Wilda Godinez:  

Life I remember coming from Cuba, age 7, not speaking a word of English, trying hard to fit in - that was tough; peer pressure combined with a language barrier, was a challenge. Marcia tutored me at the back of the class, yet still I failed third grade. I had to learn to speak English. I have fond memories of my youth on Miami Beach, where I lived from 3rd to 6th grade. I remember Biscayne Elementary and Stillwater Park. My first "puppy love", the one special boy who with one look made my heart pound faster. I remember learning to ride my bike in the parking lot of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. I also remember getting lost one day while walking home from the bus stop, the school bus driver, a nice man who after that, would drop me off right in front of our apartment building on the corner of 85 Street and Harding Avenue. Hurricane Cleo came by in 1964. Scary! The beach was so calm after that.....Terri and I walked the on the sand finding dead fish everywhere! My sister Wendy was born May of 1966, I was 12. Mom had to go back to work; at 38 she had forgotten how to handle a small baby, so I raised her, my real live doll. I did it all; cleaned, took care of Wendy and tried to continue being a kid. At Nautilus Junior High School, the morning bus dropped us off at the candy store (what was the name of that candy store?) We would always buy watermelon sticks for later !! Had my family not moved, I would have graduated from Beach High. We bought a house in North Dade in 1969. High School! Wow! I was very introverted, quiet. My junior year was special; I remember deciding who I was going to be, standing tall, and coming out of my shell. I joined Modern Dance Class, French Club and the Pep Club. Not easy to be me, when my parents were over protective! I was restricted to mostly everything! I think it had to do with my parents lack of involvement and support - (not on purpose - they didn't speak English very well and their way of raising me was quite different to that of everyone else - culture issues ). I remember Madame Michelle and how her bangs would "bounce" as she taught us to pronounce French correctly! Mrs. Mahon, the history teacher who...Expand for more