Moving+and+Change

What?” I looked up.
 * Moving To Thailand, by Chairin Oh **

Mom repeated, “We’re moving to Thailand. I think we will move next year. Your father’s company wants your dad to work there.”

“But… I have my friends here. I don’t want to go to Thailand. I’m going to stay here.” My face was red. I trembled. I couldn't see anything and I started to cry. Tears came out. Mom let me cry when I was so- sad. She knew that I was sad.

I tried to think the of the scene when dad’s company said go to Thailand and work. To my parents, it was a good thing to move to Thailand. They thought I could learn more there and have no stress, no pain and more friends. But they were wrong. They were talking about paradise - which makes you have no pain in your mind and no stress. Thailand couldn't be a paradise.

For 3 years, my Korean friends and I had so much fun being together. But if I went to Thailand, we couldn't meet each other. I would need to get NEW friends. It was so hard to get new friends and try not to think about your old friends because you will miss them and cry.

Mom told me she will take me to the movie theater and show me an animation movie. I think she wanted me to be happy and not worry about anything. Wrong again. Nothing could make me happy now. From now on, nothing could make me happy. I just wanted this to be a sad dream and then I would never have to go to Thailand.

My mom loved me but sometimes she doesn't know me well. I mean, she doesn't know what i am thinking. She only thinks about the fun things which can make me happy and forget sad things. But sometimes I’m not happy even when she makes me do fun things because I am too sad. If you are very sad about something, you can’t control your own feelings and only feel sadness. I felt really, really sad so I couldn’t feel any other feelings. Happy smiles, laughing, and giggling weren’t a part of me. I wanted to stay in KOREA.

The day before moving to Thailand, Mom allowed me to play with my friend until dinner. When she turned her body to say goodbye to me, I smiled to her and said bye but I was hiding my tears because i did not wanted to show her my tears, i waved my hand to her, smile and turned my back quickly. I cried little bit going back home.

When I think about it now, I think i was too weird before I came to Thailand because, I really like being in Thailand. I like ISB and most of all I like being in Thailand because I like being with my new friends.

** Divorce, by Sisi White **

I remember when my mom called me and my older brother down stairs so we could talk. We sat down on the couch where we always had game night every Friday, playing with each other like a big happy family. “Guys,” my mom said in a quiet voice. “I’m really sorry that your father and I have been arguing a lot lately.”

As we were sitting down I could read her eyes. There was something wrong.

“There has been just has been a lot going on,” she said as she wiped a tear from her face. I could tell she was holding her tears in. But all I knew was that the next thing she was going to say I wouldn't like.

“Your father and I...” she said, as she wiped another tear off her face. “...are splitting up.” There was a moment of silence. The facial expressions on my brother's face were mixed emotions. I couldn't tell if he was going to cry but he looked angry. I had never seen him like this before. I was scared.

“What?” Xavier said in anger. “No- just- why? Why does this have to happen to me? All my friends have perfect families, but no, I’m the one who ends up with the divorced parents.”

“Honey-”

“No mom. Just no.”

“Sweetie listen to me,” she said in a shy voice.

“No mom, it’s not like you can fix anything now. What’s done is done.” Xavier ran upstairs as my mom sobbed away, her face full of tears. I think all the frustration and anger came out just then and there.

“Mom,” I said in a quiet voice. “What’s splitting up mean?” At that point I didn’t know what to feel. Seeing my my brother like that and especially my mom.

“Your father and I are not going to be together anymore.”

Some things just don’t turn out the way you want. That was true. 100% true. But I still would not expect that to happen to me. Around me and Xavier they seemed like they were in love. Like nothing could separate them. They would always be together. But something happened that I can’t explain. They weren't the same anymore. They seemed as if they were trying to act like they still loved each other but really, It looked like a big act.

I remember they used to make me smile and laugh when Xavier and I would catch the kissing. Things were perfect. And all those memories were being forgotten. I ran upstairs and slowly walked into my brother’s room and I caught him crying.

