Multicultural stories informative article

BEFORE READING  Multicultural stories

Think about where your parents or caregivers come from.

caregivers omsorgsgivere mother countries hjemlande earn a living tjene til livets ophold Mandarin mandarin, o cielt sprog i Kina Our stories start before we are born. Our parents make choices that not only affect their lives but, in turn, influence what our lives will be like. Meet three teenagers whose parents left their mother countries to find work, to seek safety or because they fell in love.

Janet

My parents came to Australia to find work. I was born in Melbourne and have only been to China once. It is strange to think that my parents have lived a life very different from the life we lead here in Australia. They grew up in a small village as children of farmers, but I am growing up in a city of more than four million people.

In China, children are expected to take care of their parents when they grow old. My grandparents live with my uncle, but my father is expected to help with money. My parents decided it was easier for them to earn a living in Australia, so they packed up and left. I know that was a difficult choice to make. Now, they send money home every month. My mum misses her Chinese village a lot and insists on speaking Mandarin at home, although her English is fine. I realise that my background is different from many of my friends’. At school, I feel Australian. At home, where my parents speak a different language and cook different food, I feel more Chinese.

Hassan

Coming to England was not really a choice for my family. We had to leave our home in Afghanistan, as it became dangerous to stay. We lost everything: our home, our belongings, our family and friends. I am happy I managed to stay with my family, though. Many of the other Afghanis I know had to flee alone.

Life for me here is bittersweet. I like Manchester. I like going to school, learning new things and making new friends. I like not having to be afraid. But I miss the rest of my family; most of them live in a refugee camp in Pakistan. There are things I do not understand here yet. It takes time to learn the language and understand the way of life. I look forward to settling in more, but, to be honest, I really hope to go back to Afghanistan one day.

ee ygte bittersweet både godt og skidt refugee camp ygtningelejr settle in nde sig til rette

compensate for kompensere for Diwali indisk lysfest glori ed forskønnet pull one's leg drille settle bosætte sig

Arun

My dad worked for an IT company when he met my mum here in New Jersey. He was about to go back to India when they fell in love and he decided to stay. My dad tries hard to compensate for not living in India. He celebrates Diwali harder than any Indian I know! Good for me, though. I get to enjoy both the American and the Indian celebrations.

I wish my dad had spoken Hindi to me when I was growing up. I think it could have made me feel more connected to India. My dad has a glorified view of his homeland, but when we go there, he finds it chaotic. I guess he is too used to life in the US now.

My uncles keep teasing me about arranging a marriage for me with an Indian girl, although arranged marriage is not a tradition in my family. I know they’re just pulling my leg, but it reminds me that traditions in India are quite different to what I’m used to in the US. It is strange to think about what my life would have been like if my parents had settled in India instead.

UNDERSTANDING

9 Find information

Work in groups of three. First, make your own mind map with information about either Janet, Hassan or Arun. Then present your person to the rest of the group.

10Make a quiz

Choose to work with either Janet, Hassan or Arun. Write down four questions about the person based on the text.

parents

traditions Janet

nationality

language

Example: In which Australian city did Janet’s parents settle?

Put the text away. Take turns asking each other a question. The person who answers the question correctly gets a point. Continue asking each other questions. The person with most points wins the quiz.

If you or your family have moved to Denmark from another country, you can freewrite about your own experience. TALKING

11Talk about people on the move

Work with a partner. Discuss and answer the following questions:

a) Why might people move from one country to another? Write a shared list of the reasons you come up with.

b) Do you know anyone who has moved from his or her home country? What are some of the things a person or a family might have to do before moving to a new country?

c) What do you think would be challenging about moving to a new country? Freewrite alone for a couple of minutes.

Then share your thoughts with your partner.

12 Re ect on cultures

We experience di erent cultures through di erent things – the food we eat, the music we listen to, the lms we watch or the traditions we celebrate. Work with a partner and tell each other how you are surrounded by di erent cultures in your everyday life.

Examples:

– I often eat the Indian dish Tikka Masala. – I celebrate Halloween as they do in the USA. – I love Japanese culture.

WRITING

13Write a letter

Imagine you have just moved to Denmark from another country. Write a letter home to share your thoughts. Describe the things you nd challenging or strange and the things that you nd surprising and positive.

Remember to include: A greeting, place and date.