Linguistic

1

The actuality that I had emigrated from Bolivia before I was the age of five years old granted people the idea that I was an expert on everything about my country. Classmates clouded me with question after question about things about Bolivia. I knew some answers, but others I had not the foggiest idea. 2

“what is the Capital”3

“When is your independence day”4

“Do You Celebrate Christmas there”5

“What age can you drive there.”6

These questions masked me from being the outgoing girl I wanted to be, to “The Bolivian Girl.”7

I was not a true friend to anyone. I was a homework helper, because I was linguistic. People came to me with their Spanish homework and asked me for help. I would think “Why not, I could be a friend to them” but after I finished their work, they became the same strangers they were before. 8

By the time I was in 10th grade, I drew closer to the realization that I would by no means ever fit in, I did not feel human. I was an alien, in more than one way. Although I was a legal citizen of the United States and had lived there for more than 10 years, I was “The Bolivian Girl”9

When I was a senior, I didn’t even try to fit in. I knew it would be a waste of time. It was half way through the year and I had hardly spoken a work to anyone but my teachers and my family. 10

It was one day, as I sat through my statistics class that things started to change. An office aid walked through the door of the class room and brought a red note to me. “A red note?” I thought “How can this be, I cant be in trouble!” 11

Walking down to the office as the note instructed, thoughts ran through my mind of what this could possibly have been about. Grades maybe, or maybe something bad had happened and they were sending me home. 12

I walked thought the door and showed the secretary the note.13

“Are you Blanca Ponce?” the only young woman asked.14

“Yes” I replied as she led me into the consoler’s office.15

Could this be about my lack of social skills? 16

“Hello Miss Ponce” The brown haired man with giant classes said. 17

“Hello.” I whispered shyly.18

I sat down in a green chair which was very uncomfortable. I looked up at the ceilings trying to pick out pictures in the texture. 19

The counselor gave a little cough, trying to catch my attention. “Oh, sorry.” I straighteded up in my seat and looked at him.20

“Blanca, I have looked at your file and discovered you are linguistic.” The man reached in the pocket of his beige jacket and pulled out flyer. “Our school would be very interested if you would consider helping with our exchange program.” 21

I took the flyer from his hands and flipped open to the first page. Pictures of forign students filled the pages smiling out at me.22

“You see, what we need is bilingual students who can show these foreign exchange students around” he kept explaining about the exchange program. It all sounded so great, I wish someone had done something like that for me. 23

“So are you interested?” he asked me with a anxious smile on his face. 24

“Absolutely” I agreed. 25

For the next few weeks I waited apprehensively for the exchange student I would be helping to come. She was a girl from Chile names Marisol. I couldn’t wait to meet her. 26

* * * * * * * * * 27

I always thought that me being from Bolivia was holding me back, and keeping me from success, but it did the exact opposite. After Marisol came, my outlook on life changed. I made the best and only friend I ever had and had a plain. After graduation I became a Spanish interpreter and had a great life. 28

All this came about because I am Linguistic 29