Contents of this blog
- Bookworm
- You Can Go Home Again
- A Creative Affair
- My First "Grand Adventure"
- Saying "Goodbye"
- Daddy's Little Girl
- Childhood Fights
- Games We Played
- Childhood Friendships
- My First Brush With Death
- The Ugly Truth
- No Lunch For Arlene
- Foe Turned Friend
- My First Taste Of America
- Language Barrier
- Everything Happens For A Reason
- The Checker Kid
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66 Comments
Great post, now look at where you are at now, I replied back to the message you sent me yesterday
Excellent post on life lessons concerning racism! I know first hand of what you speak. I was the only white Indian on a reservation while growing up! People can be extremely cruel to one another at times! But, look at yourself now... You have learned by your own personal experiences first hand and you're a better individual because of it.. Categorized & Rated.
I had a similar experience in highschool, I ended up with broken nose glasses and covered in blood from head to toe. I moved from Seattle to Arkansas, in Seattle I grew up with a handfull of Filipino's and etc so I was acustom to asian or african or hispanic origins, we more less embraced it at my schools. Then I moved to Arkansas A well know place for it's racism back in the days, when i started highschool it was a bad story up untill i quit and got a ged diploma. But i forgave it all and put it in gods hands. I ended up ok I still live here it makes it ruff remembering at times the dilemas but it made me much stronger in the long run. I mean im pre much a white kid, But I speak some Chinese and have a adopted side of family that ive grown up with that is from china originally so I know where your coming from being diffrent is hard. Especially when your new somewhere. But yes God bless you and just pray god forgives those bullies most of them are probably end up in jail or trouble down the road. As we all have to grow up and walk in life it's not really easy for anyone everyone has there stories eventually..<3
I can totally relate to people enjoying making you cry. Some people enjoy seeing others unhappy. I just realized(and it took me along time to realize this) that some people see something in you that they don't see in themselves. Keep on keeping on.
Thanks everyone for all the positive feedback and comments!
I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THAT....I WISH I'LL BE THERE WHERE TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT THEY HATE OR TREAT IN A BAD WAY...IN MY ISLAND THEY ARE GOOD PEOLE...THEY HAVE DIFFERENT COLOR AND THEY LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED OR NEED HELP...
HERE TOO...WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO ANYONES WE CAN HELP.....AS YOU,,,,CIF YOU SEE ANY KAPINGESE... LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU NEED THEM.......
I want to begin by apologizing for the ignorance of others. Sadly, they are able to coexist with the rest of us who realize and appreciate our differences. Children can be cruel but they do what they are taught and it is unfortunate that you became that target. Thank you for sharing your story!
Nice sharing , good story !
@ Magical Mirror: Thank you for that great comment. You are a beautiful person yourself. I commend you for being a vegetarian and taking your stance. I actually believe in the art of healing so thank you for sharing that talent with the world.
@ Bronxtut: I'm sorry for what you went through, but I disagree with you about my experience. What I went through was definitely a form of racism, and not just about kids being mean. Who would teach kids to throw dirt at a little girl just because her skin was brown? It must have been from something their parents taught them...that IS racism. I have seen it enough to know what racism is.
very discriminating story you have , its very true stories great popst rated 10
lovely post just be proud of whom u are and live the rest to GOD
Arlene, well I hope those boys wised up by now, what they did was deplorable. If they haven't changed then they are going through life with blinders on. I'm sorry you had to begin life in America like that, but like you said, you are a better person for it.
I remember my junior year of high school. Every day for spring semester I'd sit with 4 friends and this guy who was friends with one of my friends. We didn't get along and our dislike for one another was brewing, like a volcano about ready to explode. One day I was going to art class and I witnessed him making fun of this heavy set black girl, in her face. I mean like nose to nose. He wouldn't stop, gladly she was strong enough to brush it off. Anyway, the following monday we were eating lunch and I finally asked him, "What's your problem?" and he said, "You were glasses". Shocked, and confused, I said, about my friend next to me, "He's not wearing glasses" and the guy who I witnessed bully the heavy set girl the week before, said to me, "Yeah, but he's not a nerd. You are".
