You see that Mum over there behind you at the park who is speaking in a different tongue than you? It is very common here is San Diego to be a foreigner, we have Mexico 1 hour away, Camp Pendelton 1 mile away, and Hawaii is a 4 hour plane ride. We are a collective city for many people who want to be at the beach and Legoland and Sea World so of course it is a world conglomerate of people.
I get asked questions every time I go out of the house so I have put together a list of five questions I always get asked.
Q) What language is that? French or Spanish?
A) No you dim wite does it even sound close to that...ok that is what I am thinking. I kindly answer Russian. They reply with a awe that is so cool but some tell me it is bad and that we live in America so speak English...sorry to burst the bubble but America has no official and declared language so who cares.
Q) Does she speak English?
A) No and thank goodness. I understand to have a good job here in the states you need to read, write and speak English fluently but com on she is 2.
Q) Will you teach her English?
A) Nope, she picks it up already by the time she will be in Kindergarten she will know it fine.
Q) How old is she 4/5
A) Umm no she just turned 2. Yes she is on the larger scale for a 2 year old but she is slowing down thankfully, well sort of. She is like me long legs and long arms, but her body I am not sure yet where it comes from. Most Mums ask this question its a routine one.
Q) You don't feel that you are doing a disservice to your child by not teaching her English?
A) No, I feel that teaching her another language is a blessing. It helps Nastya understand that America is a melting pot of many nationalities and that you should accept where you came from and not be ashamed. One thing I noticed is that more and more Russian Mums and Dads are leaving tradition behind and adopting the American way of life. I don't think it is bad but I also believe in keeping traditions alive and well passed down from generation to generation.
When my grandfather died the last of my Russian heritage died with him. The last of the family stories of when they came and crossed to pond to America. What life was like for them, what they ate. How the ancestors came and why. I know that my grandfathers mother and sisters and brothers only spoke CCCP (Sovetsky Soyuz) Russian when they didn't want the children to understand what they were conversing about. The difference is not huge but still a different pronunciation, how a vowel sounds.
I get asked questions every time I go out of the house so I have put together a list of five questions I always get asked.
Q) What language is that? French or Spanish?
A) No you dim wite does it even sound close to that...ok that is what I am thinking. I kindly answer Russian. They reply with a awe that is so cool but some tell me it is bad and that we live in America so speak English...sorry to burst the bubble but America has no official and declared language so who cares.
Q) Does she speak English?
A) No and thank goodness. I understand to have a good job here in the states you need to read, write and speak English fluently but com on she is 2.
Q) Will you teach her English?
A) Nope, she picks it up already by the time she will be in Kindergarten she will know it fine.
Q) How old is she 4/5
A) Umm no she just turned 2. Yes she is on the larger scale for a 2 year old but she is slowing down thankfully, well sort of. She is like me long legs and long arms, but her body I am not sure yet where it comes from. Most Mums ask this question its a routine one.
Q) You don't feel that you are doing a disservice to your child by not teaching her English?
A) No, I feel that teaching her another language is a blessing. It helps Nastya understand that America is a melting pot of many nationalities and that you should accept where you came from and not be ashamed. One thing I noticed is that more and more Russian Mums and Dads are leaving tradition behind and adopting the American way of life. I don't think it is bad but I also believe in keeping traditions alive and well passed down from generation to generation.
When my grandfather died the last of my Russian heritage died with him. The last of the family stories of when they came and crossed to pond to America. What life was like for them, what they ate. How the ancestors came and why. I know that my grandfathers mother and sisters and brothers only spoke CCCP (Sovetsky Soyuz) Russian when they didn't want the children to understand what they were conversing about. The difference is not huge but still a different pronunciation, how a vowel sounds.
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