It’s Saturday morning. At 9:02, the PATH train takes me to New York City. It’s a 40-minute trip to 33rd Street. Many people are on the same train. They are playing on the phone, listening to music, talking to each other, and taking naps. The train conductor is announcing the station name and opening and closing the doors. What an energetic space!
Category: Volume 20
I’m Sorry, English Is Not My First Language
I looked up “equivocarse” in the dictionary
because I make so many mistakes
in this city, in this language,
that I want to be sure how to err correctly.
Perseverance
In July 2018, I was invited to a meeting by my religious superior in Brazil. He presented a request that the superior of New Jersey had made. He was asking for someone from our congregation to collaborate with them in their mission. He told me, “You could be the best representative to go to the United States because you are multilingual. You know English already.” Immediately, in the following month, they asked me to prepare my documents for the visa. When the process was completed, I left for the U.S.
About My Favorite Sentence
* “Have a nice day.” This is my favorite sentence. Because it’s a magic sentence. Hearing that sentence makes me happy. Some people might wonder why it makes me happy. Because people in countries where this custom is commonplace may not think it is a big deal. Isn’t it wonderful to wish for the happiness …
Accents: The Great Miracle of the Human Voice
I was born with my own sound,
with my accented soul,
low, happy, and sometimes invisible.
Found in Translation: How I Got My Dream Job
When we come to a new place, we always make new friends, and some beautiful stories may happen.
Since I moved to New York City, I have been living in midtown Manhattan, near the East River. In my leisure time, I like walking along the riverside, especially when the weather is nice. Over the river, many seagulls glide over the mirror-like surface of the water. The breeze gently brushes my cheeks, and the special smell combining the river and the ocean mesmerizes me and takes me to the other side of the sea. It is such a soothing place that it made me fall in love with this city.
A Sad Love Story
* After all these years, after all that had happened, today was the beginning of the end. They had not slept the entire night. He tried to change her mind, but she looked convinced and firm about what she wanted. No words and no memories could change her anger: anger with life, anger with the …
In My Brain
If my brain was a physical place, it would be the Astral Plane from the Pixar animated film Soul. The Astral Plane is where the lost souls reside. Lost souls are essentially people who are so wrapped up in something that is disconnecting them from life. Wrapped up in what? you may ask. Feeling stuck, uninspired, unproductive, and maybe even worthless.
Surrender
Dear God,
You have not forgotten, nor will you ever forget,
when I lost a part of myself long ago.
I have divided and perished into the waves of darkness.
Seasons
There are days that we are in good humor; there are days that we have humor from hell. This week I traveled by car to work. I had time to see the landscapes. I love the feeling that comes from looking through the car window. I can’t imagine how blessed I am.
Clash of Power
I am the light and dark shade of myself
I wonder if they are compatible sisters
I hear the murmur of their toiling voices
I see the clashing power between them
I am the light and dark shade of myself
My New Job
As a health-care worker with the elderly, I never know when my job will end. My client was doing fine when I went home for the weekend, as usual. Early Monday morning, I got a call from my supervisor, saying that my client was sick and had been taken to the hospital. In less than a week, she was sent to hospice. She was lively and fun to be around; I missed her and was really sad. At the same time, I had to think about getting another job.
Defeating My Fear of Swimming
Swimming—I hadn’t heard that word for almost two decades. My family members and friends were prohibited from mentioning any water-related activity. It is unbelievable that a girl who lived near the beach wouldn’t allow this. How could this be? Very surprisingly, I was scared of the water. This brings up one unforgettable event.
My Dream and My Son’s Dream
I have always loved my profession as a teacher. I left this profession to immigrate to this country six years ago only because in my country, a teacher is a public employee who earns a very low salary.
The Morning Alarm in My Peaceful Neighborhood
When you read the title, you might be imagining the sound of a church bell or the ring of a pendulum clock. But no, it was not like that. It was my loud screaming noise. Let me share one of the most momentous experiences of my sweet childhood.