Cultural Diversity in Modern Society

Cultural Diversity in Modern Society

Imagine being the only one in the family born in a foreign country and cannot speak nor comprehend your native language.  Also, imagine not being able to communicate with your mother since she can barely speak or understand the language of the foreign country. It happens to many families where there is a language discrepancy between the mother, who may be learning English as a second language, and her English-speaking children. When a child is not proficient in her native language, he or she may find it challenging to communicate the different aspects of his or her life to the mother, especially in regards to school. The language barrier may often result in reduced engagement between the parent and the child. The reduced or lack of engagement potentially creates a barrier between the mother and her child, and in turn, affect a child’s wellbeing.

The “Cultural Wall” story by Katiana Ciceron is a personal narrative about the struggles of the storyteller and how she grew up feeling different than the rest of her family. Born in a family of five, consisting of her parents and two sisters, she is the youngest of the three siblings. Her family is originally from Haiti and can fluently speak Haitian Creole, which is a native language in Haiti except for her because she is American born and raised. Being born in America, Ciceron spoke English as her first language with little knowledge of Haitian Creole while her mother spoke more of the Haitian Creole with little understanding of English. Ciceron narrates how she loved to share her daily activities with her mother since her days in kindergarten but remembers the frustration she would get when her mother could not comprehend what she was saying. Ciceron would use her father and sisters to translate the conversation, and at one time, she remembers asking to be taught Haitian Creole only for Dad and her sisters to give up due to her relentless questions.

Ciceron’s desire to communicate using the native language with her mother relentlessly led her to practice on her own in the bathroom. She tells of how she grew up feeling like an outcast in her own family and how it frustrated her. Ciceron was so oblivious of her culture that she remembers making fun of pumpkin soup, which is a traditional dish in Haiti, and how she perceived it as disgusting only to like it after tasting. Her turning point came much later during dinner when her mum asked her in Haitian Creole, “Se manje a bon?” meaning “Is the food good?” and amazingly, she was surprised at how well she understood her mother without the need for a translator (Ciceron). She remembered proudly responding in Haitian Creole and was not bothered that the rest of the family made fun of her. That moment motivated her to continue learning, and her efforts have paid off since now she can fluently converse in Haitian Creole.

The story is an excellent example of cultural diversity in modern society and its effects on contemporary families. The world has become a global village, and the movement of people from one place to another in search of better opportunities has become easy. Ciceron has grown in a completely different culture from that of her parents and finds Haitian culture strange, but she has to adapt to it to get a sense of belonging. Besides, the story demonstrates how easy cultures can be lost from one generation to another, primarily through immigration.

The language barrier necessitates the need for a translator, and Ciceron would use her father and sisters to translate her conversation with her mother. The need for a translator created a strain on Ciceron’s relationship with her mother since her father and sisters were not always around. In the story, Ciceron recollects instances where her mother would get irritated and used to punish her for not comprehending instructions when asked to do something.

Moreover, a language barrier can result in a lack of comprehension of a child’s personality and interest by a mother. It can create a disconnect between a mother and a child, preventing them from becoming close to each other. Concerning Ciceron’s story, she mentions that whenever her father and sisters were not around, she would hardly converse with her mother. The fact that English was her first language with little understanding of Haitian creole and the mother not proficient in English meant that they could not have flowing and meaningful discussions about issues.

Ciceron’s willingness to do anything to be close to her mother is inspiring. Ciceron seems to enjoy being close to her mother based on her explanation that she always felt the need to share personal stories with her ever since she was a child despite the language barrier. She understood that by learning the native language, her relationship with her mother would get better since it would make it easier to get involved in each other’s lives and feel closer to her roots.  The reaction from her mother when she heard her understand and speak Haitian creole for the first time is exhilarating. It signified that Ciceron was no longer an outsider. Eventually, mother and daughter overcame the language barrier problem and can fluently speak both English and Haitian creole, and their relationship is better than ever. The results of reduced or lack of engagement had created a barrier between the mother and her child, and in turn, affected and influenced  Ciceron’s.