This week’s blog assignment encourages my colleagues and I
to think about a devastating transition of displacement from our Native home
country, as we will be placed with a host family in another country, whose
culture is vastly different from our own. We will be able to bring one change
of clothing, and three small items that represent our family culture.
The first item I chose to take was a family picture taken
around the dinner table. This picture represents togetherness, laughter, love,
and enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by each pair of hands sitting around the
table.
The next item I would choose would be a small porcelain
angel that represents the loss or my mother. I loss my mother after my twin
girls were born. The angel represents courage, love, compassion, and strength,
all identities in which my mother possessed.
My last item would include a quilted blanket of foot steps.
The foot steps represent each monumental moments, and accomplishments we have
made as a family.
As we reach our destination it is a possibility that I would
only be able to keep one of my precious family items, and the others would have
to be given away. It would be devastating to have to give up any of my items,
but the item I would hold on to would be my quilted blanket of foot steps. The
reason this item was chosen is because I lost my Native home, but my immediate
family is still among me. Having to start our lives in a Country and culture we
may know nothing about, my family and I will always make new memories and
milestones that can be added to our quilt.
This assignment has really made me think about my families traditions, beliefs, and customs we share. I also had to think about how it would feel to be in a situation where I had to adapt to another culture, and language, and immediately I thought about how young children I have served felt coming into a classroom where majority of the children spoke a different language, or even looked "different" from themselves.
The family
is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture.
It ... is a perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and
emotional refueling that empowers a child to venture with confidence
into the greater world and to become all that he can be.
MARIANNE E. NEIFERT
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! The footprints quilt you referred to sounds absolutely lovely. What a unique and beautiful way to record important family events. Just think of all the stories that will be told to your children because of that quilt. What a wonderful way to share history and to show how family life changes and develops over time!
Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteNothing like a photo album of family, that's a great gesture, you never get tired of looking at family and especially in another country. Passing pictures around to each family member is memory of family that you will never forget. Enjoyed your post!!!
Cynthia, when considering my three items, the first thing that came to my mind was family photos. But, I said no because I will just create new ones. However, it never crossed my mind that there could be a deceased person that was in the family that had a very important role. Therefore, I love the idea of taking the photo of your mother. Also, footprints is the passage that keeps me through a lot of hurdles in my life. Just knowing that when I don't see him that is when he is carrying me is very helpful to know.
ReplyDeleteCynthia,
ReplyDeleteNice post. Thank you for sharing your insight. I enjoyed really your post. It seems like you are a family-orientated person like I am. I would also bring a picture of my family as well. You are right that starting a new life in another country that we are not similar with and speak different language than we do are very difficult. It is great to hear you reflected on the client you served at your work.
Hi Cynthia, what a wonderful, loving, and positive reflection!! I love your picture of everyone sitting at the table representing your togetherness!!! :)
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this exercise make you think about the families who actually live through this. There are many families who have experienced what we just simulated...it really makes you think. I think that your positive attitude and love of family would get you through!!
Thank you for your post. It really touched my heart!
Take care,
Stephanie
Thank you Stephanie, this time of the year is particularly hard for my family and myself, my husband lost his mom who turned 59, last November, and I am grieving the loss of my mother, Thank you so much for your response.
DeleteHi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteI also appreciated the insight that this assignment provided. It has helped me to realize just how difficult this transition could be for some individuals and their families and how precious memories and traditions of culture are for each of us.
I quite enjoyed reading about your quilt; a nice way to remember and cuddle up together!
Sandra
ynthia,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post. All the items that you named (family picture, angel, and quilted blanket) were all very important. I was anxious to finish reading your blog to see how you decided which item to keep. As you said, new pictures could be taken since the family would all be together. The idea of the quilt was awesome. I bet there are so many stories and different parts of your family represented on that quilt and once you enter the new country other memories could be added. Awesome.
My prayers are with you, your husband, and the rest of your family. I pray that God will give all of you the strength to go through this very difficult time. November is also not a good month for my children and I. Yesterday, November 8 was the day that my husband passed away with lung cancer. It was a very hard day for us. My daughter was a "daddy's girl". My son is twenty eight and still has not totally dealt with the lost of his dad. We miss him so much. Sometimes, it's unbearable.
You and your husband have each other, so you can work through your grief together. I will continue to pray for you.
Hello Cynthia! I enjoyed reading your post. This assignment really gives one the opportunity to think about things. It gave me a chance to gain more insight on how important it is to value your love one’s while they are here on earth with you. When I thought about the valuables that I would chose if I had to relocate, I began to appreciate the fact that I do have items that remind me of the loved ones that I’ve lost. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete