Within days my Uncle Adolfo sends his car for me.  His home is just around the corner from us.

He is the patriarch of our family.  He and I have gone through the ritual kissing we all do at our many family gatherings, but I have never had more than a few words with him.

He greets me with a warm hug.  He congratulates me on my success at school.  He says my mother would be proud.  Her name is up on the Board of Excellence at Santa Rosa.  It’s in the front parlor, in gold letters.   Have you seen it?  I answer yes.

There are only four names, maybe five.  Yours will be right under your mother’s.  She wanted to study law in Portugal.  But those were different times, and our mother prevailed on her to stay home.

Don’t worry, he adds, you are going to America.

Later my Aunt Edith says that when they hear my story, though not from anyone in the family, they don’t know what to make of it.  Titi has always given the impression that I am a mediocre student, just getting by.

What am I doing graduating ahead of their daughter Didi when I am almost a year younger?  Edith marches down to my school to find out for herself.

The nuns give her their proud as tiger mothers’ opinion of me.  They also surprise her with a copy of the Rosette.

At home, nothing is said about any of this.  Titi is subdued, stony faced and inscrutable.  But so is a volcano before it erupts.

I am relieved that there is much to do in Hong Kong to get ready before my sailing date.   I leave right away to stay with my sister.  My uncle has put her in charge of getting me ready.