My Abuelita
I love to remember the stories that my mom used to tell me at night. I got lost among the coffee farms in the San Fernando (Honduras) mountains — in my imagination. At harvest time, I accompanied her to cut coffee. I played in the Plaza, with her neighbors and children around my age. I chased the bunnies and helped her wash clothes on the stones of the creek. At night, while we laid down on our bed, my mom used to entertain and inspire me with stories of how strong my grandmother was — she was very good at lacing cows. The story that continues to shape who I am is when my grandmother, who I called abuelita, Adriana, lost everything-her farm and her home. But what she never lost was her courage to fight adversity. In response, my resourceful grandmother went from farmer to artisan to support her family. She sold reed hats to feed a large family. She got up very early in the morning to start knitting a hat that took her two to three days to finish. Her children lit her with lamps at night so she could finish it, so she could sell it and bring food home. This courage of hers has profoundly influenced my desire to strive in my education. I want to be part of a world where my abuelita could feel proud of me. I want to see a world that can portray a different reality than the one she and her children had to go through. I want to paint a reality with the colors and beauty of education.
The stories that my mom told me at night have forged my cultural identity. Now, when I drink coffee, I not only think about the internal satisfaction it gives me, but the story behind each bean in my cup. I think of the hands of boys and girls, men and women who strenuously cut the coffee with their hands. I think of the weight of the baskets on their backs. I think of the true value of the fruit of their hands. A value that goes beyond the cost of an espresso. That experience harvesting, still shapes who I am today. Although complex and challenging, my childhood was also beautiful in that it has shaped my ability to appreciate and pursue an education.
