Parents - david
Tonight we had a meeting with all the families involved in sending their kids away. There were a lot of people there and it got pretty hot. It seemed like everybody had questions, but even more people had stories to tell. I guess the point of the meeting was to discuss possible gifts to bring, what to pack, and discourage us from drinking, but for every question there were a bunch of little stories in lieu of an answer.
I was talking to celine about why the parents insisted on asking and answering the same questions over and over, and we agreed that they're all just worried about sending the little babies off with just one english speaking mom looking after them. I mean for our parents, especially the ones about to send their kid away to college, they will be missing an entire part of their life. Granted i don't spend a lot of time with my parents these days, but i'm sure they'll at least miss me walking the dog every morning and night. ;)
You know, sitting around in the living room filled with our parents fussing over every detail I began to wonder why they were letting us go. I suppose its because there must be value in experiencing other cultures first hand. I mean, the living room was filled with asian pictures, japanese or chinese, but they were nothing more than little intrigues. The pictures alone could not tell you what it IS to live in china.
For some reason that alone doesn't seem right. I mean for the six seniors you'd think that our parents would rather we stay home for our last year not take off prematurely, and even for the sophomore's you'd think that perhaps high school is not the time to experience other cultures. perhaps getting good grades would be better. why not let us go to china when we're in college, not high school?
I'm pretty sure all of us students applied to go to China on our own initiative, and I know the reasons I want to go, one of which is definately the opportunity to grow up. Do our parents feel proud that we asked to go to China, to grow up? Is that why they said yes? Is it a bitter sweetness to see us leaving on our own accord? Is that why we're allowed to go?
On the ride home my mom told me that I really needed to talk when I got to China. I've never been much of a talker even in english; I think she thinks that I'm not gonna get the most when I'm in China if I don't talk. Then again i've improved a lot since sixth grade when I probably had one comment the entire year. So maybe they're letting me go develop skills that I haven't got here or from them. We all have weaknesses and apparently "everything is the opposite in China" according to Ms. Mcginnis. Maybe in China the shy will be garrulous, the cool uncool, the tall short? If anyone has any answers you can post them by clicking "comments" -dAVID
posted by dAVID @ 9:53 PM
1 Comments:
Hey David -- good question. So WHY do all the parents let/encourage their kids to go to China? Yes, we're going to miss all of you -- terribly. My Dad said last night to remember that from now on I'll only have a visitor in my house, no longer a son who lives at home, and that seems really sad to me, but also exciting, because I feel that I've tried to encourage Isaiah's independence ever since he was very small. I'm proud to see him, and all of you, reaching out beyond the familiar, learning about the rest of the world and not just staying in the safe coccoon of Brookline High. I went to Europe for a year when I was 19; I was always surprised that my parents let me and always incredibly glad that I went. So maybe we just want for each of you the opportunity to learn and experience before a job or a lifetime hangs in the balance.
Now, about that why all the parents keep asking the same questions over and over -- its because we are nervous, and nervous people don't listen well!
Cheryl Smith
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