Showing posts with label improve your English. Show all posts
The Language Barrier
Before
moving to Canada, one of the things that I feared the most was speaking the
English language. I mean, I was not entirely unfamiliar with the English
language since I had studied it in school. In the Philippines, students are
taught English from kindergarten up until college. Despite having had learned
English in school, I was scared and terrified by the fact that I would be
speaking full English in conversations. As part of my not-so-pretty human nature,
I don’t fancy to look stupid. I did not want people to think I was not smart,
and that was my biggest mistake.
As a
Filipino, I would say it is part of our culture that we laugh at everything. Man,
the way we laugh at everything. If you mispronounce an English word, laughter
immediately ensues (especially if you mix up the “p” and “f”, “o” and “u”, or “i”
and “e” sounds). Though it is merely for fun, it is still pretty embarrassing
to be laughed at. Because of this mentality, I had a notion that other people would
look down at me or laugh at me at my poor communication skills. I did not want
to be laughed at because of my English skills—whether it may be because of my
pronunciation, accent, or grammar.
That was
where my mistake was made.
I was too
hard on myself. I forgot that I was at square one. I am not a superhuman. I am not
perfect and I commit mistakes. Besides, not all people are cruel. To think that
they would belittle me is just plain petty and narrow-minded of me.
I
spent my first two weeks not talking to other people, nervous about doing
activities that involved interacting with people such as ordering at the
cashier, interacting with salespersons, and asking for directions. I tried not
to converse with anyone.
Thankfully,
I learned how to cope. My confidence grew each day and having friends to
converse with helps alongside watching movies, reading books and.. watching
movies. Wait, I have already said that. Seriously though, watch movies and even
turn the subtitles on. You might be surprised to find yourself using the same
catchphrases and comebacks that they used.
So go on! Do not be afraid (especially not for the same reasons that
I had), do not be shy, and be proactive!
CHEERS!
Anonymeh
“Here's the thing about
mistakes: Sometimes, even when you know something’s a mistake, you gotta make
it anyway.” - Ted Mosby
TED Talks Tuesdays: The Danger of a Single Story
Every Tuesday, we'll feature a TED Talk that we think could empower and inspire immigrant youth. Today's featured TED Talk is by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who was born and raised in Nigeria. Having written numerous critically-acclaimed books that have started to reshape African literature, she is an inspiration to many.
In this TED Talk, she tells us why paying attention to a single story may cause us harm. Our own cultural lives and the cultural backgrounds of other people influence us everyday in the way we think, feel, and act. Oftentimes, listening to a single story limits us from recognizing that people who come from similar cultural backgrounds do not possess the same exact beliefs, behaviour, and experiences. Single story causes misjudgment and misunderstanding.
As Chimamanda points out, single story can produce stereotypes. And the problem with stereotypes is not that they are false, but that they present an incomplete story.
Trust me when I say that you won't regret spending 19 minutes of your life watching this:
Favourite quote from the talk: "All these stories make me who I am. But to insist on only these negative stories is to flatten my experience and to overlook the many other stories that formed me. The single story creates stereotypes. And the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make the single story the only story."
2014 Projects and Goals
Since we are only 19 days into the year, there is still time for you and me to set some year-round goals and try out some year-round projects! If you are looking for some fun year-round challenges to do this 2014, I have listed some of my favourite ones below. This is a customized list intended to assist new immigrant youths in their adjustment to their new environment here in Canada.
1) Reading Goal: 24 Books In A Year
Books are excellent friends. They're those people at the party who are as weird (and cool) as you. Reading 24 books in one year may seem like a daunting task, but it is actually not. That requires you to read only two books per month! My advice? Choose books that you know you'll love! Visit Goodreads to see what other people think of books that you want to read. By doing this challenge, you will not only undergo an enjoyable experience of life lessons and roller-coaster emotions; you will also greatly improve your English skills! If you do not know where to start, check out this list to help you choose what you want to read first.
2) 52 Week Money Challenge
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to save money, then try this! Each week, you have to save an amount of money that is equal to the number of that week. For example, during the first week, you save $1; in the second week, you save $2; for the third week, you save $3, and so on. If you do this until the last week of the year, you will save almost $1400! However, do this only if you can actually afford to save money. Do not starve yourself just to accomplish this task. I suggest doing this challenge if you spend a lot on the things that you don't need.
3) Photo Challenge: Photo-A-Day
Take one photo every day until the end of the year. I'm sure you have a device that can take pictures (it can be your handycam, polaroid, tablet, or even just your cellphone), so why not try to document your life this year by taking at least one photo every day? You can even upload your photos to Instagram or whatever social media platform you'd like!
4) Movie Challenge: One Movie A Week
For me, this is not really a challenge; it is a hobby! But if you're a new immigrant and want to improve your English, watching at least one English movie each week will definitely help you develop your English skills. Watching movies can make your English listening skill stronger. It can also help you pick up some English phrases/expressions that are commonly used by English speakers every day. Pro-tip: Try to find a movie that shows subtitles. You will enjoy the movie more this way, trust me.
5) Goal: Get involved!
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When I moved to Canada, I initially did not know anyone aside from my close family members and relatives. First week of school was hard because I hardly had any friends. Fortunately, I joined clubs which allowed me to meet lots of friends and meet people who share the same interest as me! So this year, I am challenging you to:
- Join at least one club at school
- Join at least another one outside of school
- Volunteer!
6) Challenge: Keep a blog or a journal in English
Writing your feelings down will not only help you relive your favourite moments, it will also stimulate your creativity and memory. Also, if you do it in English, you will learn to improve your grammar, widen your vocabulary, and discover your own writing style.
There you have it! We still have 345 days before 2014 ends; you still have 346 days to try and accomplish these goals before the year ends. You do not have to do all of it. Do what you think will benefit you the most!
Hope 2014 treats you well!
Sean
