Q is for Quinceañera

I love new experiences and tonight I had one. Nathan lived in Sylmar before moving to Santa Clarita in 6th grade. He grew up as the only "white kid" on the block. His best friends were Mexican and he spend his childhood days playing baseball and running around with these boys. They are all grown now with families of their own, but Nathan kept in touch with them all through the years. Tonight his friend Philippe's daughters had her Quinceañera. I have never been immersed in the Mexican culture and tonight I was--the music, the dancing, the language. I got a lot of video so you can hear the music and see the dancing.

Nathan was joking about being taller than Philippe

Listening to stories and understanding where Nathan comes from helps he better understand how it is he became the person he is today. As a boy, he lived a life so different from mine. He was exposed to divorce, gangs, drugs, arrests, and teen pregnancies as a young boy, and he could have chosen to go down any of those roads but he didn't. He chose another path. Baseball was his outlet. I understand why Nathan is interested in Sociology and why he wants to work with at risk kids--that's where he comes from.