Like any new ninthgrader on the first day of school, Joemar Class had ninthgrader emotion. He's not used to school in Hartford. He's used to going to school in his hometown of Florida, used to seeing his friends,used to having class in Spanish.
"Nervioso," he said in Spanish.
We first met Joemar in midOctober in the San Juan Airport. His father, Guillermo Class, had sold his car to buy plane tickets to get his kids and fly them up from Puerto Rico. The island was almost destroyed by the deadly storm — Hurricane Maria.
Now, they are settling into their new home in Hartford's South End. A week later, using his wife's car, Class drove 16yearold Joemar to his first day at Bulkeley High school. Inside, he met Gretchen Levitz — the school's program director.
"I see you have a new uniform (校服)," Levitz said, "You look great. Are you ready for a good first day?"
Then he met a couple of teachers.
"Hello," they each said in Spanish. They asked where he was from,and told him they were happy to see him. Then, Levitz took him on a quick tour of the school before classes began — to her office, the school store, the library, and the dining hall.
A total of 19 languages are spoken in Bulkeley High School. "We have so many new students coming here from other countries every single day," Levitz said. "So it's not like he's the only one who has that feeling."
"You could tell he's a little worried," Guillermo said as we left. "But, at the same time, he's looking forward to it."