A new begging
Olivia Sega, Anchorage Alaska
Interviewed by Julius Guevara
“This change was a big one. It made a big impact on my life.”
How would you feel about a sudden change in your life? Do you think it will affect your lifestyle? Well there are many of us who experience this feeling; just like this girl Olivia Sega. She is a senior at El Camino High School. She believes that “life should be fun, we shouldn’t make life hard.”
It was a chilly day in the quiet city of Anchorage Alaska. I was eight years old at the moment. My father and I were at the park. I could feel the rush of cold air pressed against my cheek as my dad pushed me higher and higher on the swing. It was dusk and the sun was drifting away quickly. As my father and I were heading home we would always pass by and grab scoops of ice cream from our favorite local ice cream shop at the heart of Anchorage. I would always get a couple of scoops of strawberry, while my father would always get vanilla. Even though it was chilly outside, ice cream to us is a weekly routine whether it was cold or not.
As I grew up from a little girl to a teenager, things began to change. I noticed that my father and I stopped going to our favorite local ice cream shop. He was either too busy working or he didn’t feel like eating ice cream weekly anymore. This didn’t really bother me. People say I am a strong girl, very funny, and down to earth. I am very interested in anything I do. I am also very talkative. At school my classmates and teachers would call me the “loudmouth” in middle school becuase I would never stop talking. Talking might just be one of my hobbies.
Junior year in high school was coming to an end and I noticed that my mother and father weren’t getting along as much as they used to. They would always fight and argue to the point that my dad would sleep in the car. Then one day after a great day in school I went home. When I went inside my house it made my day to a great to a horrible day. As I walked through the dining room I could see my mom crying on the kitchen table. I immediately rushed and sat in front of her. I asked “what’s wrong mom?”. She said that her and my dad was planning to get a divorce. When I heard that seven letter word “DIVORCE” I just broke down and cried my eyes out. I love my parents; I don’t know how life would be without them. They are my heroes. I asked my mom what happened and what caused the divorce? She said that it is because her dad was having an affair.
My dad came back home from driving around the neighborhood to relieve his stress. When I saw him I mugged him and I said no word to him. I was mad and angry. From all the reasons for a divorce it had to be because of an affair. I was furious at my dad but I thought about it in my room, and decided to forgive my dad. “He still is my father” I can’t hold a grudge on him. My parents taught me to never hold grudges and to always forgive and forget.
Ever since my parents had a divorce my dad moved out and life to me was gloomy and blue. It was very different. My mom would always be alone and she was always super busy. One evening as my mom, I and my younger brother and sister were eating dinner. My mom said we were going to leave Anchorage and move to San Francisco, California with my auntie. She said we were going to move to let go of all the memories we left here, its time to start off fresh.
I my mom and siblings were at the ticket lines getting our boarding passes for flight #118 Alaska Airlines from Anchorage, Alaska to San Francisco, California. on February 27th , 2007. As we were about to enter the security gates I could see my dad on the other side waving his last goodbyes to all of us. I really cherished this moment because I would never know when I would see him again. I started to let out a tear and I reminisced about the days my dad and I would spend together. All the fun times we’ve had, especially our ice cream dates together. From all my siblings I was the one who was closest to my dad. I guess you can say I was “daddy’s little girl”.
This change was a big one. It made a big impact on my life. We arrived in San Francisco and we went and got all our baggage. As we were exiting the airport I could hear a raspy voice similar to my mothers. We looked back and my mom and the lady whom I never seen since I was three years old which was my aunt was tearing with joy to see all of us. We all gave big hugs and kisses. As we were driving to my “new home” I could see building and houses and streets which were very different compared to anchorage. Back home roads were less crowded and buildings weren’t as old as here. Also in anchorage I could see deer and bears and a lot of wildlife. Here all I could see is some birds and not a lot of wildlife. There weren’t many trees here also. Back home there were plenty of trees and also mountains. I just had to get used to the city life.
When I saw downtown San Francisco I thought to myself saying “ewww its so ugly”. It is very ghetto at some areas. There were also a lot of very pretty places like the pier and twin peaks. I loved twin peaks. My aunt brought me and my siblings there the night we arrived. The picture I saw would be stuck in my mind for the rest of my life. Anchorage was the biggest city in Alaska but it can’t compare to the city of San Francisco. The lights and towers were glamorous. The only thing I can compare between Anchorage and San Francisco was the weather. They are both very chilly expect here we have a lot of mixed weather patterns. Back home it would also snow a lot. That is what I would miss about Alaska, the snow.
My aunt lives alone in a average sized house near cow palace. Over here the size of my aunts house is average, but in Alaska that is considered small. My aunt lives in a 4 bedroom 2 bath house. Back in Alaska we lived in a 6 bedroom 4 bath house. Now I have to share a room with my little sister. I also now have to sleep in a twin size bed. Back home I slept in a queen size bed. Life in San Francisco is tough. We have to work to survive. So then during the summer my mom made me work to help out with the rent. I worked at Subway in San Bruno. I loved working there I enjoyed making customers smile and laugh. I especially loved getting FREE sandwiches. Working at subway also helped me to stay healthy because you know “SUBWAY… eat FRESH!” Then school came along, I had to quit my job to focus on grades my mom said.
It was the 1st day of my senior year at El Camino High School. I really didn’t know why I went to El Camino. My aunt just told me I’m going to that school because it was a very good academic school. I was scared to go to school. I wondered if I was going to have friends. I wondered if the kids here would be nice and friendly. As I entered the stairs at the front of the school my heart was beating with excitement but with fear also. It was time for lunch and I already met a new friend named Stephanie Roldan we met in chemistry class with this weird but funny teacher. By the end of the day I said to myself that I am going to love this school. School in “Elco” is very different from my old high school “West Anchorage High School”. Elco has a lot of filippinos which was what I first noticed when I got here. Back in my old high school it was more diverse. What I loved about Elco was the friendliness of people.
So far my life here in San Francisco is great. I wouldn’t regret moving here. Coming here taught me to become independent. I now take bus which I’ve never taken before till now. Also moving here helped me live in a whole new different lifestyle. To this day I still haven’t seen my dad since the airport. I miss him very much. Once I get a change to go back home I would totally visit my dad and to see how he is doing. Overall my life didn’t end here in San Francisco but it just began.
