I’M Trying To Learn …

Mon., July 12, 1999

Nina

Just because I speak another language and maybe look a little different doesn’t mean I’m stupid. It’s just that I was born on the other side of the world and grew up in a different atmosphere. But everybody is different. You just need to get to know people.

Once in my PE class, a substitute teacher was explaining to me how to play with the ball. With a big simile on her face, she said speaking loudly and slowly, “T-H-I-S I-S T-H-E B-A-L-L. Y-O-U H-O-L-D I-T W-I-T-H B-O-T-H H-A-N-D-S…”

I felt so stupid and embarrassed. It’s like, HELLO!!! I’ve lived here for four years! I’m not as shy as everyone might think.

My problem is that I’m not brave enough to speak up because I think I might say words wrong or pronounce them incorrectly. But come on, I’m trying to learn. All I want is to be treated as everybody else with a little sensitivity. After all, if you came to my first country, Kyrgyzstan, you sure would feel the way that I do.

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