As I came into my class, I was surprised at the number of students in there. I was surprised that there weren’t that many kids in the room. I said to myself quietly, “WOW!” I said that because in the Dominican Republic there would be thirty to forty kids in the room for just one teacher. So I sat there talking to my “Friends” until it was time say the pledge. After that, class began. The teacher Ms. Stick gave everyone a page of simple math (in my point of view for a grown man but not for a child). I already knew how to do the math because my mom made me practice at home so when I came to school I will not be lost. At the table I sat at with my friends Michael, Frank, Jose , Juan, Christopher.
While I sat at the table there were my friends sitting next to me while we did the same work sheet of math. I already knew this so well that I finished in five minutes. As we were working Micheal said to Juan “Hey Dumbo did you finish?” I also used to call him that because he had big ears. Juan was the person that we would make fun of.

“Well you have small ears too,” Juan said with anger but sarcastically.

I didn't know what to say. My reaction was “Well.. umm...” I didn't know what sarcasm was. Before I knew what to say my friends had already started to laugh at me with Juan because of his comeback.

Once I saw all of them laughing. I panicked I didn't know what to do. My friends were laughing at me. At the age of six, my mind wasn't set for all this pressure. The spotlight was on me and I was the main attraction, I did not know what to do. So the first and last thing that came to my mind was to walked away. I didn't want to stay there and be embarrassed anymore.

I mumbled to myself “Why...what did I do?” I just started to think why. I thought for sometime and the reason was because I would make jokes behind their backs. Then eventually they would hear. I already finished the math work sheets and I just sat there at a different table table alone wondering why did this happen to me do others feel the same way that I do. I just really regret doing that but now I realized that there was no reason to make fun of people. I learned that if I was going to make fun of them just keep it in my mind and let it be.

I always wondered if they pay the teacher to teach or to worry about their students because when I sat at the table with my hands crossed over my head, my teacher looked at me and just wanted to know what was wrong. She just wanted to bother me until I gave her an answer. If I didn’t she would call the child study team to talk to me, which I did not not want. So I had to tell her.

My teacher would ask every thirty second “What is wrong?”

I hate those three words.

I hate those words because they didn’t help. The only thing those three words do is frustrate the person which it did in my case. Also any time I would get mad sad or anything I would always get asked that. If I even told them they would just stay there and think. After they finished thinking they would just say something that would not help. Everything is going to be okay don't worry. Sometimes they will give advice when they're done they would say Does that help? When I get mad or anything I just want to be alone because if I get bothered I would say something that I would regret saying.

Eventually I told her why.

“My friends...they are... laughing at me. I said something and now they are laughing,” I said crying.

Ms. Stick smile and just looked at me. She asked in a very calm voice “What did you say to your friends?”

“I don't know what I said but they just started to laugh and I don't know what to do,” I said in a very loud voice for my friends to hear.
Ms. Stick had a smile from ear to ear, as if what I said reminded her of something. She said very calmly, “It doesn't matter what your friends say. The only person that you should listen to when you get judged is your family. You only need to listen to them if you don't you will shatter in fears and not know what to do.”

While I was putting my head up I said with confusion “Why doesn't it matter?”

“No because the only person that you should care about is your mother and father because you ar their child. They want you to be happy,” she said with a happy voice.

I was so happy after I heard that. From that moment forward forever I didn’t care what people said about me. I just kept thinking with my hands crossed over my head. Wondering why...why do people say mean things to me.

Years later while in sixth grade.

Six years later, I was going to the cafeteria with Hanna and Joe. I started to talk them about there past years in school and they told me that they used to shut down when someone would make fun of them. Hanna would shut down when she was made fun of because of her looks. Joe would get made fun of because he didn't know how to speak English, but he didn't want to be in ELL class because he wanted to learn more faster. Once I heard that other people would shut down it made me feel better about myself because I now know that I’m not alone.
“Really?!” I said to myself.

“I know I really didn't want to tell anyone because I’m shy,” Joe confessed with fear. I talked to him for the rest of lunch. I noticed that Joe was a very shy person.

The next day I asked him very courteously but in a very nice way. “What did people say to you?”

“Um...I don’t want to say, but you are a good friend. He smiled and continued. They would say that ‘Oh, did you cross the border? You shouldn’t be in this class because you don't know what we are saying.”’ Little did I that I was in a regular class and I learned English faster.
“Once I heard that I started to think that I don't need to worry about what people say.”

At one point I knew that I didn't have to worry about what people say about me. I got myself into a bad situation to see how I would react to the person. The first time I got mad. “Um...yeah you are too.” I said as I walked away because I knew if I stayed there I would've done something that I would regret.

This has taught me many things. I have learned that I still have to find a way how to prevent myself from shutting down. Many of my fiends have showed me that Change Is Possible. So I am still changing and I will change.