This morning I sent my kids to school a bit early.So while I was waiting and queuing outside the classroom,I noticed that 99% of my little one classmates are Chinese.Suddenly I left my mind thinking and mingled together in confusion-am I in China or Canada?Apparently,most of the parents I know came from China.I felt a little left out because I was the only Malaysian who don't speak perfect Mandarin.Sometimes I really don't know what to say and wonder if they can understand my accent.
I believe in ten or twenty years ago in Canada English is the official language and French as its second language.Most foreign students have to speak English because there were very few Chinese students at the time.Both my sister in law were of a few dozen Chinese girls in the school.As what they told me,their classroom has only 1% chinese students.They feel isolated when they first came to Canada.Well,isolation is a state of mind at that time but not now where it is so not the case because the second language widely spoken in Canada is Mandarin.With the increasing number of Chinese immigrants arrive in Canada,students of Chinese descent especially in my kids area,are no longer feeling that isolation.
Despite we don't feel isolated in this country but it's just that I felt kind of weird.My little one doesn't know how to speak Mandarin and she told me her friends at school speak Mandarin where it is hard for her to join their team.This is what I am concern about.Perhaps I should teach her to speak perfect Mandarin rather than English?.I am not writing about discriminating against others or just because they are different.I am just trying to tell the truth.If one day you got a chance to live in canada you will notice that.However,or what ever it is,if we want to succeed in a society,I guess,no matter where we are we have to know how to fit in to make friends and be happy with my environment right?I hope she can cope with her classmates soon.
I believe in ten or twenty years ago in Canada English is the official language and French as its second language.Most foreign students have to speak English because there were very few Chinese students at the time.Both my sister in law were of a few dozen Chinese girls in the school.As what they told me,their classroom has only 1% chinese students.They feel isolated when they first came to Canada.Well,isolation is a state of mind at that time but not now where it is so not the case because the second language widely spoken in Canada is Mandarin.With the increasing number of Chinese immigrants arrive in Canada,students of Chinese descent especially in my kids area,are no longer feeling that isolation.
Despite we don't feel isolated in this country but it's just that I felt kind of weird.My little one doesn't know how to speak Mandarin and she told me her friends at school speak Mandarin where it is hard for her to join their team.This is what I am concern about.Perhaps I should teach her to speak perfect Mandarin rather than English?.I am not writing about discriminating against others or just because they are different.I am just trying to tell the truth.If one day you got a chance to live in canada you will notice that.However,or what ever it is,if we want to succeed in a society,I guess,no matter where we are we have to know how to fit in to make friends and be happy with my environment right?I hope she can cope with her classmates soon.
5 comments:
Try to guide ur gal to speak Mandarin as well, learning more languages is better anyway.
well she can learn english at school, then you can teach/talk to her in mandarin at home...
so she got the best from both ways!
lucky gal that she has a mum that can speaks mandarin! both me and hubby can't speak mandarin leh...
p/s : didn't know that there's a lot of chinese in canada...
dora,andrewjune-Hmm you know what both my kids are so against speaking mandarin.I don't know why.I tried to talk to them in mandarin but they seems turn a deaf ear and walk away.:(
try try and never give up...this was what my colleague told me when i complained to him that Dot would ignore me if i talk to him in Mandarin.
now, he speaks both Mandarin and English with us. his childcare center play a big part in this too, because both the Chinese and English teachers were very encouraging and will praise their students if they speak good Mandarin and English..
so, for you, try try and never give up, if they walk away, nevermind, just continue talking to them in Mandarin, one day, they will have to answer you in Mandarin...
I think another optional language is good for your kids. My Chinese friends, lots of them can't even speak mandarin. Yeah, maybe a little here and there, but still, they said they are hopeless. In my University, most of the people who take Mandarin class for foreign language, is Chinese themselves! Hehe. I think parents nowadays prefer to talk in English. Usually those who are sophisticated, success and highly educated I assumed. Most of my friends' parents are like that..
Damn.. Talking about others. My Malay also is terrible! Haha.. I blame my parents too. Hehehe
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