Living in the barrio of El Mangle, according to Negi, was an awful place to live. She seemed to develop her opinion the moment she was greeted by the horrible stench in the air. Her experiences with the school in El Mangle, I thought, in some ways became valuable tools she'd eventually use in crisis situations. One experience Negi describes during an embarrassing moment showed that there was probably an even earlier interest in performing arts than Negi had originally anticipated. As Negi attempted to solve the math problem center stage, with a bloodthirsty audience looking on, her performing skills had already began to develop. She had no idea that she would be asked to replay a similar role in the future.

When Negi moved to Brooklyn, New York and was forced to adhere to another whole new set of rules, she was well prepared for what would be in store for her. Once she arrived in New York, Negi watched her mother negotiate bargains with salesmen as she shopped. "You never pay the first price they tell you", her mother said to her (223). Although it sometimes appeared that Negi didn't value some of what her mother believed, this piece of advice, along with her determination worked in her favor. When the school official determined that Negi would have to begin her new school year a grade behind, Negi again using her tools, gave herself justice. In El Mangle she studied extra hard to keep atop her subjects in class; at the new school Negi was adamant with letting them know of her abilities. Her mother's bargaining tips along with her proven hard work would assure that Negi was placed in her proper grade. "I pointed to the As in my report card, I pass seven gray, So we made a deal" (227).

Negi made it very clear how much she disliked her teacher in El Mangle "I couldn't stand Sra. Lenora"; "I hate her" (149). She would yet develop another valuable skill through this school experience. Negi refined the art of remaining one step ahead of her teacher. The incident where her teacher embarrassed her and termed her as an "ignorant jibara" seemed to hit a very sensitive spot with Negi (139). As a result she read further into her books and was well prepared whenever her teacher felt the urge to place Negi on the chopping block. Negi s

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Approximate Word count = 1043
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)