Multiculturalism is amazing
So every Sunday I volunteer as an ESL tutor. The young woman I work with is from Afghanistan, and she is simply amazing. During our sessions, we usually tend to work on her English homework. But today, to thank me for the time and effort I've been putting in helping her improve her English, she made me a traditional Middle Eastern dish of rice and lamb, seasoned with curry and raisins (it was delicious and I'm going to have to ask her for the recipe). And we talked while we ate.
I found out that she's 24, only a year older than myself, and that she was married when she was 14. And while I knew she had three children (they're adorable, by the way) I didn't realize the eldest is already almost eight years old. She's only been in Canada for two years and had only had three months of formal schooling before coming here; she's illiterate in Farsi, but already her English has come so far.
She told me about how her family lived while she was in Afghanistan, and how difficult it was. The more I work with immigrants, the more I realize how truly lucky I am to have grown up in a western country, especially as a woman, and how truly formidable the human spirit is.
Also, she makes her own yogurt. From milk. And it's better than the stuff I just buy in the grocery store. How awesome is that?
I found out that she's 24, only a year older than myself, and that she was married when she was 14. And while I knew she had three children (they're adorable, by the way) I didn't realize the eldest is already almost eight years old. She's only been in Canada for two years and had only had three months of formal schooling before coming here; she's illiterate in Farsi, but already her English has come so far.
She told me about how her family lived while she was in Afghanistan, and how difficult it was. The more I work with immigrants, the more I realize how truly lucky I am to have grown up in a western country, especially as a woman, and how truly formidable the human spirit is.
Also, she makes her own yogurt. From milk. And it's better than the stuff I just buy in the grocery store. How awesome is that?