Dear Diary – Umbrella

Waking up from a dream, Ama told me it was time to leave. Without hesitation, grabbing everything I could with my tiny hands, I ran towards our old Honda. We drove to the port and saw the remaining fleet of ships. Multiple other Cubans attempting to enter a ship filled with refugees. Ama spotted a nearby ship with only a couple of Cubans, and without a second thought, we ran as fast as we could to it.

We saw multiple other Cubans run over to the ship we’re on. An alarm mentioned something in Español, it announced that the current fleet on the port was leaving in 15 minutes. We headed off, with an uncountable amount of Cubans, towards Mexico. As the engines rumbled to life, many people attempted to jump into the deck, but it only resulted in most of them either drowning or getting soaked by cold water, about 12° Celcius. Ama covered me with his yellow umbrella and body. The ship didn’t have as many Cubans as the others, but was still crowded. I tried not to fall asleep, but the warmth of Ama’s body made me feel like everything was normal. And so, I, without  realising, fell asleep. I woke up to the sounds of emergency sirens and shouts of joy from the people on board the ship. I sat up, helping my dad as he was asleep on my shoulders. The fleet landed safely, no casualties, I hoped.

Shouts of Joy, Cubans throwing away their waste whilst singing rhymes and songs. But Ama was frustrated, it seemed. And so we continued travelling. Ama and I walked a little bit further away from the port, until he found an abandoned casa. Ama decided to put down a camp just beside the footpath. We remained there for about 2 days, but after the second day, Ama decided our current shelter isn’t a good spot to beg, or so I thought… Ama and I ran into a Panaderia, or a Bakery. There were a whole ton o’ cakes! Santo Moly! I smelt the sweetness and tasted it at the same time! But, I understood that our current situation couldn’t afford to purchase any of them, only a loaf of bread with our 120 Mexican pesos hiding in my Ama’s wallet.

We continued to find a new spot until we turned and walked into a quiet, wet and smelly street. Ama took me into the doorstep of what seemed like an Apartment. Ama handed me his yellow scarf. Ama kneeled, with a face of mixed emotions, kissed my forehead. I, like the clueless boy I am, thought this was our new place to beg. Ama muttered some words in Español, and walked away. I thought he was going to purchase some food or water. But as he continued to go further, and further away from the closest marketplace, I realised that Ama has left me in an Orphanage.

Translations:

Casa: House or Home

Santo Moly: Holy Moly

Panaderia: Bakery

Ama: Father, Dad, Papa

Alma Short Film – Alma’s Perspective

I happily skip through the alleyways of our silent and snowy town, ignoring the posters and enjoying the flakes that fall onto my clothing. Spotting a blackboard, I slide towards it. There were multiple layered names written on the board. Inspecting it, I chose to write my name ‘Alma’ on a vacant spot in front of me.

Stepping back, I take a glimpse at the board flooded with names. Losing grip of the chalk, I let it fall onto the cold ground. Pulling down my scarf I give a slight smile at the board. Concern hits me as I hear  an eerie mechanical-like noise at my back. Turning around, I spot a familiar doll staring deep into my eyes. It gains my attention. Running close to the magnificent figure, I wipe the snow out from the window to get a better view of the figurine. I inspect it with surprise. I look down on my current clothing, realising it looks ultimately similar to the doll. Looking back up, the doll is suddenly out of my sight. Panic erupted. I look around attempting to spot the figurine. Looking through windows and windows, spotting a door in the process. Scanning through the transparent glass from the entryway. 

Attempting to enter, I take a grip on the door handle just to realise it’s locked. Still not giving up, retrying and trying to open and enter into the empty shop, it rewarded me with nothing for the door is shut tight. Furiously making a snowball and throwing it hard to the entrance, I stomp away. When all hope is lost, a bell plays and hits my ears, and I listen to it happily.

