My mother lived a pretty straightforward life back in her home country
of Panama. Originally born in the rural Panamanian countryside, my
mother and her family migrated to the metropolis of Panama City when
she was a young girl for the greater economic benefits that the city
provides. From that point on, my mom would embark on the journey of
trying to further her educational opportunities as a young women in
the big city while also helping to provide for her family. However,
everything in my mother’s life changed when she met an ambitious
American soldier who convinced her to trade the life she lived in
Panama for another in a foreign land completely different from her
own. Fast forward over twenty years to the present, and my mother is
the poster child for the ideal American citizen and fully immersed
herself in this country’s different culture. But the transition for
her was anything but easy, and this struggle of adaption is a problem
experienced by someone new every minute.
Trying to adapt
to a different culture and a different way of life may seem like a
simple issue from the outside looking in, but in reality words really
cannot describe how difficult the transition can be for someone who
has only known one way of life. Whether it be the food, the language,
the physical environment, or even the societal values, these cultural
differences can easily shock someone into despair as they try
desperately try to make sense of the new universe that they now find
themselves in. At my old high school back in Fayetteville, we had a
foreign exchange program in place that provided the school with
students originally from South Korea who had minimal experience with
the American culture. Without questions, one of the greatest sources
of pride from those affiliated with the school is the remarkable
development of these exchange students, whose personas gradually
change from lost and confused to confident and successful. This
process is certainly not the same with everybody, but there are few
feeling better than witnessing someone who has come from so far
finally reach their goals.
As of the time of writing, my
mother is currently working as a English Second Language teacher
throughout the Cumberland County school system. On a daily basis, my
mom works with young children from different backgrounds to try to
overcome some of the same cultural issues that she herself once
battled with. Some children succeed more than others, but either way
the results are often tangible improvements in at least the child’s
willingness to explore the new way of life that they are surrounded
in. We all have values and beliefs that make up who we are, and
oftentimes these values are intertwined in the environment in which
they were formed. Once that environment changes, it can be hard to
hold on to the core of who we are while also trying to adjust
ourselves to the values of a new environment. The next time you see
someone who is going through a period of adjustment, keep in mind the
personal struggle that they are going through and try to turn their
attention to the bright possibilities of the future.
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