Refugee parent struggles: A universal story

After the panel discussion with the parents of refugee backround and their children about their struggles to enter into and be successful in the U.S. educational system--specifically, in Spokane--I asked Bilal what he thought about it. "It's a universal story," he answered. Yes, yes, it is.

The parents (from Togo, Burundi, and Rwanda) talked to us of many challenges. They spoke of the bullying that their children received when they first entered school and could not speak English. They spoke about their frustration at the lack of power that they believed U.S. teachers had in sticking to curriculum and standards and following up on discipline. They spoke about the loss they felt in a system that allowed children to pass to a higher grade-level whether they had mastered material or not--likened to 'meaningless success'. And, the children talked of feeling both American and of their home-countries' culture and spoke about their differing interpretations of the value of their native language. But the universal story lay in the struggle of the parents to conserve the traditional culture and language in the home and the struggle of the children to escape it, to fit in, to be American, to be accepted, to find themselves between these two worlds.

Bilal is right. It is universal. And probably accompanied by feelings of great loss on both sides.

"When we do this again..." said Everiste at the end of the hour, not quite ready to give up the discussion, "we'll need more time." "And a bigger room!" chimed in someone else. Yes, indeed. There SHOULD be a next time.

Salish put to music...

I'm thinking this evening about the Salish workshop that we attended today. LaRae Wiley and Chris Parkin transported us, I believe, with their words and music. It was stunning to hear Senior Hall fill with the sounds of LaRae's voice and the drum and--later--the sounds of the students keeping rhythm with the drum. I regretted that the building wasn't overflowing with people to hear the music but grateful that we had such an intimate gathering for the workshop.

There were many epiphanies for me in the few minutes that I could attend with the students. I know, of course, about language death and the critical need to keep dying languages spoken, but I was not prepared for the answers again and again of the number of people left who could speak each form of Salish fluenty. Always, the answer was given with one hand. I've always read about language death but never have I felt face-to-face with the reality of what this would mean to a people.

As I sat there listening to the music at the end of the workdshop, having rejoined the students, I thought about the Salish grammar they were learning about and the words that I heard them repeating after hearing from LaRae and Chris. In a few weeks we will all be thrown out to the wind, we'll return to our homes, and yet the Pathways students will each take with them a few words, a little grammar, some understanding of culture and the experience of hearing Salish--with its glottals and clicks--sung. In its own small way, this is a contribution to the movement to keep Salish alive. It feels good to be a part of that.

My favorite audio podcast at the moment

It's "World of Words". Listen...

http://www.theworld.org/the-world-in-words.podcast/

List of 2010 Pathways Blogs

Here are the blog URLs to follow to see what our students are doing this summer with us in the U.S.

Nicola: http://nicolaorridge.blogspot.com
Marie: http://dreamforamagiclife.blogspot.com
Bilal: http://bilalinamerica.blogspot.com
Emily: http://emilykatefisher.blogspot.com
Iman: http://imaninamerica.blogspot.com
Xanthi: http://sunnymomets.blogspot.com
Yesim: http://yesiminevergreenstate.blogspot.com
Rukiye: http://rukiye-americandream.blogspot.com
Angel: http://aha-angel.blogspot.com
Maria: http://myadventuresatewu.blogspot.com
Sema: http://sema-overeducatedfulbrighters2010.blogspot.com
Wafa: http://wafaewupathways2010.blogspot.com

Blog URLs for Pathways students

Please reply to this posting with your own blog URL so that we can follow along as you write during your month here in the U.S.
Gina

Welcome, Pathways 2010 students!

With this first posting, I wanted to let all of you in the Pathways 2010 group know how pleased Lisa and I and all the Peer Mentors are to have you here with us at EWU. Welcome to the U.S.!
Best wishes for a wonderful and unforgettable time,
Gina