Needless, to say, after that he cornered me into a fight after school. One of the teachers caught us fighting and I got in school suspension. Of course because of tardiness I got 3 more days of it than he did which enabled him to make up any story he wanted while I was gone. Needless to say I found myself being made fun of at the cafeteria the first day back. I don't remember what he said but at the time I knew whatever he said was a lie. Of course I remained strong and was able to get through the semester.
But I always ask myself when things like this comes up, "What makes people hate someone because of the way the other person looks?"
Is it hate? Jealousy? Envy? Or downright evilness?
Arlene, thank you for giving me the privilige of reading this moving account of your childhood experiences. Children are notoriously cruel, mainly because they do not understand what they are doing when inflicting the mental trauma which you had to endure. But what we have to ask is why they do it? Children follow by example and, as you point out, they adopt the attitudes of their parents or carers; in other words they imitate adults. Hopefully, in a more tolerant world experiences like you were subjected to will become a thing of the past
arlene, it is nice learning about your child hood experience, you have really done well to cope with the bitter experience and not let it get at you.
i love this this is very nice
: that was reaLLy hard! gLad that you have shared your story here to inspire more peopLe. it happens everywhere even here in PI. i hope that peopLe wiLL Learn from your story. thank you for sharing! God bLess! ^_^
Great nice
@ Todd Walker: I'm sorry you went through what you did...but yes, people act out in hate due to jealousy and ignorance. Thank you for sharing your story as well...
@ Ndcarr: I totally agree...children do follow by example and do adopt the same thoughts their parents are spewing...so if their parents are racist there is a great possibility these children act out in hate because of their own parent's actions. THANK YOU for pointing that out...
This is a great share and thank you for posting. The things in life that don't take you down are the things that make you stronger. God Bless
You are a beautiful young woman, who has taken an ugly experience in your childhood to rise about bigotry and hate. In sharing your experience with others you have given people to strength to overcome the ignorance of small minds. Excellent post.
I am sorry for the typo's, in my rush to post this comment, I was not careful.
... rise above not rise about
...people the strength not people to strength
@ Marie: Thank you for the nice comment! Sometimes the hardest thing to do is finding a positive out of a negative situation....
@ Jennet D'Souza: That's awful to hear how your classmate got picked on and shunned by those two girls just because of her darker skin color. I'm glad you and your professor taught those girls a lesson. Thank you for sharing your story...I'm glad it had a happy ending.
great post
I always thought such blatant racism was practiced way back, not in recent decades when the form is more subtle but no less cruel. Thanks for sharing.
oh at first i really think that you're Filipina and im right hehhee..yes because we have the same color...
@ Ajit: Yes, unfortunately racism still exists even in today's times...but at least we've come a long way since Martin Luther King Jr's time...
Arlene You Are So Awesome , Continue To Tell Whatever On You Mind From The Bottom Of Your Heart, Excellent Post.
@ Dennis: Thank you for that comment! It really means a lot...
Nice story of life.But such kind of position ,make strong and create self confedence in life.
Hard truth.........
Thanks for sharing your story
Sad but true... I think it was pretty tough for you during those years especially at that age at that circumstances... but good for you because you made it through life facing those!
Great post, in my experience I've found we can learn so much by living among different cultures and outlooks... Your posts on here are all great..
cheers from Bangkok..
very nice post
very nice sharing thanks,,,so you're a half filipino Arlene?
Very well put, and inspiring life story, it's just sad and a shame that one, regardless of where they are from, would have to put with something so cruel and disturbing as there race at such a young age. You maintained your strength and kept your head up. You have come to a point where people would admire and appreciate what you've done and become in your life. Anyone would be truly proud.of you.
My sympathies are with you.Wherever it exists racial discriminationis ought to be denounced.Thank,Almighty,Present day USA is totally changed.The Racial discrimination has mostly disappeared.I found USA to be a very friendly nation and Americans are a very friendly nation andmost courteous people with pleasing manners and highly disciplined.A few bad elements are bullies may be present in any country.
I know how you feel being picked on cause you are different. I was picked on from Kinder garden all the way through high school because of how I was different. Sometimes it changes who you are forever. Thanks for the post.
nice post..