Language Differences

            Language is one very important aspect of being able to interact and build in-depth relationships with people. However, when the language spoken at home differs from the language spoken at school, this may become distressing because two contrasting identities are formed and one has to transition between the two. These different identities are formed because the two different languages do not only consist of letters, words, and sentences. They come with their differing cultures, which consist of different lifestyles, values, morals, and traditions.

            For instance, in my life, Spanish is the language of the home and English is the language of school. For a while, when I was starting to learn English in school, all I wanted to do was practice my English and not speak Spanish at all. However, I kept speaking Spanish because that is the only language my mom understood, and as I got older, I began to realize how useful knowing two languages is and I now feel fortunate to have been able to learn both languages. I proudly speak to my mother, my Mexican family members and other Spanish-speaking people in Spanish. In addition, I proudly speak to my friends, professors, and other people at school in English. 

My Mother's Stories

          As I was growing up, I cannot remember of any fictional stories that I was told, but I do remember many true stories that my mother would tell me about her childhood in Mexico. She was the second youngest of 11 children. Her father was and alcoholic and her mother was a very emotional and depressed woman. They were very poor but still managed to get by because her older siblings were old enough to work and help out the family. They would sleep next to each other, on the floor, in one room. They would walk everywhere because they had no cars. Their mother did not allow my mother or her sisters to keep up with their education after grade school even if they begged her because girls were meant to stay home and maintain a household by cooking, cleaning, and doing everything else that a man would not.

            As a walk the paths to my classes here at Texas A&M, I am grateful of every opportunity I’ve been given. From one generation to the next, a billion things can change. It could have easily changed for the worse but it didn’t, and for that, I thank my mother for being the strong woman that she is and going through everything she went through and desiring a much better life for me. I am thankful for her stories, which I have learned many lessons from and have made me appreciate everything I have, everything I am, and everything I am not.