Part of my childhood

We had to get up early and get ready for mass, that was a daily thing. Once in awhile, I felt like sleeping in so I played it sick. My excuse was a headache or a I didn't feel well. In summer though when we attended mass I often felt faintish and it wasn't just me. The special fun times that I remember where the Americans would collect all the institutes together and make us a very big party. there were the boys from the orphanage the girls' one and ours. We would talk to each other as we knew some of the girls from the other orphanages. We would eat plenty of food and playing games and Santa would be there giving us maybe lollies don't remember if we got presents.  We also went to Malta on the buses with the boys' orphanage to a lemonade factory. It was fascinating to see the bottles being washed and filled with lemonade, closed with a lid without no help from people. They gave each of us a bottle to drink, we ate like in a restaurant that they have organised for us and after that we went to a beach in Malta. On the way to the ferry, a boy sat next to me and we talked heaps. As a young girl talking with a boy was fun. lol. So far, I have seen a couple of girls that were with us and we treat them like sisters.

My punishment

When I was in the convent all you know and love are the people around you nuns and the girls. We were all girls so if a girl leaves the convent I used to find it hard. When a nun leaves I sometimes cried for them. They become part of your family. It was very good when we had young nuns they were creative. I remember when it used to be a nice summer day we used to be playing picture lotto and the older ones would be cross stitching I learned how to do that too. We had a summer place we used to go there maybe for a week. We used to go swimming but I vaguely remember that. If by any chance a nun forgot to put her veil on I used to think she was naked and sighed. About once a month or when my mother could take us home to stay for the weekend she had to use transport as she or my father didn't drive at that time. Transport was not convenient those days buses did their route till eleven in the morning. Once a week my mother would take our dirty clothes and bring them clean sometime during the week. We didn't always see her maybe she would be in a hurry. She would bring us a packet of biscuits which we shared between four siblings. Once, a week we used to have a catholic gathering called Legion of Mary, there we would pray the rosary and report good deeds or prayers we had done the week prior. In one of these gathering I couldn't stop talking and laughing so the lady kicked me out of that room, one of the nuns saw me and asked me why I was behind the door, so I had to tell her why, she told me as a punishment no home visit. So my sisters went home of course it hurts that I didn't go but instead the few girls that were left there went for a walk outside the convent. When life falls into a routine you will not remember much of it, it is the special instances that you will remember. I hold a special place for the nuns, I love their commitment and dedications I loved being there and I considered it good times. No payment all for God, I wish God will reward them 1000 times more which I'm sure He will. Talking with my sisters they say the same thing about the nuns. Till next time.