Answer these questions to paint us a picture of your high school years.
Did you know your current love in high school?
Not even remotely. I met him in 1994, when I entered college.
What kind of car did you drive?
I didn't have a car. The high school from freshman to junior year was relatively close to my house. And when I changed schools, where I studied I had transportation or sometimes my dad would take me and pick me up.
What kind of work did you do?
While I was in high school, I never worked. My father, mistakenly, was afraid that we would stop studying if we began to have financial freedom. He said we might “fall in love with money. hahaha
Where did you live?
In Cumaná, in a neighborhood called Brasil.
Were you popular?
Yes, I was very popular. Many people knew me, students and professors I didn't know. They would come and tell me: I know you. I know who you are! That popularity brought me many problems, for example, at my 15th birthday party, there were people who “crashed” my party without me knowing them. The good thing was that they brought me gifts. hahahaha.
Were you in band or choir?
I was in everything. I was not only the president of the Bolivarian Association, I was also part of the choir, actress in the theater, godmother of the sports games, soccer player, I was also a member of the scientific delegation and I was in charge of making the institution's billboards.
What did you do after your graduation ceremony?
I went out with my classmates to party and to “dawn”. I had never sunrise before and I wanted to do it. So I went with my classmates especially for that. But it wasn't what I imagined, because at that time I didn't drink and almost all my friends did, so I think I was the only one who was awake at dawn.
Did you ever get suspended?
Never. I was a well-behaved girl, I never got in trouble. I remember one time a group of friends got suspended because they did something naughty in one of the labs and I felt really bad for them. I even cried to a teacher to help them, but she wouldn't do it.
If you could go back, what experience would you relive?
I would love to relive going out with my friends. We were always going out everywhere: partying, going to the movies, going to the park, even going to the city's general library together. We were very close friends, male and female, without any malice, we just wanted to have a good time. Sometimes they would go to my house and we would stay up late chatting. I have never laughed so much in my life.
Did you ever skip school?
With the death of my grandmother, I went into depression and since my parents work, I would go to high school, but I stayed at home. Sometimes, out of sheer rebellion, I would leave in the middle of class and the teachers would stand there with their mouths open, but they couldn't do anything about it because they knew what I was going through. By the time my parents wanted to remedy everything, it was too late: I had lost the year.
Did you go to soccer games?
Of course I did. It was my favorite sport. In freshman and sophomore year I was on the women's team, they called me the flea because I'm 1, 58, but in senior year I became the godmother and went to all the games, even if my team wasn't playing.
What was your favorite subject?
Literature and Biology
Do you still have your yearbook(s)?
No. In Venezuela there is no such thing. Although I don't know if they do now.
Did you follow the career path you had planned?
At that age I didn't think much about the future. Life was an eternal present. However, when I made the selection of careers for the university, I was inclined towards scientific professions, nothing to do with teaching and even less with literature.
Do you still have your high school ring?
I lost it at a beach party.
Who was your favorite teacher?
In high school I had many favorite teachers who adored me and spoiled me as if I were a daughter: there was my Spanish teacher (Luis Hernandez), my Biology teacher (Manuel Figueroa), my folklore teacher (Paula Brito), my Venezuelan History teacher (Venezuela Merlin). I think I'm missing a lot of names.
What was your hairstyle?
I have always had long hair, but when I was in my fourth year, I cut it, due to depression, and also because it was fashionable to have a hairstyle worn by the protagonist of a soap opera called “Niña bonita” (Pretty Girl).
What were your favorite shoes?
My red Converse and my white Adidas.
What was your favorite food?
We always went out for pizza with friends. In fact, when I would go out with the family, I would also order pizza.
Who was your favorite singer?
At that time they implemented in Venezuela the 1x1, which consisted that for every foreign singer, a Venezuelan singer had to be played, so I grew up listening to many good Venezuelan singers, such as Karina, Yordano, Franco de Vita. I collected money from my allowance to buy their records. I also liked Madonna, Cindi Lauper, a Puerto Rican group called Menudo and it was the teenage girl craze. In my most depressive period I liked Sinéad O'Connor a lot.
What cologne did you wear?
I always liked to smell good, to use cologne. At home they bought Menen cologne for all of us, but I remember that I used to wear my mother's colognes in the most important moments, when there was a party or a special activity.
How old were you when you graduated?
19, I lost a year
Did you have a nickname?
I was called “María Conchita” after a Venezuelan actress named María Conchita Alonso, who was very famous at that time. Also, as I said before, playing soccer they called me “La pulga” (the flea).
What high school did you attend?
Liceo Vicente de Sucre y Urbaneja, and Liceo Pedro Arnal.
What year did you graduate?
1992
What has changed the most in the world since you graduated?
Many things, especially the way we relate to each other through technology. I would never have imagined that I could meet people as far away in the world, through a screen, as we do here at HIVE. Studying, I think, is much easier now. Technology gives you a thousand keys and it's up to you to use them very well.
How have you changed since high school?
I'm less active now than before, I drink beer, I'm more “friendly” with people and less bitter, I'm more of a crybaby (I don't know why, I imagine hormones), but in essence I'm still the same myopic girl, who likes music, the beach and having a good time.
If you could travel back in time and say something to your teenage self, what would you say?
I would tell her to love more, to hug more, to let herself love more, to travel more because there will come a time when we won't be able to travel, hug or love our loved ones and we will regret it deeply.
The images are from my personal gallery and the text was translated with Deepl
This is my participation this week for our great friend @ericvancewalton's initiative: Memoir monday. If you want to participate, here's the link to the invitation post
