Beatriz Arenales del Aguila

My first day in seventh grade was a big step for me. It was the beginning of my teenage years. That day was all about getting to know my classmates, my surrounding, my classes, and my teachers. My homeroom teacher was Beatriz Arenales del Aguila. She taught me literature. She was tall, a little over weight, and her eyes were lined with a thick black line. She didn’t have too much hair but what little hair she had was dyed red. She was 55 years old. She always wore vests, rings in both hands and pearl necklaces. Beatriz always carried around a little box with all her things and a picture of her, when she was young.

That day, she entered the classroom and shouted to everyone, so that they would be quiet and sit down. She didn’t smile, and had no sense of humor or patience. She introduced herself to the class quickly and with no smile. She seemed angry. In that moment I knew she was going to be a strict and not easy to crack teacher. I am an outgoing person and I like to talk to my teachers and make jokes with them, but with Beatriz it was different. She wanted to be left alone and wanted silence in her class all of the time, when in a class full of thirteen year old kids is impossible to be quiet most of the time. 

So because everyone was always talking, she was yelling most the time. I really hated her, because she was always yelling at me. I even felt she had something against me.The first months passed and she kept on yelling at me and I still hated her. One day I went to talk to her and she was in a better mood than usually. We started talking and for the first time, I saw her smile at me. She was funny and kind, which was weird because I never thought she was like that. We kept on talking for a while about lots of things. 

After that day I began calling her: Miss Bea and she stopped yellin at me. She wasn’t my teacher anymore, she was my friend too. She started telling me about her life. She told me she had been married 3 times and she has 4 children. I understood then that she was always angry because she was stressed ‘cause of all the financial problems she had. I always listened to her and she always listened to me. I would go on and tell her about my weekend, problems in my house, boy’s issues or friendship problems and she would too. She told me that her three daughters didn’t hug her or kiss her much and I am a loving person, so it became a habit to strongly hug her every day. 

She is an amazing person, but not so good a teacher. Everyone hated her class but we all loved her. She was like my second mother. She is very wise and always helped me with everything. Paola  Sanchez, my best friend, and I used to sing to her a song, that we made up for her, everyday and she would always laugh and tell us that she loved us.

I realize I misjudged her so much. I regret hating her because she didn’t deserve it. She turned out to be completely different of what my first impression of her was. She continued teaching me ‘til ninth grade, various classes, but always in English. Beatriz and I became so tight through the years, that it was hard for me when she left the school that year.

I always get along so well with my teachers, but with Beatriz it was different. We didn’t just get along; we had so much fun together. She was the only adult who understood me at that time. She really meant a lot to me. I remember I loved hugging her, seeing her smile and always teasing her, just to make her day a little bit better. 

Now, I haven’t seen her for a year. Her daughters still study in my school, but I haven’t been so lucky to see Beatriz again. Students always say they have a lot of favorite teachers and each year they change their mind. For me, Beatriz Arenales del Aguila will always be my favorite teacher. I miss her.                      

by. Ana Maria Guerra: "First Impressions"