Lonely Christmas...

Finally some vacations. A time to relax, watch TV, sleep until late at night and all that stuff, but sometimes it gets boring...I love to relax and all, but I get bored few hours later. I think that vacations is the time to do nothing, relax, and have fun, but sometimes is too boring...

This Christmas I am not traveling and I don't like the idea...I feel like this Christmas is going to be boring. I won't see my family, specially my grandma that lives in Canada but came to Bogota. I cannot believe that she did travel and could see our family and I didn't!

I miss her a lot. I haven't seen her for about two years. My grandpa is also very funny. He is so much like my brother...They make friends everywhere, they talk to everyone, they are not shy of anything, and they both make me laugh a lot when I need it. I miss them both....

I know this Christmas I am going to have a great present, but what's the point if there's nobody that could share this moment with me. I know there is my little brother, my mom and dad, but it is not the same. I am always with them (with my dad not much but that is not the point), and I won't see my family in Bogota, Colombia...I will feel kind of lonely.

This Christmas we will have to go to on of my dad's friends house. I don't know them almost at all. I just know they are Mexican and I don't even talk much with his nine-year daughter. There's no one with my age. I hope that at least my mom makes the natilla. The natilla is a delicious dessert that my grandma taught my mom that is usually made on Christmas in Colombia. I love it.

This Christmas is going to be really different and kind of lonely, but at least we, my mom, my dad, and my little brother, are going to be together. We are going to celebrate Jesus' Birth all together as a family, and I hope we pass a good time.

Perfect Time for the Family

In this vacations I want to relax a little and actually pass time with my family...I hope. My dad has never missed a Christmas (he missed my birthday three years in a row), but now I am not sure...He is traveling a lot, more than usual (even though it sounds impossible), and my mom says that he might work on December 24!

I don't remember him working on December 24. He actually worked by his laptop at home, but he was at home. I want him to be once focused on us and not in his laptop... I know he has to work and stuff, but he is really busy these days. I miss him sometimes, even though we are all used to him not being home. I want this Christmas to actually pass it as a family. I want him to be there when I open my presents and tell him "Thank you!"

It is bad enough to pass another Christmas far from my family... I haven't seen my grandparents in two years! I really miss them, and my grandma was sick recently. I wish I could have been there....

This Christmas I really want things too change. I even saved some money to buy something to my parents! (I washed both of our cars every Saturday...) My dad is so busy that sometimes I think his family is his two laptops and his blackberry. I want my dad back with us, specially this Christmas and I still hope he would.

Not a Very Relaxing Day

I am always busy doing my homework in the afternoon and I don't have much time to watch TV. I try to speed up a little on Wednesdays because we leave school earlier and I will have even more time to relax a while.

Yesterday it was a perfect day to relax. It was Wednesday, I finally fiished my homework early (awkward) and I had some free time so I went to the sofa and watched TV. I was enjoying it because I've been very busy studying for the final exams in Math, and then all of a sudden the lights go off. The only day when I could relax the lights go off.

"That;s is so not fair," I thought. "Now what?"

I went to my parents' room (my dad was traveling so it was my mom's room temporarily) and found my mom there. Before I could say something she instantly said,

"I know there's no light."
"So what do we do?" I asked kind of pissed
"I'm not sure...Call your brother please," she told me
"Okay."

Before I could say anything Santi, my little six year old brother, was there (good for me). We were bored all now and it was getting dark. My brother didn't care so he grabbed some markers and started to draw.

At the beginning I did not want to draw with him, but at the end we almost fought for a red marker. I draw a weird heart because that was the only thing that I could think of. Santi and I drew something similar (he copied me). We kept on drawing until we couldn't see (thirty minutes later) and we got tired. How could we draw if we couldn't even see the color of the markers?

We were getting really bored and pissed because it was really hot and we would have to sleep without air conditioner. My mom's back still hurt and Santi was bothering us a lot (my little brother is a hyperactive kid).

Everything was going wrong, until suddenly the lights went back on. I was with my mouth wide open. After all that happened today the lights went back on right after my favorite TV show. At least I watched some TV and relaxed a little at night...

Happy Mother's Day...or Not

Yesterday my mom worked so I didn't pass much time with her...I wanted to wish her Happy Mother's Day when she woke up, but I was asleep... My mom's back hurt and we don't know why. Everything went wrong since morning.

My mom had to go to work because she already spent the money that her boss paid her in Christmas gifts. I wanted to surprise her at morning, but she went early. I waked up half an hour later....My brother always waked up early so he did gave her a Mother's Day little gift.

My mom worked until three o'clock and then we all went to eat at a restaurant. I finally wished my mom a Happy Mother's Day. We ate what we wanted and my mom loves that. She doesn't like to gives us some cheap things, she gives us what we want if she can. My dad is totaly the opposite, but that's another story.

In the afternoon everything changed for my mom. We paid a lot of attention to her and we even massaged her back! I also gave her a little gift that she will need next year, an agenda. She is really organized and she cannot live without an agenda. It was pretty nice, though. At night she thanked us for everything we did for her, even though it was not much... At the end she was happy.

"Life it's not fair, get used to it"

I just came from Math class a little upset of all what I have to study for the final exams. I'm in Algebra Honors and it is very difficult...We go faster than the other classes and we are expected to do better. We've learned about five chapters and like four lessons or so each chapter. I am kind of frustrated because I don't remember most of it! The finals are coming very soon and I have to study everything that I learned and that I forgot.

