Mai's Stories
Chapter 1: The Secret
If there is something that you enjoy doing, you do it and you do it because you love it. What you do maybe disapproved by some, but you don't let that stop you. Sometimes it just takes time for them to accept you for who you are. I will admit, I am not the biggest nor am I the fastest, but I have a heart as big as a whale. My name is Mai Masawi.
No, I am not Japanese though my name makes it seem like it. If my hijab was not a big enough clue, I will say it. I am a Muslim, and I was born and raised in America. The thing is I enjoy swimming. When I was little, my parents dropped me off at summer camp, I avoided going into the pool because I didn't want to show myself to all the kids.
One day, a camp counselor came up to me and asked, "Are you afraid to go in the water?" she asked with a hand on her hip, and a smile,
I shook my head, "I really want to, but I can't and...," I paused, and told her the full truth, "I can't swim," I confessed, turning my head away,
"Don't worry," she said back, the counselor looked to be in her early twenties. She was blond with confident blue eyes and a simple ponytail. She looked like someone who did babysitting on the weekends, "tell you what, Mai, we close up the pool at five, I want you to come to the pool at four, and we can work on this together, you in?" she offered,
"It'll be our little secret," she added, I was worried about the day my parents would find out. While the rest of the campers were hiking in the forest, I was being taught how to swim. By the end of my time at camp, I was swimming like a fish. All thanks to one camp counselor. I never forgot my time at camp because it I felt I found myself there.
"You see, you never know what you can do until you try," said the counselor after two weeks of private classes with her,
"Thank you, thank you so very much," I said, happily hugging her around her hips,
The years went by, and I grew up into my teen years. I wear a black hijab and round wire frame glasses everyday at school. I was a straight-A student in advanced placement classes, yeah I'm a geek, and my grades landed me with the opportunity of a lifetime. I was chosen to study abroad in Japan of all places. I saw it as the biggest of chances.
I saw my chance to see the world. I didn't have to hide my swimming gear from my parents. My first swimsuit was one I had borrowed from the camp lost and found, and hid in my backpack when I was picked up by my parents. When I did go swimming, my mom asked me why I smelled funny, I tell her I got splashed by a boy on the swim team.
At the airport in San Francisco, I got hugs from my mom and dad, "Go Mai, go and make us proud," she said in Arabic with a hug,
"Yes mom, I will," I said back in Arabic hugging her back, and boarded the plane bound for Japan,
When I arrived in Japan, I arrived at the dorm I was going to be staying at that was paid for by my high school. If I did bad in my classes, I would be kicked out. It was that simple, and it put a lot of pressure on me. On my first day or school and the weeks that followed, I enjoyed my classes even if I was teased for doing my prayers before class.
"Here we go," I said to myself, not letting the difficulties get in my way. I believe Islam is a religion of peace with a loving and caring God,
There were other things that were difficult. Finding certified Halal food is a challenge, and there is no mosque in this small town. I see the looks the local police give me. I can tell they don't trust me. As time went on, I sent my first report card to my parents. They were very proud. The thing is I don't do well for my parents. I do it because it is fun.
I like to learn. There is no problem in that. I'm not some goody-two shoes showing off my grades. I am sure there are dozens of people out there just like me. After watching the swim team practice one day, I felt now was the time. The next day after classes, I was wearing my swimsuit under my uniform, and I went up to the fence to watch them.
"Umm...excuse me," I said approaching the boys on the swim team, they looked at me like I was from another planet.
I didn't recognize any of the guys as being from my class. On top of my brown tan skin and brown eyes, I think the feeling is sort of mutual in a way. I tried to speak the best Japanese I could since I am still learning, "I'd like to join the team" I said in the best Japanese I could to them. What happened next was something that I would never forget.
They gathered in a circle with their backs to me like they were talking amongst themselves. I scratched the side of my head, wondering what they were talking about. They turned to me, and the captain had his arms crossed. All it took is one word. There are times that words can hurt more than a fist. It was a simple word, a powerful word, "No"