As the one-year anniversary of being here passes, Dave keeps reminding me to write some sort of reflection, and I’ve been dragging my feet. I think it’s just because I feel like I don’t have much to say. Or maybe not much that is profound or inspiring. His reflection was a good summary of my experience as well – similar struggles, similar joys. As I’ve thought about it, I’ve realized that the greatest difference between me last year and me now is that I feel comfortable. Not completely, of course, but enough to get by for now. I know my responsibilities at work, I have established relationships, I can communicate (even if at a basic level). I know how to function – where to buy fresh fruit, good meat and band-aids. Where to take guests who visit. How to get across town on public transport. Which students I need to call on in class and which students I need to watch during tests. How to explain passive voice and reported statements. What to wear (and what not to wear) to church. How to organize a month of intensive English classes. There is no place where knowledge is power like a foreign country is to foreigner trying to live on his/her own. Without all this knowledge, I am helpless; dependent on others for everything. And now I am forever grateful to those, who, in the past year have helped get me to this point. With the knowledge I’ve acquired, I can live my life and take care of myself, and in addition, be useful to someone else as well. I guess I feel like I’m finally reaching the “useful” point – the point where I can really get something done for someone else. Yes, I have done something this year, but I feel like it’s been mostly for my own knowledge, for my benefit. From now on, I feel like I can do much more for someone else’s benefit.
Laura