I like Math and I am trying to do my best. I know it is difficult, but I want to and I keep on. Most of the people say that they hate math because it is so complicated. I like it. I like how it is complicated and I understand it. Some people like writing more, but in my case my weakness is writing, but that is another story. I want to be good at what I like so I try my best.

I realized that I have to put a lot of effort to make my goals but I like it, though. I also noticed that everything that I want or like won't be easy to get. Nothing in life is easy and now I know. Like my old History teacher said,"Life it's not fair, get used to it" and I understand what he means.

This can apply to many examples, simple or very meaningful. If I just started playing golf and I quit few months later because I sucked is the same as if I was quit college because it was too difficult. They both are different examples, but they both give the same message. Nothing is easy in life, but with effort you can make it.

Venezuela

Venezuela,

My home country
The place were I am actually from
Full of beautiful landscapes with crystal clear water and abundant vegetation
The country with the tallest water falls
"El Salto Angel"
where the Orinoco River goes through.

Venezuela,

Place where the most beautiful women are
Country full of tequeños and cachapas
Always celebrating important holidays
Variety of indigenous groups
Country of the "bolivar fuerte"

Venezuela,

Place that Simon Bolivar discovered
Country where it's difficult to live
Bordered by Colombia, Brazil and Guiana
Place where I was born
The country where I am from

Venezuela, my true home

I write because it's a way were I can express myself and finally get over it. I get relieved when write. I found that I can write my problems and do a good work at the same time while I write. When I think of something that I could write about in class I sometimes think about my problems or about what's happening in my life. I think of other stuff, but at the end I write about me. It's easier. Nobody can explain my life better than me and I express my feelings in what I write.

All of the stories that I've wrote here are really what I think and feel. I feel much better because I am feeling that I am finally doing a good work. It's pretty hard for me to write when I have to, not when I want to. I get kind of nervous because I think of my grade. I know I am not a pro so I get nervous. I really care a lot about my grades, but I realized that when I write I am supposed to express myself, not to have a good grade. I write because I want to and I like to, not because I have to.

At the beginning of the year I disliked English because the only thing we did was write and I didn't do well. I tried and all but I knew it was not enough. Then I tried to change my writing. I tried to write more personally and it worked! I still know I am not a pro, but I have improved. Before I preferred much more math than writing. I still do but not that much. Now I realized why do I like to write.

I like to write because I can express myself. I can talk about my problems or my life. I know I still have a lot to learn about writing, but at least I found a way to enjoy it. I finally noticed what I could do to have a good grade enjoying it. Now I enjoy to write of myself, about my conflicts and stuff and it feels good. I can let go everything out. Now I write happily and without no concern about my grade.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Mom,

Merry Christmas! You’ve always helped me with your affable personality the entire year, and now I want you to derive something from me. I know dad, Santiago and I don’t help much at home, but you still maintain your special disposition even though I know you want to extricate from cleaning our disorder. You pervade laughter and happiness in the family. I want to change these prevalent disorders for you even though it’ll be difficult. You keep telling us, it even sounds as if you were entreating us, but we don’t pay attention to it. I just want the family to have a good time celebrating that Jesus was born, not wondering if they got their gifts of the long inventory they made for Christmas. I want us to have a serene family dinner, not in a rush. Don’t worrying about the presents, even though I am one of the people that do care about them but I try to don’t be so obvious. My parents surmise that my brother and I will be more patient each year and we will open the gifts gingerly, but it’s the opposite. To be concise I want to instill you my best wishes.

Sincerely,

Natalia Mesa

So Busy...

I'm tired of my dad traveling so much because of his work. Right now he's in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Usually he passes about one week at home in an entire month! My dad passes more time working than anything else. I know he works to sustain us and all but I am tired.

He wasn't present in most of my childhood and in my brother's. He has to so math to know how old I am and my birthday is three days after his! How can he forget? I know exactly how old he is, his birthday and when he was married. The important dates. How can he not know well my how old I am!

He wasn't present in three of my birthdays in a row! He always called and congratulated me, but it is not the same...We passes those three years in Bogota, Colombia. He always came a week later. Well, like you know his birthday is three days before mine so I couldn't pass his birthday with him. At least we both were present in both of our birthdays this year.

Like I told you he travels everywhere. To China, Dubai, Brazil, Colombia, USA, and more. He even went to Hungary and Turkey! He traveled to all of those places and he didn't take time to go and know new stuff, he just worked at the hotel. That's how busy he is...When he travels he sometimes brings us some souvenirs, but lastly he hasn't. He is now very busy.

Well, my dad also studies. He just finished an MBA in Duke University. He has studied his whole life and continues. Right now he's doing something similar but in the company so he has to travel a lot to the US. My dad still passes Christmas with us. He isn't that busy to be somewhere else but with us in Christmas.

To be concise he has been busy his whole life and I am getting very tired. My little brother doesn't pay attention to it yet because my dad brings us chocolates or little gifts. My brother loves gifts. He says that if he doesn't get a PSP for Christmas he will be mad! And I think he will because he will get a PlayStation 3...I would personally prefer a PlayStation 3 than a PSP. What I want for Christmas is having my dad with us.