Celia Avitia

05/29/2015

Spring Quarter

While I was attending Pierce College last year I got a phone call from a relative in Alaska. It was the week before finals week, and they asked me if I could pick up my cousin who wasn’t in a good place. She was only 13 and was already dealing with adult issues, so I jumped on the plane the next day. That was on a Tuesday. The ferry down from Ketchikan only leaves on Wednesdays so time was limited. As soon as I got her down here I opened a custody case, which turned into a criminal case against me. I managed to finish that quarter on Deans list and I walked that quarter.

After I earned my associates I took the next quarter off so I can face the judge for my custodial interference charge in Alaska. That charge started off as a felony but was dropped down to a misdemeanor. My grandmother took care of my cousin since she was born, but I didn’t know she didn’t have custody until I got her to Washington. While I was in Alaska I got the news that my biological father was dying of cancer in Arizona. So after my 3-week trip to Alaska was over I then had to drop my toddlers off with their father who I separated from while I was in Alaska and jump on the plane a week later to say good-bye to my father.

By now we were well into fall quarter however I didn’t enroll in a four-year college yet because I didn’t want to have to leave for court. By now I have 2 cases going on. While I was in Arizona my sister and I decided to open another case in the immigration court so my father can become legal for medical purposes. After that case was opened I returned to Washington to only find out my toddlers dad left the state with them. I then opened my fourth case involving my children. That took a big toll on me. So by the time winter quarter started I was overwhelmed with life. By December the Alaska DA said if I opened another custody case in Alaska involving my cousin they would drop all charges. By now my children were returned to me and I started my shared custody with my Ex. I took another trip to Alaska to close my criminal case only to open another custody case.

By the time March came along I decided I was going to enroll in school. If I didn’t enroll now I would of put it off again. I originally enrolled in Central Washington University’s satellite campus at Pierce College. The only thing I didn’t like was that they didn’t offer any classes I was interested in. So after I enrolled I decided I wanted to go to Evergreen. Before I could enroll at Evergreen life happened again. My brother-in-law wasn’t in a good place and needed a sitter; so thinking I would only have the 6-month-old baby over night I took her.

Two days passed by and I didn’t hear anything from her father, and her mother was in Alaska. So I was stuck with the baby along with my 5 kids. Again I was thinking about putting school off. I looked on Evergreens website and noticed I had one day to enroll. I ended up enrolling on the Friday before school started. Not knowing if I could even attend since I didn’t have a sitter for the baby. Luckily her father was released from jail.

Since I was late signing up for classes I was very limited with my selection. I entered this class as a last resort. My 1^st few weeks were hard trying to keep up with the reading because Proust is a hard man to follow. I was diagnosed with PTSD four years ago. When I was in high school I could never figure out why I had such a hard time focusing, it was hard to understand anything I read. I ended up dropping out. After I got diagnosed and got help I finally had an answer for why school was hard for me. Once I had a documented illness I was able to get extra help while I attended Pierce College. They showed me a few techniques to reading and understanding what I was reading. Before I would forget everything I read and have to reread it. Once I got the extra help and learned the techniques my grades changed drastically. I made Deans list for at least half the time I was at pierce. I don’t regret taking this class at all.

I also had a timing problem with my interview with Diane Formoso. I also cut her right out of my paper, fortunately I was finally able to interview her. I am so glad I did because I got an amazing interview from her and her family. I got the real feel for the organization. Something I wouldn’t be able to make up.

Getting anything done at home was near impossible. There were a few times when my daughter Myra had to get on my about my work and point out how they had to have their work down before they did anything. Since my daughters insisted on watching my toddlers I was able to get some work done. My first quarter at Evergreen was a struggle but I’m glad I got my foot in the door. I’m also glad I was able to dabble in Proust’s world. The volumes are full of such dynamic culture that I would of never been able to touch on if it wasn’t for this class.

This morning I was running late for class. I had to drop my son off with his father and needed to get gas, and on top of that I had to drive by my house to make sure my daughter and niece were outside to catch their bus. As I’m driving down my busy road with maybe 5 cars in front of me and 10 cars going the other direction, I noticed an elderly man on a bike fall into the road. The 5 cars in front of me and I were stopped at a red light. I watched him for a minute while I wait for the light to turn, and he wasn’t moving. His helmets flow off so I was thinking the worse.

