My Language

We all have different languages that we speak because we are all from different cultures. The French speak French; the Mexicans speak Spanish, and the English speak English. I am a Mexican American and being one you would think that I can speak both Spanish and English, but, guess what, I don’t. The only language I do speak is English, and sometimes I can’t speak it that well because when I am around my friends, family, and other people I use it differently.


When I am out with my friends we don’t use proper English to talk to one other. Instead we talk in slang and use different words for different meaning. For example "what up?" means "how are you doing today?" Also we sometimes don’t even use complete sentences, which sometimes confuses other people if they hear my friends and I talk to one another. For example one day my mother overheard a conversation I was having with my friend over the phone. “Hey what it do?” which means “Hey how are you and how have you been?” “Nah for real, that’s tight” which means “You’re joking right, that’s cool.”


After I hung up the phone my mother asked me “What the hell were you talking about?” I started laughing because my conversation made sense to me, but not to her. I told her that my friend was just asking me how school was going and if we were going to hang out this weekend. She got mad at me and told me to speak English the right way because her and my father as well as my teachers taught me how to. But I guess my friends and I talk to each other this way because that is how we always talked to one another. However, I would never talk to my family or other people the way I talk to my friends because they would not understand me and probably think I am crazy or something.


Can you imagine if I were to walk into a job interview talking like I did with my friend on the phone“Hey what it do people?” and answering questions with “Nah” for no and “For sure” The people would probably look at me the way my mom did, and from that I know I would not get the job. Who would want to hire a person who can not speak English right? I know I wouldn’t. I know the situations where I can use my English slang and not use it.

Language is something that we as humans use to communicate with one another. But growing up it seems that we all have formed our own individual slangs and short-cuts to talk with friends or family. However, the language we speak whether it is in a different language or slang, the words we are saying all mean the same thing. So don't worry about how we, I, or you talk because in the end we all are speaking the same language, just different ways.

Finding Courage

We all have gone through scary and difficult situations where we think we are done for. But that is not true. In fact in these scary and difficult situations we also find our courage that we have. For example in the story “No Escape” from The Mee Street Chronicles by Frankie Lennon, a young girl finds she has more courage then she ever thought she had and like her, I also found that I have more courage then I thought as well.


In the story “No Escape” from The Mee Street Chronicles by Frankie Lennon I found while reading that the young girl, who’s name is Frankie, is very brave. She helped herself find the courage to get through her situation involving being alone on a rainy night. Frankie describes how she felt like giving up and letting the “Bluebeard” get her. But she didn’t. She found her courage by listening to herself and her fairy godmother “You can’t stay here, Frankie. You must keep going. Be brave.” From this and the way the narrator explains the story, I found Frankie to be brave and adventurous.


The way Frankie helped herself by making herself a character from the two stories “Cinderella” and “Hansel and Gretel” was very smart. I think by making herself into a character from these stories she knew she was going to be ok, also I think it helped her have fun a little bit to the point where she was scared, but that she had an adventure “Crossing the forest-bedroom, to the kitchen back door.” Like her I wished I would have helped myself by having my fairy godmother when I was home alone.


I was about six years old when I was left home alone. My family went to my Uncles house and I didn’t want to go so I stayed. While they were away I just sat around watching T.V. After watching T.V. I decided to go to sleep because I was tired. So I went to brush my, put my pj’s on, and started climbing the stairs to my room. Then all of a sudden all of the lights went out. I just stood there frozen not knowing what to do and then I started crying because I heard a noise on the stairs and I knew it was not me because I didn’t move.


So while on the stairs I kept asking myself “Why didn’t I go with my family?” And while saying that the noise kept getting closer and closer until finally I said “It’s hear, the monster is going to get me.” Right when I said that my cat “Dallas” came and touched my leg meowing. When I felt her I started laughing and picked her up and when I did she started licking my face, and then all of the lights turned on again. That was the last time I stayed home by myself.


Even though my situation was different compared to Frankie’s I still wish I would have made myself believe that I was going to make it. She helped herself move and get help while I just stood on my stairs just letting the “Monster aka my cat” come and get me. Frankie found her courage by making herself move and get to where she needed to go, while I on the other hand found my courage by just standing there on the stairs, but I think my real courage was staying home by myself for the first time.