BY: Catalina Ocampo 5ª​
This vacation in December I participated in a basketball camp. In the camp, there were not only girls of the school, but also people from other places; most of them were sons, daughters, nephews, or nieces of members of the Pacha community.
There was a girl with vocabulary that I didn't like much: she used many words that were rude and I was not accustomed to hear. Every time she talked she gave me the impression that she was that type of girl we call "ñera", or someone different from us.
One day we had races of 4 different groups. In her group she said that she was the best, but because of her they didn't occupy the first place, and that's why she said: "Eat..... Poop" but in the rude way.
That comment got to our ears and all of us started to criticize and to imitate her way of talking. She realized what we were saying about her and told us quickly: "Hey, if you need to tell me something, tell it to me now because I didn't come here to fight", So we said: "Ok". That afternoon, I told my mom what happened at home while I was doing the house chores and she told me in a smart way, "Put yourself in her shoes, if you were alone and she and her friends were talking badly about you. Would you like that? We are not equal and all of us do not have the same opportunities. It's not easy to arrive to a group and integrate". Finally, she asked me: "Was she rude to you?" And I answered: "No", so my mom said: "If she said bad words it does not make her a bad person, you have to get to know her and try to make her feel good at the camp." After that conversation, I reflected about my behavior, also I took the decision of talking to her and forget what happened before.
I told my friends what my mom told me, I also said that we should integrate her, and most of them said "Ok, let's do it". We finally became good friends, despite of the fact she didn't leave her rude words.
If I had never changed my attitude, I would have never known the good person she was and her true way of being. Thanks to that, I helped her to make more friends in the camp. It was important talking to her and reflecting about what we were thinking about her because I was criticizing and bothering someone who had not really done anything to me, and I was the one that was acting wrong.
This type of risk wasn´t like jumping off a mountain and falling into a river, but it was about talking and being respectful with a person who is not your friend, and help someone you don't like much. Not everybody took that risk because they don't like to help, or maybe because they think that criticizing others will be better.
What I learned from this life experience that you shouldn't judge a book just looking at the cover page because you don't have the right to criticize them without knowing their story. Before judging you have to look at the truth, and before hurting somebody you should put yourself in his or her shoes. The lesson of this story is that you have to listen without judging, talking without bothering, and observe without despising.