English Literature

It is quite interesting how life is encumbered with so many different experiences yet they are all geared towards heightening other life experiences. Parents go to great lengths to ensure that their children achieve the best in life. It is my parents hard work and determination which allowed me to kick start my journey to literacy and intellectual fulfillment. Having moved from China in search of a better life, my parents settled in the U.S. heartily and awaited the changes in lifestyle to reward their ambitions. It is this same hope and positive attitude that has characterized most of my learning experiences. My parents knowledge of English was quite limited and despite the fact that they were moving to an English speaking country, this did not stop them. Sometimes I wonder how things might have turned out if they had not moved here. Would I have forever gained the knowledge of only one language Cantonese I knew from then on that language was a great part of life and society, and if I were to achieve any fundamental success in life I had to fully grasp both the written and spoken versions of the English language.
   
While growing up, English was rarely spoken at home. My parents insisted on speaking Cantonese and they would expect the same of me because I had no other way of communicating with them. I recall one incidence when my father needed to attend a school meeting where parents were sharing their views on how to help learners improve their language and academic skills. My father walked into that meeting just like the confident man he always was but left feeling very challenged. It is not until you are faced by problems and obstacles that you are given that push to effect changes in your life. My father had received his motivation to learn the English language. During the meeting, parents were expected to present written suggestions and proposals on the way forward before the meeting ended. They were also requested to share their insights on the matter. When it came to my fathers turn he was tongue tied. He remained silent and watched other peoples faces as they gestured to him to say something. His scribbling pad was also void of any sensible written suggestions except for the line markings which evidenced his struggle to write.
   
After this experience my father came home a changed person. He wanted to learn how to write and read English and he wished for me to do the same. I think my father saw the predicament anybody who was not conversant with the English language faced at those times and in the future. In a country which was growing at a very rapid rate and whose main language of instruction, business transaction and governance was English it would be hard to acquire a job, study or achieve any form of prosperity if you did not know the language.  My father knew that he would never fully learn or understand the English language but he would learn just enough to have simple conversations.
   
My father was a very talkative and social man. Having come from a cultural background which valued unity and community building he expected the same in the U.S. It was difficult for him not having friends to talk to and apart from my mother and I and he was basically a loner. However, the prospects of learning English gave him hope that he would be able to at least restore a part of himself. This learning endeavor was bound to be difficult especially because my father had always had the belief that on should always be themselves. That there was no need to learn a different language just for the sake of fitting in. Despite this, he knew that there were times when one had to do what they needed to regardless of any cultural beliefs. My father started attending adult classes for foreign language learning and every day he came home I knew how hard it was for him and yet intense determination was written all over his face. Facing my own tribulations as a student with English as my second language I shared his dilemma. I spoke English substantially and even though it was not perfect it helped my father and I bond. My father changed his attitude towards English and in order to help him with his learning we resulted to speaking English at home. We would practice English speaking by translating some Cantonese and making our learning experience enjoyable.
   
My parents had only learned to write Cantonese and this had been transferred to me as a child. Cantonese is a completely different language from English. Even though there are those who may term it as a difficult language, I found English even more difficult. Writing was challenging because I had not been used to writing in such simple formats. More so, the many English rules which were involved in the writing process were confusing. However, this never deterred my determination to learn. I had a future depending on my language capabilities and a father who had instilled in me the hope for prosperity. It is the same hope that I carry with me today. My earlier experiences have hardened my resolve to make the best out of my life. I want to achieve my highest potential and I strive every day to ensure that I excel in my studies.
   
As a Cantonese native speaker I experienced challenges in my English class. For one, my listening skills hindered my capacity for comprehension. Any time I was subjected to lengthy content I struggled to read and understand but the vocabulary never made it easy. It is only when I learned how to fragment my content and read it one at a time did I start to comprehend. Furthermore, my accent has not always served me right. There are people who are keen to discriminate those who do not talk like they do. I learned from my father that success had no room for such acquaintances and it is from that perspective that I have managed to achieve language competence. I have interacted with individuals who hold in less regard the English language and who are not ready to achieve competence in it. They are still held back by their culturally primitive backgrounds. But just like my father fought to break these barriers, I talk to them about changing their attitudes. This life has no room for such people and as their friend I want to help them realize this and also aid them into acknowledging their potentials.
   
Life after school is challenging and full of many stereotypes. After the economic difficulties the country has faced in the last two years, the market lacks many opportunities. It is in this light that education plays a vital role in our lives. A college education places one at a better position and if we want to go beyond there we have to harness our skills and potentials. From my father I received an everlasting nudge to succeed and this has made me stronger, determined and ready to face the challenges which await all of us after our studies. However, I foresee a bright future and it is my wish to spread my knowledge to others. For it is only through cooperation and self motivation that we can overcome the obstacles that distance us from success.