This piece is much overdue. If you know me then you won't be surprised that people call me Disney Boy. I started this blog based on a Disney show afterall. Why do I like them so much? The simple answer is friendship. What do Hanna Montana, Girl Meets World, Big Time Rush, Kim Possible, Recess and Austin & Ally all have in common? They all have groups of friends, unconditional bonds that last for years, in every adventure they are together even if there are bumps along the road. Growing up watching these shows I always wanted to have these friendships, live these adventures; looking back at some episodes right now I know I lived it. I was lucky enough to meet the most amazing people in the world, the most amazing friends some of whom I have lost touch with, some of whom I talk to occasionally and some of whom I talk every day with. Regardless, they all shaped me to be who I am today. So I want to thank you all. Wether we've been together for 10 years or just for 1 you all mean the world to me.
Let's start at the beginning, ISH. The people I met there have been my longest friends, they saw me grow up, change, were unconditional. ISH was a big happy family, didn't matter what grade you were in, if you were new or had been there all your life, what religion, what culture, what colour you were, what language you spoke, it was just the most wonderful environment to grow up in. Have you seen those episodes in these shows where the new kid comes into a school and feels out of place but the senior jock or the class president introduces you to all the kids in school, in class and makes it easier to make friends? Well that was ISH, Jonas Van Hoof, Remko, Yanik, Cesar, Kevin, Federico and Emanuele Taglione were some of the seniors that took me in as part of football lunch times without knowing me, they made me play in my first day there. They filled me with advice when i got into the team in my year of secondary school and never let me down or treated me anything less than a friend, someone that was in their same class. The hardest part was that people you met come and went, you would loose your friends after 2 years, 3 maybe, some would be there for life, but a lot of them left along the way. But everyone that past through my life left something good, I can remember all of them, all of you. I have a story for each one and there isn't enough space in the world to retell all the stories, but lets start with some.
This picture encompasses what ISH is. We all knew each other, we all talked to each other, there wasnt a person you couldnt go to for advice or to have a laugh with. Trips like these between students from different grades just brought us closer together. Of course there was drama, there is always is. But the people that form that school were truly special. Outside of the classroom were the best times anyone could have. All the people in this picture i know, there are few schools were you can say that.
My class, what can I say about all the people that came though my class, a big family if i have ever seen one. The list of names is endless, Federico, Enrico, Luna, Max, Matias, Gaia, Marry-Ann, Baboucar, Alison, Martin, Skye, Jessica, Astrid, Valeria, Raj, Veronica, Ernesto, Alfey, Camila, Ana Rosa, Hee Koon and the list goes on, I could never leave out anyone that came through my class. Mathias taught me and guided me through taekwondo, i remember how amazing he was from day 1 i joined. When I was in fourth grade I had a cast for about 4 months i think and I remember how all my class signed my cast, they would carry me up and down the stairs, would sit down to have lunch with me every day, play cards, everyone i mean everyone cared it was wonderful. I regret not being more sociable at the time and sharing in their parties but all the ones i did share in were amazing. Matias and his family took me out to dinner and introduced me to cuscus. Everyone would show up to say Max's birthday at his house or would sleep over at Matias' house to watch a scary movie and have halo matches. Every came to my birthday party the one time I decided to have one at the Melia and we had a rock throwing war. One of my oldest happiest memories there was the smoothie stand to raise some money. All those lunch times spend playing football with the guys, in the computer lab playing HoN, camila showing me how to play busca minas. How could one forget those meetings at Gaia's house for projects or end of the year parties, thanks to her and her mom i got to visit Italy as well. Marteen your waffles were legendary i remember when you brought a box to class right after IT. We didn't compete with each other to be the best, or put each other down, you needed help, you got it with anyone. I sometimes find myself wishing i could go back and tell them all how much I am going to miss those days, simpler times, all you woried about was homework, but sincerity, kindness, laughter was the order of the day, every day. I can honestly say these are the best people in the world.
So when you went out the door it still felt like home. I have friends from so many age groups, we bonded mostly through playing football at lunch times, skipping the eating to play as much as possible but we did all sorts of things outside of the school. I mean two of my brothers Alvaro and Leonardo were not even in my same grade but they came with me for my birthday to Varadero, spend the weekend at the beach and we had so much fun with movies, swimming, playing ping pong, chess, running around. Or how about when i tried to learn to drive a go kart and Valentina and Skumi helped me cause i was hopeless, even crashed once. My personal football idol, Lindo, one day i promised myself i would be as good as him, hahahahahaha never got there but if you ask him he would probably say that by the end of my stay there i did. International food fair was an amazing time to meet each others parents and share a bit of culture with the others. My brother's friend were mine too and treated me just like they did him. I played indoor football with them all the time, Pazzi, Chawin, Michael. Then there were the lunch time peeps, those friends you have an unbreakable team Nikola, Marcelo, Alev, Mauricio, Jonathas, Jou, Alex. I had endless laughter with all these guys, roadtrip to the beach. Carl, my tennis doubles partner who took me to my only gold medal, Angel who I thought was Roger Federer inside the court and genius inside the classroom.
Even-though you could go to anyone for advice and they were all sincere I had my choices and a lot of them were not even as old as I was but sometimes they were twice as wise. My first advice on relationships and approaching a girl i like were given to me by Matias' sister Emma and Max's sister Ana. Then there was Olivia, someone who helped me discover what was important when I was teenager which people can testify is a very hard thing to do. Sophie was one of those girl who helped get out of my shell and be less shy. She almost killed me making me run the relays in the athletics tournament for her team. Sammy who talked me through my romantic disappointments and was like a little sis to me. Karen before i left gifted me a perfume from France her homeland which i still have to this day.
My very first friend is my brother, his family is my family, his mom and dad are my uncles and his sister is like my own. To this day we are family, there is nothing i wouldn't do for him or he wouldn't do for me. It all started what seems like an eternity ago and an instant at the same time when we had the sleep overs playing pokemon on the game cube until sunrise or trying to find the ball we lost playing football in the backyard, learning italian together, hide and seek. Honestly one of the most amazing people my aunt Cora, my brother Brandon, my sister Sofia. I know that in panama and wherever they go I have a home with them and they have one with us. Going to your graduation Brandon was one of the proudest and happiest moments and i will be there for your's Sofi as well soon. Luna you were always the nicest person to me even though sometimes i didn't quite deserve it, you looked after me when i had my cast, helped me navigate being at a party, did all the writing in our group projects.
There isn't enough space to tell all the stories i want to tell about everyone i have met so if/when you read this leave me a comment with a memory you have of me, of us and lets look back.
