It looked like a normal day. I went to work at Dunkin’ Donuts on Tuesday morning. The regular customers came to get their coffee. I was busy but I could see that all the costumers had gathered in front of the TV. I was curious but I could not stop. I looked at people’s faces and I saw that they looked frightened. “What is happening?” I thought. I looked at the TV screen and I saw the image on television, of the buildings collapsing. I couldn’t really fathom what I had seen. I never thought that buildings could be brought down. It was completely unimaginable.

When I went home, my family called me from Brazil. They had heard about the attack and they were worried about me. My mom told me, “Please come back to Brazil.” She was so scared.

I couldn’t sleep for many days. I had nightmares about the victims. Every time I saw the image or pictures of the buildings collapsing, I was in awe all over again. I needed to see it over again so I could begin to wrap my brain around this new reality.

With September 11^th, the end of the world began.

Marta Da Silva is an intermediate ESOL student at QCC/Assabet Program. She’s from Brazil. She has been here for 5 years.  She wants to learn more English, and to be a photographer. She works at Dunkin' Donuts.