Ivette Gonzalez - Thanks For Pushing Me To Succeed

I have always admired my cousin Ivette. Coming from the ghettos of NYC during the roughest times of her life, she still managed to graduate high school and go on to college and finally become a teacher.

In the summer of 2001, my family and me went to Ringwood New Jersey to visit my Cousin Ivette and her family. We ended up sleeping over her house and having a wonderful time. The following morning when we all got up my parents and sister were getting ready to leave and my twin sons and myself just did not want to leave.  I offered to babysit and clean the house, and cook for my cousin if she let us stay for atleast one week. Ivette accepted and let us stay. We live in the City and being in such a lovely country home really felt good to us.

During our week at Ivette’s house I got an opportunity to speak to her and she gave me wonderful advice and gave me a book that helped change my life almost entirely. We spoke about the abusive relationship that I had ended after so many years of being abused, and she adviced me to stay alone and find what it is that I want to do with the rest of my life. I told her that I always loved children and that I wanted to become a teacher like she did. She told me that all I have to do is go to college and in two years time I could be working as a teacher’s assistant and soon enough after completing my bachelor’s I could become a teacher.  She broke everything down for me and told me that by the year 2003 or 2004 I should be getting my Associates Degree and working as a Teaching Assistant.  She then told me to read the book that she gave me over and over again and that I will see a big change in my life. The book is titled, “Chiquita’s Cocoon.”

I have read the book many times and today, I have not yet graduated college but I am working as a teacher’s assistant and I love my job, and I have to thank Ivette for being there for me and giving me really good advice. I have lost contact with her and wish that I could tell her how great I have done for myself and my children.