Nalleli is a name usually used in Latin America but still rarely used for girls, which means I Love You and jovial. Love and joy are the emotions I felt when I met Nalleli last week. She was a semi shy little girl with the biggest smile and giggle in the world. She was younger than the other kids she was hanging out with but still held her own. She kept looking at me during class when we were teaching English and I knew that the following week I would for sure seek her out and play with her more.
Sure enough, this morning when we arrived the first person I recognized was Nalleli. I knew I loved her when she came bounding over to me in all purple and bright neon green tights on. We were bound to be friends. She may be seven but she's easily the size of a 4 year old. Thus, when she jumped into my arms I just wanted to hold on and love her with all I had. After some piggy back rides around the schoolyard we found a table with dirt on it and we both wrote our names down. She made me write mine down so she could practice writing my name down. "Chelsi" as I am known here.
After awhile her and I were playing tag and she was hiding in the classroom and unbeknownst to me the other girls were helping her hide, I finally found her when I heard her crying. I think she hit her head on the desk she was hiding under. I instantly felt so bad. It was an innocent accident and I knew she'd be fine in a matter of minutes, but for some reason I felt extremely bad. I just went up to her and she sat in my lap and she just cried and let me love her. She really is one of the most precious people I have met.
In total I've probably spent about only two hours at her school but when I think of her I'm so happy. She opened up to me despite the difficult language barrier and we managed to communicate on what spanish I do know, she showed me where her house was over the hill from the school and was just generally interested in being with me instead of the other kids. I wasn't teaching in her classroom today and she was very reluctant to let me go teach. After classes were over and we were heading back to the van we caught each others eyes, and we had a movie moment. I got down on my knees, put my arms out and she ran as fast as her seven year old legs could run into my arms.
Even if she doesn't remember my name next week, that's okay. I know she'll know my face. Love doesn't need names and titles. Just the content feeling in my stomach knowing I love something and it loves me back. This little girl showed me love and joy in the simplist of ways. I cannot wait for each Wednesday to spend some time with my little bundle of love.
Xo, Chelsi
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