When 2017's New Year Day, it was a rainy day and I was at the airport. I came to Canada. I said goodbye without hugging my parents but turned around as fast as I could. I was afraid my tears would drop. I heard my mom sobbing, but I dared not look back. I never thought I would shed tears at the airport, but that day, I understood how hard it was to say goodbye without crying. At that moment, I did not know what would happen next. The first year of my international student's life was definitely full of challenges, and I was not happy at all. Nobody knew how much pressure I bore in this completely new environment, where I could barely speak English. Nobody knew and cared about my feelings. I could not understand them and I could not express my feelings. Sometimes, I even could not understand their jokes. But I did not want to be an outsider, and I followed them and laughed. I got their doubtful looks and also knew they were thinking, “Why is she laughing?” Nobody knew. Many times I wanted to escape, and just take the 10-hour flight home. I was always lonely and even desperate. Finally, in this battle, I raised the white flag, and I started to indulge myself for a long time. One day, I received a letter from my parents to expect about my future. I realized that I had kept disappointing my parents who devoted everything to me. I knew that my parents had high expectations of me. They dedicated everything to me. Shouldn't I spend my life trying to make my life more meaningful? Yes, I want to have a meaningful life and let my parents proud. Therefore, I decided to change. I started to step out of my comfort zone and talk to someone new. I tried to talk with my teachers, and they were all very patient because they knew that my English is not perfect. They gave me much encouragement and time to let me practice. I also made a few local friends. I tried to use English to tell the stories about my homeland, China. Although my English made these stories hard to understand, I received people's kind smile and approval. It seemed like life was not that hard. I said to myself, “Maybe I should be more positive and just enjoy it.” During this time, my family had been in constant contact with me, and I had been given great encouragement every time. Because of the change, I became happier and more hopeful day by day. Time passed quickly, and gradually, loneliness and nostalgia no longer afflict me. Nowadays, I feel so proud and honored with my own progress and the infinite love and support from my family. My dream is the force behind my better life. Last summer was the my first time back to China. When I went back to Canada, it was a rainy day again, just like the day when I left for the first time. It reminded me of my favourite poem by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, “ If life cheats you, don’t be disappointed and worried. Calmness is needed in melancholy days. Believe that pleasantness is coming. Long for the bright future though you are unhappy. All will pass by and everything will be over. Past things will be pleasant memories. ” There were no tears at the airport
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If you have a sibling you know the ups and downs of having to manage fights and arguments. You may also understand what it's like to be selfless and more sympathetic. Connected by blood siblings understand one another even if they are years apart. My sibling is my twin sister Hunter. When we were born, Hunter had no problems, but I did. I had Aortic Stenosis which is a heart condition that deals with how your valves pump blood to your heart. I had to get surgery only 24 hours after I was born. It was hard for my parents but they knew the doctors would take good care of me. Fast forward to the age of three, I had to have open heart surgery. I had what's called a ROSS procedure which took my existing aortic valve which is almost right in the centre, and replaced it with a healthy valve. Today my sister and I still wonder if this would have happened to her and not me. Of course who knows what would happen if she was in my position. I had been on medication called enalapril for my whole life up until last year. The Valve I had in my body at the age of three still pumps blood perfectly today. Without the need for medicine! My sister is one of my best friends, she is kind, smart and outgoing. I think about what life would be like without a twin. It’s scary. If you had a choice to have siblings or not, which would you choose? Now, being a fraternal twin does have an advantage to how my sister and I are not identical. We do NOT look exactly alike. Though we still have similarities in facial features and tiny ears, we are different people. If you have an older sibling who you see has been successful and smart. That is what you’d want for yourself. That motivation to be like them rubs off on you. If you have a sibling that is not as successful and skips class and fails many of their courses, that may not be the kind of person you’d want to look up to. Family is family, when I see that my sister is feeling sad or angry, I usually just sit on her bed and wait to see if she would want to talk. Siblings are there for each other through the good times in life, and the hard times. It’s important to acknowledge that keeping a close bond with your siblings is important for the future as we grow up. My grandfather and his brother had an argument over something that was powerful enough to have them not speak to each other for 10 years. They only just spoke in person for the first time this past summer since their dispute. They are on good terms as it is now, I could never imagine not speaking to my sister for that long over some silly argument. My grandfather told me he really enjoyed speaking to his brother again and wishes he had done it sooner. Though siblings fight and can hate each other at times. That hatred towards them can’t last forever. Think about how much you would miss your sibling if something bad happened to them and you left things on bad terms? If you think about your siblings or sibling, when was the last time you told them you loved them? I think being a twin is an advantage in some way because the age is the same and by having similar friends through elementary school and high school, has brought us closer as sisters. Sharing with one another about our day is also a great way of how we connect with each other. Life can throw you curveballs just like the one I got thrown at the age of three. My sister was with me through it all. My grandfather regrets how long it was to have no contact with his brother, I know that he wishes he could get those years back. The connections we make in our lives and the people we meet can come and go. Siblings are with you for life, whether you like it or not. Riley M
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