When the professor handed out the assignment explanation sheets, I started feeling anxious, nervous that everyone would hear my voice and know about how my childhood shaped me as a person. I was conscious that they’d notice my slightly Indian American accent a lot more after they heard my essay. However, listening to other people’s essays made me feel a lot more at ease because I knew I wasn’t the only one who had a history when it came to being bilingual. Although all my classmates had stories which were close to heart, 3 stories made a huge impact on me.
Maria’s story about overcoming the struggles of not knowing English when she first began school in the United States made me assume that her story would end on a rather sad note. However, she talked about how she not only overcame her struggles but turned her weaknesses into her strengths. She began to help other people like her which not only helped her grow but the person on the receiving side of the help as well.
Gary on the other hand had a slightly different yet truly emotional story to share. The fact that his parents kept their move to China a secret from him until they all boarded the plane really struck me. Although the magnitude of my struggle wasn’t as huge as that of Gary’s considering English is well-taught to children in India from a very young age, I felt empathetic towards him. His story had a hint of hope and success for the future which made it really appealing to me.
Another story that felt so close to home was that of Nazima’s as Hindi isn’t that much different from Urdu. She talked about how the children in her school laughed at her because she chose to speak Urdu and not English when she introduced herself to them. I could understand her slight embarrassment for doing absolutely nothing wrong as I had felt the same way at various moments in my life. The essay was a true reflection of how English has become a symbol of knowledge and status in some countries of the world, including my own.
All these stories, no matter how different from each other made me realize that everyone has struggles of their own when it comes to their linguistic identity and that I’m not alone.
Gauri, I agree that there was a lot to learn from all the audio essays. Thanks for this thoughtful reflection and for your perceptive words about your classmates’ essays.