cows eats grass). Therefore, when it came to writing it was a fifty fifty scale. Where I was not the best nor the worst. By the time was was in second and third grade I could write decent enough to get by but it was or has been my strongest area.

All around I consider my ability to process to languages, from a young age, a gift rather than a burden because even though it has complicated my life it has also benefited me in many ways. For example I am able to get college for spanish without the tassel of starting from spanish one. As well as in the future having the opportunity to receive a larger salary due to being bilingual. However, I still struggle with some if these problems today, but on a different level. Like I will be writing something in spanish and finnish in english or vice versa. As well as switch, without knowing, languages in the middle of a conservation. Nonetheless what is life without un poco de todo (a little bit of everything).