Finally, a blog of friends (Oh, Kids)

Ok, I started the blogs about my friends, and now this is another entry. This time is a collection of people. Since it is time to "O" (Niangniang's blog takes care of "N"), so I name it as "Oh, kids". Seriously, they are all kids, about sixty of them, in two distinct groups. First of all, I want to claim that I like both groups of kids. I felt their energy and spirit most of the time and am grateful about my involvement with them. Another negative about those kids is just because I am a goddamn sociologist.

One group is 7 kids from Upward Bound. They are from low-income families, probably immigrants. They are not inspired for college, or do not see life beyond starting a family with the means of marriage. Overall. they've fucked up, by themselves or by the families they were born in. But they have the potentials, which make them to be part of the program. I am a volenteering tutor this summer for 7 kids who are rising high school senior. They are actually applying to college. I am with them three nights a week for four week. This is the third week.

They are all Hispanic kids. I like them a lot. To be honest, they are not studying hard. They do not ask me academic questions (although I am a tutor). They like to horse around. One guy Ronnie is the crown, always making people laugh, but he has little chance of getting into college because he is taking a geometry class for a third year, which normally takes one year, I guess. Yuni is the loud one. She has a tall built and amazing smile. She can start a hip-hop dance in the middle of study session, or fight with boys. Ivy and Christina are quiet and pretty. They are the ones who get homework done in time. Thye have the best chance of getting into college. They are both like mother-figures for Ronnie. Mayre is obese, stressed out, probably hates how she looks. But she manage to hang out with popular kids, like Ronnie or Yuni. Then there are Meleto and Breisedo. They usually study by themselves. Not popular in mainstream sense, but they have a small crowd on their own, just some juniors. Memeto is studying manderin this summer, so we have some funny conversation about "what's your name" "Where do you come from"? Telling from the progress, I think she is learning very very slowly. Breisedo is cool. She is the one who would blend in boys and have hit-five with everyone.

So that's my group. I like them a lot, probably more than if they all study hard and not play around at all. I mean, the latter is actually my objective, but I do not want to restrict their freedom, so here you go. One will ask, "what is the life like being a light bulb?" Then the conversation just starts without stops in sight. So the poor kid syndrome. They are in a cultural trap that keeps them back withour their own noticing. Their coping strategy is great, having fun in the short term. But in a long run, they fuck themselves up. I mean, I am not value-judging them, saying they are wrong to not study hard. I am here to state the facts, and now I feel about the facts. It especially strikes me because I am starting to take care of another group of kids since two days ago.

I am very tired right now, so I will crash the bed. I will describe the other group the other day. Afterward, a sociological theme will come up. (Damn you, your sucking profession:-). Then I will discuss the social implications and conclude with three major policy recommendation (Ha, did I just get you? I am kiddddddding:-) Good night.