Written by Dani
Every Friday I come to Brio from Brookline, I think this is my fifth year. Where and who I was five years ago isn’t who I am now. I was anxious, confused and worried about life. I was coming from the lowest point in my life. I had moved back to Boston to a group home after being in a hospital for many years. I had to learn to be more responsible for myself like making own breakfast and lunch.
Not too long after that, I came to Brio to be an intern here. I showed them my poems and they suggested to do a blog, which I did. It’s called Danny’s Poetic Life. Each time I write I learn more about myself and I like sharing my thoughts with others. I wrote about things important to me like cooking, playing sports, being Peruvian, day-to-day life like using public transportation or coping with people. I really liked cooking for the group, I made chili and all kinds of desserts. It brought back good memories. I learned to be more social with the group.
I started working at Koshari Mama at the farmers markets. It was difficult because there was a lot noise and people which made me uncomfortable. They were patient and sensitive to my needs and let me take breaks when I needed it. It took me about 4months to get used to working 3 hours without a break, I felt very proud of myself on that day. Now I work at their new restaurant where I do food prep. I feel pretty good and I like being in the kitchen. Koshari Mama is affiliated with Brio because the one of the owners, Sahar Ahmed, is the founder of Brio Integrated Theatre. They created the internship program for people like me who need to work and be on their own someday.
Brio has made a big difference in my life and who I am today.
