do you remember your... (part 1)
Do you remember your earliest memory? People keep talking about this and I seriously have no idea what they mean. My early childhood somehow went by in a rush, and it's all hazy up to this point. One thing's for sure, there is at least one day in your life which matters most every year - and it's not necessarily your birthday. Most of the time it's a seemingly insignificant date, and most of the time your birthday is not that special anyway. Case in point:
AGE 4
I suppose this is my earliest memory. This was actually my birthday. I was in this yellow ruffle dress (which I loved, because I remember twirling around in it) and I was staring at the sea of gifts that were given to me by my friends. I had a huge grin, I just couldn't wait to open them. I also remember staring across the yard of my kindergarten, wondering why the hell it didn't snow on my birthday, since it was December.
AGE 5 1/2
I accidentally poked my eye with something, so I went to school with this huge eye patch. Like a pirate. I was so embarrassed that I shielded my eye with my hand THE WHOLE DAY. I would only let my guard down when I was in the toilet. At the end of class, I saw my mom was watching me through the window with the other moms, and looked amused at how hard I tried to shield my eye patch.
AGE 6
New school in a foreign country with a foreign language. First grade of elementary school. Looked sulkily at these... weird, albino faces looking up at me, curious at the late newcomer. The teacher (Mr. Jean-Francois, bless him) pointed at an 'E' he scribbled at the board. I vividly remember thinking, "I know he's asking me how to say 'E', but I won't say it." (Of course I thought all of this in Indonesian.) The longest silence ever was when I just plainly refused to open my mouth, and he keeps looking at me, pointing at the 'E'. All the other kids were staring at me. The agony.
AGE 9
Fast forward a few years in fifth grade. My last day in Sacre-Coeur de Stockel, my beloved school where I have earned so many friends and one crush. Even now I feel like laughing over how sweet it is. I was late to school, I hung up my coat outside, and went to open the door. It was locked. I tried to open it again, and was greeted by my classmates crying out: "SURPRISE!!!!" The sight was amazing: they had organized a small farewell party, there was music, lots of candies-cakes-drinks, a sort of scrapbook where they each personally wrote a message for me. If there was an earliest memory of feeling touched, this was it. I felt so loved. A guy (not my crush, sadly, but he's still cute) actually gave me a cute necklace, saying, "I've only known you for 3 months, but I'll think of you." Aw aw aw!
AGE 12
In Indonesia, we have this ridiculous system called 'gencet' in school. It's when a senior would not only yell at you, but sometimes would also push, kick, slap, what-have-you. I suppose you can say it's 'our kind' of bullying. The reason? Simply because they don't like your face, your attitude, or maybe the way you don't tuck in your shirt in your skirt, the way it's 'supposed to be'. I was in 7th grade. My sister was in 9th. A friend of hers decided it would be great to do this 'gencet' thing to me as my sister watched. Now, I'd like to take a moment to say, that during this time, my relationship with my sister was basically like we didn't know each other. She was busy with her world, I was trying to fit in. Anyway, this friend of hers did her stuff - yelled at me for being so unfriendly, that she didn't like my face. Oh, the irony is that she did this after talking a few times and being nice to me. The best part is that she asked me to apologize to my sister. What the fuck? Who the hell are you? I was scared, so I cried. I don't really regret it, we were just kids. But this made me realize, way back then, that kids can be so cruel.
(... to be continued, as I'm having fun doing this, but it's going to be a long-ass post if I keep doing this here.)
AGE 4
I suppose this is my earliest memory. This was actually my birthday. I was in this yellow ruffle dress (which I loved, because I remember twirling around in it) and I was staring at the sea of gifts that were given to me by my friends. I had a huge grin, I just couldn't wait to open them. I also remember staring across the yard of my kindergarten, wondering why the hell it didn't snow on my birthday, since it was December.
AGE 5 1/2
I accidentally poked my eye with something, so I went to school with this huge eye patch. Like a pirate. I was so embarrassed that I shielded my eye with my hand THE WHOLE DAY. I would only let my guard down when I was in the toilet. At the end of class, I saw my mom was watching me through the window with the other moms, and looked amused at how hard I tried to shield my eye patch.
AGE 6
New school in a foreign country with a foreign language. First grade of elementary school. Looked sulkily at these... weird, albino faces looking up at me, curious at the late newcomer. The teacher (Mr. Jean-Francois, bless him) pointed at an 'E' he scribbled at the board. I vividly remember thinking, "I know he's asking me how to say 'E', but I won't say it." (Of course I thought all of this in Indonesian.) The longest silence ever was when I just plainly refused to open my mouth, and he keeps looking at me, pointing at the 'E'. All the other kids were staring at me. The agony.
AGE 9
Fast forward a few years in fifth grade. My last day in Sacre-Coeur de Stockel, my beloved school where I have earned so many friends and one crush. Even now I feel like laughing over how sweet it is. I was late to school, I hung up my coat outside, and went to open the door. It was locked. I tried to open it again, and was greeted by my classmates crying out: "SURPRISE!!!!" The sight was amazing: they had organized a small farewell party, there was music, lots of candies-cakes-drinks, a sort of scrapbook where they each personally wrote a message for me. If there was an earliest memory of feeling touched, this was it. I felt so loved. A guy (not my crush, sadly, but he's still cute) actually gave me a cute necklace, saying, "I've only known you for 3 months, but I'll think of you." Aw aw aw!
AGE 12
In Indonesia, we have this ridiculous system called 'gencet' in school. It's when a senior would not only yell at you, but sometimes would also push, kick, slap, what-have-you. I suppose you can say it's 'our kind' of bullying. The reason? Simply because they don't like your face, your attitude, or maybe the way you don't tuck in your shirt in your skirt, the way it's 'supposed to be'. I was in 7th grade. My sister was in 9th. A friend of hers decided it would be great to do this 'gencet' thing to me as my sister watched. Now, I'd like to take a moment to say, that during this time, my relationship with my sister was basically like we didn't know each other. She was busy with her world, I was trying to fit in. Anyway, this friend of hers did her stuff - yelled at me for being so unfriendly, that she didn't like my face. Oh, the irony is that she did this after talking a few times and being nice to me. The best part is that she asked me to apologize to my sister. What the fuck? Who the hell are you? I was scared, so I cried. I don't really regret it, we were just kids. But this made me realize, way back then, that kids can be so cruel.
(... to be continued, as I'm having fun doing this, but it's going to be a long-ass post if I keep doing this here.)
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