The man falling isn’t what upset me. What upset me was what happened next. All 15 cars drove around him! There were people walking by that didn’t even look at him as he laid there. It was at that moment I was ashamed at our species. I say species because I’ve seen a video of a dog dragging another dog out of traffic after he got hit, or another video of a goldfish helping another goldfish that had a broken fin swim to the top of the tank for food.

So once all the assholes past this man on the ground I stopped. By then he hasn’t moved yet. Luckily as soon as he seen me coming he started to move. I helped him up and gathered he groceries. His helmet that flow off his head was actually a construction helmet which is why I didn’t prevent him from hitting his head. Sadly I didn’t get his name and he declined my offer for a ride. But I got back into my car and was fighting back tears for what I just witnessed.

When have our lives become so engulfed with ourselves that we can’t take 5 min to help someone? There will ALWAYS be time to give someone a helping hand especially if they look hurt. Our society is run by our ambition to make money. Time is money right? But as we look at ourselves so capitalistically we lose our humanity. Our society cannot climb out of this whole we are in without helping each other, there will always be one person left in the hole that will need a helping hand.

I am not righting this to get a high 5 or be “recognized” for what I did, which shouldn’t be a big deal in the 1^st place. It is a big deal that I felt the need to share this story so that there will never be a person that society “drives” around again.

Pg. 53-55

I am writing about the passage that starts on page 53 when Odette is trying to hint to Swann about marriage, and ends on page 55 end of the 1^st paragraph ending with salon.

I picked this passage because it shows Odette’s mindset. She’s pretty much talking about how she married Swann for his Esteem, however she’s not getting it. She’s mentioning how another lady married a man she barely lived with and had no children with but is getting invited to more Balls and parties. She blames her not getting invited to these kinds of parties on Swanns behavior, funny how she doesn’t blame her reputation at all. She goes on to talk about how much people change when they are in love. How their friends hardly recognize them. She also mentions how people who date or even marry adopt each other’s points of views.

This passage puts us in Odette’s mind. It shows us why she married him. Please comment so we can compare notes.

-Celia Avitia-

As I sit here in class It’s hard to focus. 2014 was the hardest year of my life. Last year had at least 5 life changing events happen. The biggest event would have to be getting custody of my little cousin. My aunty, her mother, passed away when she was 9. Now 14 her father isn’t in her life as much as he should be. so I was asked to take care of her. Unwilling to fight me in a custody battle here in Washington he attempted to fill a felony charge in Alaska that I battled for a year (case dropped completely).

Lets recap I know have 2 court cases pending over this little girl no one else wanted. she was getting straight F’s in class and already had her own “adult” problems happening. So by September I had my 1st court hearing on the criminal charge in Alaska. So my toddlers and I ventured up to Alaska on an almost 2 day ferry trip. We stayed in Alaska for 3 weeks just to have the court hearing pushed to the new year.

While I was up there I broke off my 5 year relationship due to, I guess differences. I had fallen in love with a man I’ve known my whole life and worked with for 3 years. Lets not make this into a love story.

My last week in Alaska I got a call from my sister saying my biological father is dying of cancer. I barely met my biological father and my half sister and brother 5 years before this and only seen them once. I’m not mad at him at all, however he will never be “my” dad. My dad is a man that my mother married 28 years ago. However I do still feel connected to this man that I never got to know.  So by the time I made to Washington I was off to Arizona to visit with my bio father. While there my sister asked me to file a court case with immigration so that he can become legal and get medical help. I was game, making this my 3rd court case.

I stayed in Arizona for a week. So believe me I was exhausted by the time I finally made it home. To only be crushed the next day. My toddlers father had taken them without telling me where he was taking them to. So for a whole day I thought the worse. So imagine my relief when i found out he took them to California. They didn’t crash and was in a hospital somewhere. however this started my 4th court case this year.

As I sit here and reflect on my life the last year I’m happy to see it go. I know deciding to get custody of my little cousin was a good thing. That was the only thing keeping me from me losing my mind. That poor girl needed a childhood. My life finally calmed down and I am now able to take this step in my education. I am able to move on. I am not writing this to make everyone feel sorry for me, I don’t even feel sorry for myself. We become who we are by life changing events happening. I am writing this because I can finally move on.