“What do you want?” he said, sniffling.

“Nothing.” There was a moment of silence. I walked up to him and sit down next to him. “Xavier,” I said, as settled as I could. “Everything will be fine. Mom even says we’ll be able to stay with dad every weekend.”

“That won’t help. Si, you don’t understand. Our mom and dad won’t be together anymore. And we will probably be getting a stepmom. Do you really want a stepmom? Huh?" I heard his voice escalating into anger.

I walked into my room and sat next to my window. I looked into the backyard. I remembered when we would all go out there. Me and Xavier would have races rolling down our hill. Mom and Dad would sit on the patio watching us and taking pictures. //Why would they would ever split up?//

The next morning at breakfast dad wasn't home. I assumed he was at work. “Where’s dad?”

My mom’s face still looked like she was recovering from what happened, or maybe they just got in a fight again. I remembered in the middle of the night sometimes I would wake up and sit by the railing by the stairs, watching them arguing about nothing. Arguing about how they didn't take care of each other.

But one night was the worst. When mom threw the ring at him it was probably one of the most confusing times in my life because at 6, when you think your parents are the happiest couple in the world and then they act like this.

“He went to go get arrange the moving truck.” What? Were they really doing this? At the time I just wanted to tell my mom, “What the heck is wrong with you?” The anger and rage that I felt was horrible. I felt like bursting into tears or punching someone. But I wasn't going to show my emotions in front of my mom. Because I know If i did it would make things worse.

A week later dad was finally moving out. I remember we all stood outside about to watch him leave. He called me and Xavier over to say good-bye. “Hey kiddos,” Dad said with a slight smile. Xavier was about to cry but I could tell he wasn't going to do it in front of dad. “Everything's going to be normal. You'll still be able to see me every weekend. Ok?”

“Okay.” Me and Xavier said.

He gave us each a kiss on the forehead and entered the car. Me and Xavier were holding hands as he pulled away. It was probably the saddest moment I have ever felt. The house would feel so empty without him in it anymore. We watched him leave, and there went a part of my life missing.

But somehow I knew things would be ok. And mom would find someone, dad would find someone and they would both be happy.

** War, by Yotam  ** I had never seen her look like that. Her face was as white as a ghost. All of the cars next to us, started speeding up, and my mom did too. //Is this a dream?// I thought. I tried shutting my eyes until I heard something really loud from outside. I looked out the window, and saw two cars crash.

“Mom!” I shouted. “Stop the car!”

I guess she didn’t really pay attention to what happened. I looked back to see if everything was okay. There were two police cars on the highway already. So they got to the crash pretty fast.

“Mom?” I asked. “Why didn’t you stop?”

"Because there were already two police cars there, and we really aren’t supposed to stop on a highway,” she said.

“Yeah, I know, but two cars crashed. Don’t you want to help the people inside it?” I asked.

“Look, I understand that you want me to help them, but there could be air strikes any second. We have to go now,” she replied. Her face was all red, and she sounded stressed. “Where are we even going?” I asked angrily, not understanding.

“The bomb shelter. It will be safer there,” she replied.

Why is Lebanon attacking us?” I asked. It was July 12th, 2006. There was a war between Lebanon and Israel. Lebanon was bombing Israel, so we had to attack them back.

After about 20 minutes of driving, we got to the shelter, and met my dad there. Both of my siblings were there too. “Now we are safer than when we were on the highway.” Mom said.

There were a lot of people there. There was n o bathroom, no T.V, no food and only a little bit to drink. The bomb shelter was pretty big, but there were still a lot of people, so it was hard to hear my parents talking. Most of the adults that were inside were on their cellphones.

About two hours later, there was an announcement made. The man who said it had a low voice. “You are allowed to go home now. Please do not run when you go out, “ the man said loudly.

“So the war is over?” I asked.

“No, but the army had sent us a message saying that we are safe for now,” Dad said.

I will always remember that day because