LA VIDA DE LA DIRECTORA - THE LIFE OF YOUR DIRECTOR Part I

Monday is fast approaching and with it the dawn of a new week at CCC ACE and CJC ACE.
These days it is hard for me to figure out what the next post should be about. There is so much that I want to write about and so much that I fear will be misunderstood. One thing for sure is I love this institution and I will give my arms and legs for it. It already has my heart but that is not a problem to me. I believe if you love something then it must be worth your time and energy. That is the way I feel about teaching and my life at CCC ACE and CJC ACE.

I guess the best thing to go on this blog will be to write about the life of this woman (well some of it) some people have gotten to know as Ms. B, the Director of CCC and CJC ACE.

Brenda Aurora Verna Ysaguirre was born on May 13, 1958 in Mexico City, DF to Frans Raymond Ysaguirre and Carolyn (Caroline to some) Ulrica Gill. Both parents were Belizeans and Mr. Ysaguirre had family ties in Mexico so they had already known Mexico, DF before and had decided to have their child born there. So, they arrived in DF and on May 13 were blessed with the birth of a daughter they would bring over the border into Belize at the age of 17 days.

The early years Brenda lived at 2 Guadalupe Street, Cinderella Town, Belize City just across the street from St. Joseph Church. First she attended school at St. Joseph Primary School but for Infant I, Infant II ( called Sub I and Sub II) she was trasferred to St. Catherine's Academy in Belize City. By the time she was in Std I tragedy struck and at the age of seven, Brenda was transferred to Corozal Town and her life took a complete change.

At the tender age of 7, I was motherless and my father had shipped me off to go live with my grandmother and aunt. I was familiar with the school because I had stopped in often while my mother would be off working at the Home Econmics Centres in the north. But now this was different. She was not going to be there for me when I got home. I had been sent to Corozal Town with everything my mom and dad owned and the cat and dog I loved but my mom was nolonger there. (As I write this page it comes to me with tears in my eyes and a pain in my heart that I have missed my mom and growing up the way many of my students have - with a mother and father. Not that I don't feel anything but love and gratitude to my aunt and grandmother who did a great job in bringing me up but maybe a normal family life would have been great too).
So I gave a bit of trouble that year at school and it was put down to the fact that I had lost my mom. I guess it was! I bit a nun and the poor dear took that scar with her to her grave!! I spilt milk on the floor because she would not let me mix it for the class. Then I refused to mop it up. She came for me and I bit her!!! Don't get me wrong, I don't feel proud to have done that but it was a cry of a child in a world without her mother and now I know why my students sometimes do the things they do. (Warning: please don't try to bite the teacher - she is your friend, your confidante, your other mother!) Of course after that escapade my aunt was called into school that afternoon but by then I was my cheerful self again and Sister Caritas was all loving and understanding as she spoke to my aunt.
The next year I ran for class queen and got only 5 votes. I never ran for anything in primary school again. Time passed and soon I was graduating primary school. Next stop in education would be Xavier College - my High School.

I got there and had four great years. I was captain of the Jaguars female volleyball team for four years. We won every game and I played every one, too! On graduation day I received the Frank Curtis shield for the team and was really proud to have enjoyed four great years. My grades were good and I was the pride and joy of my grandmother, aunt and father.

Next came a job at a store in town for the summer. Then a part time job at Belize Electricity Board and then I got a permanent job at Belize Cane Farmers Association. I was 16 years old that summer. I began with a salary of $25.00 a week and by October was making $125 a month. That was a lot of money back then. It was 1975. Life was good.

I worked at the Corozal Cane Farmers Asssociation for 15 years and was the second to the Administrator from the time I got the job until I left. I then worked for 3 years as the accountant at Noguera's Office in Calcutta and then opened my own business at my home. I did bookkeeping and typing for clients and had a passport service, too. Then I got my break to teach for a few months at CCC.

I began working in January, 1994 and by the end of that school year I had an offer for a full time job with the Corozal Community College as an English teacher. I was attending CJCACE at night then and in May, 1995 was Valedictorian of the first graduating class of CJC Evening Division.
After that I attained my Bachelor's Degree in Integrated English and in 2004 I was offered the post of Director of CCC ACE and here I am.

I thank God for my intelligence and my strenght. I thank my grandmother and aunt for guiding me through life. They taught me that life was not about what others have but about what you enjoy doing. Money was not and will never be everything for me. My friend, Margaret Noguera once said, "Money is not everything but it does bring an occasional smile to one's face". I have lived by that thought and I am happy that material things play no part in my life. The occasional smile is there but not having material things never overshadows my happiness.

My advice to others: As long as you can enjoy life as it is for you, no one or nothing can make you unhappy. Smile everyday and find pleasure in things around you because life is short and your smile will make others feel the energy in life and love.