Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time in school, starting even in first grade. When the teacher asked what their parents called each other, I was such a naive child that I told the truth... I said what each of them called the other. The children and the teacher laughed.
I had noticed that things weren't going well between my parents at home, as I would have wished. Oh, how children suffer! Eventually, my parents divorced.
God rest my father's soul... he wasn't a family man and had very troublesome friendships. I feel so bad for him, but especially for my mother and us! My mother raised three children alone. I suspect the teachers knew about the situation at home, and I also suspect that some of them talked to the children's parents.
It was so painful to see how the other children avoided you... I didn't understand why they didn't want to play with me.
Because of the whole situation, both at home and at school, I couldn't learn. I feel like crying just thinking about it! I only had bad grades! No teacher helped me, I didn't feel love from anyone, and at home, what could you expect?! My mother, bless her heart, gave her love as best she could.
Later, I found many answers from the Greek Father Simeon Kraiopoulos.
Childhood was like a curse that kept on going. I was incredibly happy when I didn't have to go to school, because I didn't have to endure the psychological torment I was going through. I had started to skip school from time to time just to avoid seeing the teachers. My older sister studied very well.
At one point, I started to realize that my father was drinking. My mother didn't let him back into the house.
I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't learn. I couldn't do multiplication sums, which logically are easy, and I would get a slap on the back of the neck from my father, God rest his soul. That didn't solve anything; I remained in my inner torment.
After a while, I asked my mother if I could go to another school and, even though I knew it had higher standards, I wanted to transfer. But the torment continued there too. Classmates laughed at me because I couldn't learn well, many parents had high-class jobs. Only one classmate had started talking to me, but eventually, the friendship ended. Oh, how much poor children still suffer, especially these days! Lord have mercy!
With great difficulty, I finished school... My poor mother helped me as much as she could.
In high school, I managed to have two decent classmates, otherwise, they looked down on me and laughed. I remember how, in 12th grade, because I was a bit more developed, two classmates put their hands on my chest. At that moment, there was no one in the high school yard. It was awful.
I never understood why all this mockery existed. I was so discouraged...
After finishing high school, I started learning English by myself at home, and I learned it quickly and with pleasure.
My joy (with the inevitable temptations) only began after I returned to the Church.
Anastasia
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