Florida Hansons

Friday, July 2, 2010

Proud to be an American

From the time I was born I was taught to be proud to be an American. I have always felt blessed to have been born in a place where I was able to enjoy the blessings that come from being a United States citizen. Everywhere you go in Puerto Rico the US flag is flying next to the Puertorrican flag. I remember when I was little, morning and night on the local tv stations the US and Puertorrican anthems would be played, I always felt goosebumps whenever I heard them and I still do today. I have never taken my citizenship for granted and always thanked my Heavenly Father for the wonderful country that America is. Growing up I could tell how proud my family was that my uncles, my dad and cousins served in the US Marines, Air Force, Navy and the National Guard. I remember my mom's youngest brother my Tio Tito wearing his National Guard Uniform and my cousin Tincy wearing his US Navy uniform. I remember my cousin Tincy traveling all over the world, I would write to him letters and how excited I was when I got a letter from him. I remember him coming home after a long overseas stay and surprising everyone because he did not let us know when he would be coming home. He would take a cab from San Juan to Ponce and surprise us all. Growing up we would always go to the US military base in San Juan and do our grocery shopping because the prices were better, when I was there I felt like I was in the States. My dad would speak English anytime he had a chance to, I remember thinking WOW how can he do that! and how much I WANTED to do that. My dad loved the US so much that his dream was to move to the States, he never did, but he passed that dreamed on to me and I did. We would come to the States on vacation almost every year after I turned 9 years old and how I LOVED coming to Florida, never knowing that I would end up living here. My first trip to the US was in 1975, we went to Washington DC to be sealed as a family. It was my first time seing a basement at the home where we were staying and thinking that basements were awesome. It was also my first time seing squirrels and how cute they were. It was also my first time eating a peanut butter sandwich (no jelly) at the temple, they fed us in the daycare while my parents were taking their endowments. I did not like the sandwich. The ladies there were so kind, they knew we did not speak much English so we had a lady who could speak Spanish take care of us and she took my brother and me on a little tour of the temple. My favorite class in school was English, I loved it so much. When I moved to the States I could understand what people were saying, if they spoke slowly, but I could read and write very well. My friends from the BYU English Language Center would always compliment me and would ask how I was able to read and write so well. My challenge was to get my ear used to it and to be able to speak it fluently. I never wanted anyone to look at me and say that I was dumb, I did not want anyone to struggle in trying to understand what I was saying. I think I have accomplished that but feel I still have a lot to learn especially when Brent will say a new word that I have never heard before. I struggle with certain pronounciations and it bothers me a lot. At times I haven't been treated fairly, I have been discriminated against, sometimes I wondered why I moved to the States and if it had been better to have stayed home. But no matter what the challenges I will always be grateful for the opportunity given to me to be in this country. I see others who risk everything even their lives to come here and all I had to do was get on a plane and come here. My hope is that my children will know how blessed they are for living in this the best country in the world.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Playing basketball

Three years ago we signed Conner up to play soccer but he was too little and it did not work out. He never wanted to play he just wanted to sit. So now we are trying basketball and he likes it a lot. It helps to have Brent be the assistant coach.