Grade 12, Rena Le Lona
My family are from Mozambique and they openly express affection and warmth. We now live in South Africa. Here people seem very orderly and polite.
When my parents immigrated, they faced major challenges. Suddenly they were surrounded by people whose language, culture and clothing were different from theirs. Now they stood out in a crowd. As a result, they may have been treated disrespectfully. And they may have become victims of prejudice. Has that happened to you? Listed below are some challenges that my siblings and I have faced – also my parents.
Ridicule. Thembi was a young girl when she and her family immigrated from Mozambique to South Africa. Our clothes were different so people made fun of us, she says. And we certainly didn’t understand South African humour.
When I talk to my parents and want to elaborate on how I feel about certain matters, I find that I just can’t speak their language well enough.
What I have learned to do is that I need to try to erase all trace of my cultural background and blend in with my new surroundings. However, such a course would likely offend my parents and lead to frustration for me. Instead, why not learn to cope with the challenges and make the most of my circumstances.
How to deal with an identity crisis: it’s only natural to want to belong to a group such as a family or a culture but it’s a mistake to think that my worth is determined by my cultural or family background. If my peers make fun of my ethnic background, I will absorb their taunts while maintaining my sense of humour. If I do, they will likely lose interest in teasing me.
How to overcome the language barrier at home is that some families insist on speaking only their mother tongue while at home. The children will have the advantage of learning both languages well.
Certainly, if you are familiar with two cultures and can speak two or more languages, you have a real advantage. My knowledge of two cultures increases my ability to understand people’s feelings and to answer their questions.