We hope you enjoy this beautiful poem. This class project captures some sense of “home” and “family” and “place” for our students who hail from all over the globe, creating a sense of camaraderie and belonging.
I am from the land of the sun, where the good never dies and the grandmothers divide their sadness in two braids
From clay dishes that decorated the walls
and the jocote fruits that we children would climb the tree to pick
I am from too many banana trees, the guayacan with all its yellow flowers,
and a 100-year-old tamarindo tree
From the thick scent of blackberries and sweet pea blossoms in the summer air
and rainy days when my mom cooked memelas with homemade cheese and salsa
I am from gardens full of cilantro, green beans, onions, garlic and mint
whose dependability and nourishment brought pleasure to our mouths, joy to our tables and
helped us survive
From hot milk with a straw that my grandfather brought me at dawn each morning
and from the Barbie I bought with my own work money at age 12–my very first toy
I am from Clodoveo, Eucebia, Gusia, Melesio, Austreberta
and from a grandfather whose last name means “broken arm”
From my aunt Khadija’s smile, a smile that shone brightly even in the face of problems
I am from Christmas with ponche de frutas and Eid with leg of lamb, kibbeh and meat with
yogurt sauce
From couscous with vegetables, mole poblano with turkey and guinea pigs for special occasions
From aunts and uncles sharing family stories about the Mexican Revolution until 2 or 3
in the morning
and from the primary school my mom built in rural Ecuador with her best friend
From purple Octobers with turrón and picarones with lots of honey
and a community where it’s the women who help each other to build new homes
I am from the moments
when all our neighbors gathered in the streets to drink coffee or smoke hookah together
From so many big personalities that we cannot meet in the same room without an explosion
From Mirana’s first heart beat
and celebrations with piñatas full of oranges, peanuts and colación,
Making tihlo dumplings from barley for 3 full days with so much work
From birthdays when we used to dance merengue and eat pabellon
I am from mistakes and dreams and starting over in a new country.
October 2023
Written by the students in our Adult Basic Education 2 class