With happiness I run back towards the front door and enter excitedly. Glancing inside the shop, making myself comfortable with the new atmosphere of the store.  Doll spotted! I paced towards it on a table. Not seeing the toy under the round desk, I accidentally bump into it. The figurine is riding a tricycle and was pedalling like its life depended on it. Lifting it up, I then place it the right way up. I turn around, spotting the doll attempting to pedal away. The door slowly shuts when the figurine makes an attempt to leave. It amuses me. The entryway shuts, and the doll continues to bump into the door, like it was desperately trying to escape. I look back up, hoping my doll has remained in its position, but to no surprise, it has gone. Searching for it, I look under the table, not there. After hunting for it, I spot it mysteriously on a shelf.  Without hesitation, running towards it I hop on top of the couch. Reaching up I  take off my mitten to get a better grip of the doll, I reach out and touch its nose.

Something flashed in my eyes but I was unable to read out what it was. I breathe heavily, still trying to figure out what had just happened. My perspective was like that of a fish lens. I look around, trying to spot an escape. Then I realise the dolls beside me were also somewhat alive, looking around like me. Trying to comfort myself. There is the same eerie mechanical-like noise and a new doll suddenly appears from the floor.  Attempting to escape the doll but with no avail made me regret my decisions. Realising the new doll that was summoned will lure in another person, like a predator waiting for a prey to fall on its claws.

…

I realised the doll was luring me in. I’ve made a mistake. The doll riding the tricycle… Every single doll was alive… or used to be alive.

Screenshot of a scene in the Alma short film, Alma is seen reaching for the doll in the background.

Baleen Whales are a type of whales that have a specific type of type of plate called ‘Baleen’ to sieve food and eat plankton. Baleen Whales changed their diet when a cold sea belt around Antarctica called ACC resulted into an enormous explosion in sea life, including krill, a sea creature that feeds on plankton. Baleen whales evolved to eat smaller creatures and without any other big predators, they had baleens. Baleen Whales that are usually spotted around NZ waters are Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales.

A Civil Defence Warning is sent by the The Police, NEMA, the Fire Service, the health and primary industries ministers and Local Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups. It is sent whenever you’re in danger, or a fatal disaster is about to occur destroying properties in your area or putting your life at risk. These warnings can be a test or serious. Tests are just drills, possibly testing if the alarm or warning is working. A serious alarm must be taken seriously, for the alarm is telling you to evacuate.

This is an example of a Civil Defence Warning

Johnny Pohe, the first Maori pilot, got sent t0 Stalag Luft III (The image underneath this text) since he was an Officer Pilot. Before Johnny Pohe was sent to Stalag Luft III, he was piloting his bomber plane, but due to the great German Air Defense, his plane crashed. Luckily for him, he was able to survive with his crew, but was then found by the Luftwaffe.

Officer Pilots were treated reasonably well. They were given food, shelter, and medical care and were even allowed to receive and send letters.

Johnny Pohe and most of the other men were planning to escape with 3 routes:

Tom, Dick, and Harry.

Tom and Dick were unsuccessful, Harry was the only option left. Johnny Pohe and the others in part of this escape chose to wait until a moonless night, which arrived on the 24th of March, 1944. Unfortunately, it was the coldest March in thirty years, and this struck trouble. The exit trapdoor was frozen solid. Freeing it caused a 90 minute delay, even worse was to come. It was then discovered that the tunnel came up short of the nearby forest, which was needed to provide cover. The escape continued and the first man emerged at 10:30 p.m. Only 76 men escaped, the Guards were unable to find the entrance until a Guard – which caught the 77th men – found his way all the way back, and all was revealed. Unfortunately for the 76 men who escaped, most of them missed their trains and some went on foot. The snow was deep, and 73 men were captured – Johnny among them – and were sent off to be executed. Hitler ordered for everyone captured to be killed, but his advisors were against it, so it got reduced to 50. The men were to be shot individually in pairs. We don’t know if Johnny Pohe died alone, but we do know that another New Zealand pilot, Arnold Christensen, was executed at the same time. Johnny was cremated and his ashes were buried in Sagan, a town nearby the camp.

“I am the gate”

           Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”