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By Laura M. - St. Marguerite d’Youville High School
Living in Castlemore may sound like a dream to many; however if you are attending a school and live there you will hear of the many stereotypes that are said about the residents of Castlemore. I live in Castlemore and cannot begin to tell you how many stereotypes that exist. Yes it is a gorgeous place to live, with 2-acre lots and houses that appear to be larger than life. What is not so evident is that it takes a lot of hard work and many hours to make these homes look as good as they do. At school, one of the most common questions is “Where do you live?” As soon as the word Castlemore leaves my mouth the comments begin: “Wow that means your house is huge” or “You must be rich” or “Do you have a maid?” and the list goes on and on. No one ever realizes that my parents work just as hard as other parents. Most kids in Castlemore even have a part time job. It might seem to many that the homes are big and their first reaction to this is that, we are rich. My parents have worked many years to save up for the home that I live in. It really bothers me to think that I cannot proudly tell people where I live without having to defend myself. I am an ordinary student just like the many others I attend school with. I do not think of myself as being any better than anyone else just because of where I live. Castlemore may be a beautiful place to live but I believe that it’s what’s inside the home that counts. The home and not the house is what makes people who they are. My parents have sacrificed a lot to provide me with the things that actually matter. I do not think it is fair that others judge me for where my parents decided to live.
I am a student who works hard for my grades and I respect and love everyone equally and I only expect others to treat me the same way. Being a student already has its challenges and I do not think that where one lives is a reason to judge them. I have many friends who live in other parts of Brampton who are better off than my parents. We are a community like any other and we should not be judged differently just because of the sizes of our homes or where we live. I believe what is important is the values and respect that our parents instill in us to carry throughout our lives.
Being a student in my high school, I feel that I am constantly defending myself because others have stereotyped my community. Students who only see Castlemore as a place where all the “rich” and “snobby” kids live are truly unfair, as I do not come from a rich family but a family who works very hard and appreciates everything they have and who sees everything as a blessing. Money is not everything, as some students think, and my parents and others in my community and myself work really hard to have what we do. Castlemore to me is just another city with homes and wonderful people. So when others call me rich, I believe that I really am, inside where it matters most.
By: Laura M
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