“Growing up in the Upper Valley isn’t always easy. My father passed away in an accident before I was born. My mother, who immigrated from the Philippines, was taken under the wing of my father’s family. I think that they saw me not only as a granddaughter, but as an extension of their son, so they wanted to help in any way they could. Once I was born, my mother left me in the care of my grandmother, Wendy. Compared to the nuclear families in the Upper Valley, my grandmother and I were an unlikely pair. Despite this, everyone in the community quickly accepted our little unit for who we were—a young girl and an older woman bonded by fierce love and tragedy.
My grandmother was a teacher at the elementary school in Norwich for many years. Everyone knew who she was, and by association, who I was. The Upper Valley afforded me a very idyllic childhood. I got to attend amazing schools and spent the weekends hiking on beautiful local trails. There was no dearth of opportunities, and I was lucky to have my grandmother’s full support for whatever passion I wanted to pursue, whether it was dance, music, or writing. Even though my life was full of happiness, there was still a weight of tragedy at the core of my being. I felt it in the little moments, like when I had to turn in half-blank parental permission forms, or when I had to address the Fathers’ Day card I made in class to my uncle.
Leaving the Upper Valley bubble for college has not necessarily helped me escape this sense of tragedy, but it has changed my perspective in many ways. I am still grateful for the wonderful upbringing my grandmother worked hard to provide, and I have come to understand and appreciate the sacrifices she made for my sake. That being said, living away from the Upper Valley has helped me take charge of some of the facts of my past that used to be uncomfortable. In a place as homogenous as the Upper Valley, the unconventional nature of my life often felt abnormal, and I subconsciously desired to blend in. At college, I have been surrounded by more people of color and people with different stories, which has inspired me to recognize and take pride in my biracial identity and my own unique personal story. While I cherish the experiences I had growing up in the Upper Valley, it has been good to be part of a bigger world too.” –Natalie Junio-Thompson, Norwich, VT.
