The fascinating person I never knew
Being born in a family that spoke 2 languages made me often stumble upon the words I wanted to say and often the propositions ended up in frustration. See my point? I just used the word proposition. According to an English dictionary the words proposition means a plan or a proposal, but according to my Romanian language proposition (propozitie) means sentence. If it hasn’t crossed your mind yet, being raised in a bilingual family is hard. However, for many, the struggle doesn’t end there. Some, like myself, often move to different countries, for a “better life” and that’s where the struggle beings; learning a second, or even third language.
Many immigrants that come to America often get laughed at because of their incorrect grammar or heavy accents, but no one ever thinks what those people are going through. Just to think of the change a refugee has to go through: there is cultural adaption, which is a big struggle because everyone wants to fit in the society, there is a brand new language to learn because otherwise you won’t make any friends, find a job, or get a legal status. This issue really led me to thinking: Isn’t it enough what bilinguals and multilinguals have to go through? Can’t they just be accepted by the society?
An interesting article I came across was: Do different languages confer different personalities? And the author Johnson mentioned the following: “Many bilinguals are not bicultural. But some are. And of those bicultural bilinguals, we should be little surprised that they feel different in their two languages” This article made me realize that some people that for example come from parents of different nationalities, might find it hard to adapt to two cultures. Some may only choose one. I felt it on my own skin. Even if my parents are of the same nationality, I still had to adapt to a second culture – American culture, which was extremely hard. I can not recall how many times people around me where talking about basic “American things” and I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. It still happens a lot.
For a lot of immigrants in America, adapting to a new culture seems extremely easy. In fact it is so easy, that they forget so quick about their motherland, traditions, language, and even how to speak or write. Every culture is unique and beautiful in it’s own way and it is just really sad to see many fade away from it, engaging in an Americanized culture. I think American culture has its beauty; just the fact that it dominates the world so much worries me. Every other person that steps foot in this country is guaranteed to become Americanized, wearing famous brands and listening to American music. I have heard French, Spanish, Korean music that sounds amazing and would never understand why would people give that up. I think of my Romanian playlist as sacred music. Could never give it up, even though it is so hard to keep up with it because I don’t hear it anywhere except my computer. If one wants to keep “fresh” and fit in the society they must always be on track with what’s cool nowadays and use the same slangs everyone is using. Who really wants to be an outsider and not understand his friends when they are having a conversation on a topic that only true-born Americans would understand? This thinking led me to an article by Gray Matter from New York Times who said: “It requires keeping track of changes around you in the same way that we monitor our surroundings when driving.”
Truly each person is born with a culture in their hearts that should remain there forever. Americanization in global terms has become too diverse. We need more unique people in this country. From this research I learned that while many think of America as a country of diversity, it is really not because everyone who comes here becomes American within a few months. I hope in eight or ten years I can teach my kids something about Romanian culture and not forget it all by then. Nayyirah Waheed a great African poetess that loves her background and writes about her beautiful culture, encouraged her readers with the quote: “you not wanting me was the beginning of me wanting myself, thank you. This quote holds the power of being a strong individual. Sometime in a class room in college there could be only one person who is of a different cult, but the ideas and the unique personality in that person could be so powerful. Everyone is unique in their own way and no one should follow a different culture just to fit in the society. Often our traditional songs, foods, and poems are forgotten, but I know, the motherland will never forget its own people.
Many immigrants that come to America often get laughed at because of their incorrect grammar or heavy accents, but no one ever thinks what those people are going through. Just to think of the change a refugee has to go through: there is cultural adaption, which is a big struggle because everyone wants to fit in the society, there is a brand new language to learn because otherwise you won’t make any friends, find a job, or get a legal status. This issue really led me to thinking: Isn’t it enough what bilinguals and multilinguals have to go through? Can’t they just be accepted by the society?
An interesting article I came across was: Do different languages confer different personalities? And the author Johnson mentioned the following: “Many bilinguals are not bicultural. But some are. And of those bicultural bilinguals, we should be little surprised that they feel different in their two languages” This article made me realize that some people that for example come from parents of different nationalities, might find it hard to adapt to two cultures. Some may only choose one. I felt it on my own skin. Even if my parents are of the same nationality, I still had to adapt to a second culture – American culture, which was extremely hard. I can not recall how many times people around me where talking about basic “American things” and I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. It still happens a lot.
For a lot of immigrants in America, adapting to a new culture seems extremely easy. In fact it is so easy, that they forget so quick about their motherland, traditions, language, and even how to speak or write. Every culture is unique and beautiful in it’s own way and it is just really sad to see many fade away from it, engaging in an Americanized culture. I think American culture has its beauty; just the fact that it dominates the world so much worries me. Every other person that steps foot in this country is guaranteed to become Americanized, wearing famous brands and listening to American music. I have heard French, Spanish, Korean music that sounds amazing and would never understand why would people give that up. I think of my Romanian playlist as sacred music. Could never give it up, even though it is so hard to keep up with it because I don’t hear it anywhere except my computer. If one wants to keep “fresh” and fit in the society they must always be on track with what’s cool nowadays and use the same slangs everyone is using. Who really wants to be an outsider and not understand his friends when they are having a conversation on a topic that only true-born Americans would understand? This thinking led me to an article by Gray Matter from New York Times who said: “It requires keeping track of changes around you in the same way that we monitor our surroundings when driving.”
Truly each person is born with a culture in their hearts that should remain there forever. Americanization in global terms has become too diverse. We need more unique people in this country. From this research I learned that while many think of America as a country of diversity, it is really not because everyone who comes here becomes American within a few months. I hope in eight or ten years I can teach my kids something about Romanian culture and not forget it all by then. Nayyirah Waheed a great African poetess that loves her background and writes about her beautiful culture, encouraged her readers with the quote: “you not wanting me was the beginning of me wanting myself, thank you. This quote holds the power of being a strong individual. Sometime in a class room in college there could be only one person who is of a different cult, but the ideas and the unique personality in that person could be so powerful. Everyone is unique in their own way and no one should follow a different culture just to fit in the society. Often our traditional songs, foods, and poems are forgotten, but I know, the motherland will never forget its own people.
Background picture credit : http://www.123rf.com/photo_11736080_3d-spanish-language-crossword-on-white-background.html
Sincerely, rap is not my music. However, my music always depends on the lyrics. I remember when my dad used to be in the States, and I was home in Romania alone. The second year passed by when I was missing him like crazy. When i came upon this video, the lyrics reminded me of the times my family used to be together and the hard times i was going through at the moment. The words in the song by Eminem are very touching, especially for the people who can relate to stories of troubled families.
Credits to :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afqO7ydPGRg
Header picture credits :http://www.flickr.com/photos/mylovelyphotography/4562313618/
Credits to :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afqO7ydPGRg
Header picture credits :http://www.flickr.com/photos/mylovelyphotography/4562313618/
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