America is the greatest nation in the world, because we have touches of all other nations within our borders, helping to shape our spirit into the CAN DO determination of the cream of our crops of citizens - no matter what their country of origination was originally.
I do not think that many people have an appreciation for the great service that the children of hard working people that had a dream of freedom and opportunity to thrive do for their families. These children live in multiple worlds all at the same time. They speak multiple languages, act as translators for their parents who are not as adept at learning the language of the country they have proudly chosen to make their new home. Adults just do not have the same ease with switching their brains into a mode to take in a new language. I have witnessed their young children opening the doors of understanding between cultures with words spoken and translated back and forth - and also with explanations on what the behaviors of the new society really mean.
I always feel humbled and stupified by these children. They are so bright and so loyal to their families. I can only speak one language fluently. They are far superior to me when it comes to communication. I always try to praise the child for their service to their family, it must be difficult to go back and forth into the different cultural and lingual worlds; but they adapt and excel. A conduit that keeps the serene energy flowing - these children are amazing.
I went to a Jade Garden the other night to buy some most delicious vegetable tofu soup - the child at the counter spoke flawless english and I am sure he was the first in his family to arrive at that point. I am also sure he speaks multiple dialects of another language.
Families that legally immigrate into the United States from far off places with a dream of a chance to make their dreams come true include their children in their family business. These children work hard, study hard, and help with the ultimate success of the dream their parents had once upon a foreign shore.
The pilgrims had the same dreams and I know their children helped those dreams become realities. As did the indigenous people that those pilgrims met when first arriving on the shores of the new world. I still feel bad about the freedom to roam and be the nomads that the Native Americans had prior to the European ideology of buying property, creating deeds, fencing it in, and slaughtering those who could not comprehend that culture. I wonder if Native American children sat around the campfire and watched their parents dance and drum and then told them about the new day that had arrived in the form of Europeans, soon to be colonists, soon to revolt in order to become free Americans.
I recall my training in the CASA program, a program that takes volunteers to help families that are having domestic problems. Some of the issues arise from the differing cultures of the parents. They discipline their child, or treat them in such a way that is not acceptable to their new American culture. In the middle of the training I made a joking reference to the superman dance, and somebody that was younger than I, and apparently more HIP to the new language of the streets and the internet told me that the use of the word had a sexual reference. Something about a sticky cape and a back. I had no idea.
So even now - the children of the new land of Cyberia act as translators for their parents. Some languages I have no interest in learning. I will always spell out FOR, will use an apostrophe when I am making the conjunction YOU ARE, and had no idea that DSL meant anything more than a high speed internet connection until one of my dear heros (somewhat uninterested in saving the underdog, however) used to announce me as such upon my arrival in the guild chat room of my beloved husband.
On the other hand... I know ALOT of words, and I am not averse to using them in a constant flow of thought - and if it sometimes feels as if a punishment is occurring, well that is all subjective perception. *wink, wink*
Good job children of families everywhere that need an intermediary between the world of what was and what is.
