Year: 2024

strong On Monday we started our swimming lesson at CLM pools. We went there by bus. Our swimming coach was so nice and we learned very quickly. Some of our classmates weren’t able to swim so they were left behind at school. We walked up the stairs and put goggles on so we could see underwater. It was fun on the first day.

The next day was the same. We had. Room 7 girls with us and the Room 8 boys had room 7 boys with them. Once we were in the pool. I listened to the coach as she was teaching us swimming skills.

Then on Wednesday we had the test. I was pretty scared. First we floated on our backs and once we were done we did egg beaters with our feet and it was kinda hard but once I was doing it over and over it was kinda becoming easy then the coach said that we do any skill we want.

Then on Thursday morning we went to Pakuranga Intermediate for technicraft. While waiting for the bus when the bus arrived we went inside and sat down when we arrived we said thank you to the bus driver. I was feeling excited to be back at school because of the swimming lesson. We quickly got changed into our swimming togs then we prayed and ate our lunch inside. After we’re done eating we went out and played for a while waiting for the bus to arrive.

On the last day of swimming lessons we get to go on rubber boats with five swimmers at a time. We sat on the edge of the boat with our life jacket on. The coach rocked the boat to make us feel as if we were going through a stormy sea. Then the coach pushed us one by one into the water. I felt a little bit scared but after she pushed me backwards and I got out of the water fine, I felt okay.

I have really enjoyed learning how to swim.strong

Dear diary

Dad and I just got into the boat seeing the people begging screaming to get into the boat. Eyes filled with sadness, hearing the crashing waves I knew that we arrived at our destination.

When we got there tears of joy came cascading down my face. We got off the boat feeling exhilarated that we arrived there safely. We spotted a bakery with delicious food and the aroma of it tickled my nostrils and made my stomach rumble due to hunger. We haven’t had anything to eat for days.  Oh, how my mouth salivated and wished that we could eat  something right at that moment! 

Suddenly my attention focused on dad. He looked sorrowful. Without asking I knew that he was feeling guilty that he could not even buy some food for us. “It’s ok, dad, I understand how you feel about it’, ” I tried to console him. Dad did not reply, he just made a big sigh….

We continued walking along the rough road until we saw an old building. We stopped and dad knelt down, giving me a big kiss on the forehead looking me in the eye. He made a face of regret and walked away. And completely vanish into thin air.

I was walking in the alleyway, joyfully in the cold snow when I saw an old missing children poster. I don’t care much about them. I turn around and see a mysterious blackboard filled with names.

I decided to write my own name. I pick up the chalk and write. I throw the chalk and pull down my scarf with my mitten covered hands and give a smile. I hear a metallic sound coming from behind me. I turn around and notice a doll that is similar to me in a shop window. I approach the doll and wipe the window to see clearly. The clothes, which the doll wears, are the same as mine and the dolls hair style is the same too.

I try to open the door but it won’t budge at all. I  aggressively stomp my feet crunching the snow beneath me. In my mittens I make a snowball and throw it at the door. I storm off and the door squeaks open. I run back

Entering the room I get bumped by a doll riding a bicycle. Pedalling hard I take him and stand him up. When I look up the doll is gone. I search again and find it on a shelf high up. I go to the  couch to climb up, taking off my mitten so I can reach up and touch the doll’s face.

The moment I touch the doll I suddenly find myself looking down into the  shop below from the doll’s perspective. My body and soul have been transferred into the doll, becoming one with it. I am having trouble breathing as I look around the shop with eyes that twitch and click.