Tuesday, September 11th, 2001.

Isn’t it funny how, five years later, I can still remember what day of the week it was? And what I was doing exactly?

I was fairly new to the country. I had moved to the States the previous July, and had only started college at Taylor two weeks before. I remember being in the bathroom on 2G, getting ready for my first class of the day. It was around 9:00am. I was washing my face and Heather Carlson runs in, a look of horror on her face. “A plane just hit the World Trade Center!” What? A plane? I was confused. I pestered Heather for more details, but only got that it was terrorists.

My only comment was: “I thought I left Peru.”

We ran downstairs to the TV in the lounge. There were a bunch of us there, I remember. Everyone was glued to the TV. We actually watched live as the second plane hit the tower and made it fall. I also remember hearing about a plane that went down in Pennsylvania. Melissa was working the front desk and I remembered that she was from PA. I ran over and told her, and ran back to the TV to get more information.

I had to drag myself away from the TV when it was time to go to class at 10. It was our Freshman Orientation class, and we were all talking about it. I remember feeling a bit stoic about the whole situation. That may sound bad, but you also have to remember I had just spent 10 years in a country where terrorist activity was almost a norm. I used to fall asleep in bed at night listening to bombs. I remember thinking I should be more shocked than I was. I do remember a moment of panic when I found out they evacuated the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta – finally, it hits close to home. I think as the day and following weeks unfolded, I began to feel the pain of the 9/11 attacks much more, especially as I listened to the stories of people who were victims – or supposed to be victims. Such an unknown, scary time. Such a sad time for the deaths of so many.

Where were you, five years ago today?