My Coming of Age (rough draft)

The Moment I Realized



Military Brat: A term that is used for kids whose parents are in the Military Forces. Being a military brat means going through a lot of transitions and adapting to new environments. You tend to move around the country, usually more than five states. But, I’m not a military brat. I didn’t even move to another state in my life so far. It’s always been Hawaii.

The average person in Hawaii will move one to three times to a different location on the state. Therefore I am one of those average people. The first time I moved was when I was around seven months old, so that doesn’t really count. The biggest move my family and I ever made was when I was eleven years old. Prior to us moving, we had lived in a one-bedroom apartment for ten years of my life. My family and I didn’t have much because of the limited space. I still remember it to this day. When you first walk in, you’ll be in the living room. On the left side was a cream leather couch, a keyboard leaning against the west wall, and a box television further down. To the right was compact kitchen with a single sink, a stove, a glass table, and a system of shelves that contained our snacks. Around 30 steps down is a bedroom, and to its right was our bathroom. Five of us, my parents, my two sisters, and I dwelled in that cramped apartment for what seemed like forever.

As my sister’s and I got older, my oldest sister Jade moved to Las Vegas for college. I was around six years old at the time, and my little sister was 3 years old. My parents had always been saving up to buy a home for us. They wanted a place where we could roam around freely and have our privacy. They basically wanted the best for us. As I grew up, my family got into a lot of financial mishaps. My sister and I had very limited money privileges. Situations started to get worse. My whole family almost fell apart. That was one of the very moments I knew I was maturing. To be honest, I did not have much of a childhood after I turned 9 years old. I learned to be very quiet and polite. Everything that I have been through made me a stronger person. When my parents would get into arguments, I had to be strong for my sister and I. I could not let her see how much pain I was in. The moment that happened, I had learned that anything could happen to a family, even the unexpected.

This is when dance came along. My mom had enrolled my sister and I in dance classes when I had turned eleven years old. I hated the first day. But just like every normal mother, she forced me to stick with it. It didn’t even take me the first week to fall in love with it. This moment has taught me to give things and people a chance before I come to any conclusions. Dance has helped me get rid of my shy personality. It helped me express my feelings without words. It was my secret perfect getaway.

Fortunately, things got back on track. During my sixth grade, my family was able to find a home for my entire family, and (my friend) Czarina, along with her family. I know most kids in the United States get their own bedroom since they were three, but I got mine when I was eleven years old. I was extremely happy when I found that I was going to have my own room. I was mainly excited to customize it and give it a “me” factor.

I know a lot of people don’t get matured getting their own bedroom, but I sure did. Over the years, my bedroom had its danger moments. It got to the point where it was messy, but yet still controllable. My bedroom has taught me to treat others with respect, and they’ll do the same. In other words, if I keep my room nice and clean, then it will be a nice shelter to me.