school. I remember every morning my mama would walk with me to Bright Temple with my lunch bag which had Smurfs on it. My favourite memories of nursery are watching "Puff the Magic Dragon'', lunchtime, and when they gave us different coloured popcorn. The thing I hated most about nursery was nap time I always got scratches from the springs on the sides of the cot, but for all the time I went to nursery I never said a word.

I remember in year one at Paget Primary losing my tooth in my apple. I was so scared. I also remember playing with "hot rocks'' and the "reading corner''.

All through primary school I was the teacher's pet. I was the brightest in the class and never got in trouble. Two of my worst memories of primary school were the day when after school some of my classmates pulled my plaits on our way home. When I got home I told my mama and, as always, she just said, "Ignore them''.

The other incident also happened on my way home after school. My sister's friend had her dog and jokingly said, "Go get her''. The dog didn't know it was a joke and chased me almost all the way home. Everyone was laughing at me so I cried. At home, crying, I told my mama and she said, as usual, "Ignore them''.

Friday afternoons during primary school were always fun. People came down my house after school till their parents came and with my sister and me we all went to Bible Club at the church across the street from my house. We sang songs, listened to stories and always got a treat at the end. Each time we closed for holiday we had a party. After Bible Club we went back to my house and played till their parents came to take them home.

Since my mama was a baby-sitter, on summer holidays my house was always full.

We used to play cops and robbers, pirates, and have bike races. You could always find someone in the loquat or frangipani tree. My mama would take us for a short walk every morning down the tracks. That was a much anticipated event. My mama used to give us old sheets so that we could make tents over the clothes line and, if it was raining, we would go in a bedroom and make a tent.

On rainy days we would play in the hallway with the cushions and pretend we were in an airplane. In the morning sometimes, after the walk, we would take the cushions to the shady side of the house and cool off until lunch. I remember playing college and office with old exercise books in my room. We would always work for Smith's or Trimingham's ordering new clothes and accessories. I guess that was when I started to calm down and act like a girl all the time.

When I started high-school at Berkeley, I was very scared. I only knew Giselle and Stacey and Aisha. Aisha was the only one in my class. First year is always the worst. It feels like everyone looks down on you. To me nothing really stands out in my mind about high-school. Everyday seems to go the same way.

All I can say about high-school is that I've made friendships for life and can't wait to graduate.

Amanda Simons Berekley Institute Year 4