Humans of LPHS: Gabriel Silfa

“I am originally from the Dominican Republic. I moved here my 7th grade year. My first day was very scary since I didn’t know anything including English. My first day of school in 7th grade I missed the bus going home, and I didn’t know how to tell the lady in the office to call my aunt to come and pick me up since I didn’t know English. I was in the office for two hours because I didn’t have a phone or anything to call my aunt.

My family moved over here because of my aunt. She was dating a guy and his daughters lived in LaPorte so they ended up moving to LaPorte so he can be closer to his daughters. She was upset because none of her family lived around here. He told her she could bring her family over here to LaPorte, so she did. All of my family is from the Dominican Republic. Almost everyone from my dad’s side of the family lives here. Most of my moms side of the family lives in the Dominican Republic. I go over to the Dominican Republic like once a year. When I go there, I visit my grandma and I play baseball. When I first moved here, it was hard to communicate with people because I didn’t know any English. I had a friend, Anthony Garcia, who spoke Spanish. I’m proud because my family works hard, and we try to do the right thing. It is easier living here than in the Dominican Republic because it is easier to get things here, and jobs are easier to get here as well.”