***
“Mom, Dad, why don’t you speak English like the others in this country?”
Ahhh! We felt like the food got stuck in our throats at that moment.
“OK. kids, I will tell you tonight at bedtime.”
I began thinking what I could say to them, why we had to leave the country we loved so much.
Explain to them why we left that piece of land so dear, those sunsets, enjoy the smell of wet land after the rain downpours.
I didn’t exactly know how to tell them why we had left our homeland, and come to this country.
So, I thought… I’m going to start by telling them how much I love them. I will hug them (you may hug your kids by this time) and I’m going to tell them that they are the reason of my life, our life purpose; and we didn’t mind to leave everything behind if it was for their well-being.
So after hugging them, I told them: “We were fine while living there, but we thought there was no future for you if we had stayed living there.”
“Your father and I may not know how to speak English, but you do.”
“Even though we are living in this country, you still can keep in the bottom of your heart our homeland, you still can speak your native language, and practice our home country customs. You shouldn’t be ashamed for coming from another country.”
Yes! That’s what I’m going to tell them. That’s why we do not speak like the others do here. That’s why it is important that they learn this country’s language and culture, but without leaving behind our origins.
“Yes, kids, you have to know that we are here for you to have the best from these two different worlds.”
“It’s time to go to bed! Dream with a bright future, fight for having a better life, better things than the ones we had.”
I gave them a good night kiss and left them with a big smile on their faces. Now, they know how proud they should be for being part of two different worlds. Now, they can do and create better things. Now, they know why their parents do not speak like the others.
“See you tomorrow.” We smiled, we sighed with relief, and thanked God for keeping our paths safe and stay here, proud of our origins and trying to overcome and fight the challenges to come.
