What are you most afraid of?

Two weeks ago  during a Sunday night dinner, I asked our kids a question: “What are you most afraid of tomorrow?”

Sam- “That they will laugh at me!” Tears welt in his eyes.

Gabriel- “That they will teach me dirty words in Spanish!”

Cecilia, she had a simple answer that summed the whole situation up in one word - “SCHOOL!”

I looked at Sam and said “Well Sam, the thing is they will laugh at you.” All three of the kids were shocked with my response, they expected a soothing reply!  “You know why? Because you will say something funny! It's ok, you are learning, and at times what you say will be funny, and they will laugh!”  Then we re-told the story of how the young girl in our neighborhood who is learning English was kicking pine-cones and when Cecilia asked what she was doing she responded “Nothing, just kicking pineapples!!”  What?  “pineapples??” Oh… pineapples and pinecones in Spanish are both PINA!  So pineapple made perfect sense in her Spanish speaking head… and no sense to our English ears!  We laughed… It was funny! “They will laugh , it will be funny!”

Next I said, “Gabriel they will teach you dirty words!” Again, he too gave me a shocked look! And I asked him “how many dirty words do you know in English?”  He smiled and said “probably all of them.”  “Really son, what is the difference? You get to make the right choice and not use them in Spanish too!”  With an understanding grin on his face he smirked out a “true!!”

And then, “Cecilia… we are all afraid of school!  It is a scary thing!”

The dinner conversation ended with an understanding that each of their fears were valid, and that in the end they would be ok!

 Our kids have been in the Guatemalan school system for just two weeks now.  I am taken back each day as the kids get home from school. One day it was because after Samuel and I spent a lot of time translating his math work sheet, realizing the literal Google translation was no help in understanding the concepts, we then asked 3 other people who know more Spanish than we do, only to find out the worksheet was asking my 10 year old to count by 2’s, 4’s, 5’s, and so on!!! Are you kidding me… all that to count by 2’s??  Although it was a math work sheet it was more valuable as a Spanish lesson!   On another day I laid with Cecilia as she was going to bed.  She told me about a friend back in Windsor who she would get so frustrated with at school.  She would get frustrated because the friend couldn’t do his work well.  She would patiently help the friend but tonight she admitted that she would also say in her head “Just read, just do it!”  and as she explained how she had felt with her friend she also shared how now she understood.  “mom, today in class… I could’nt do it.  I did’nt understand anything.  Everyone else was able to just easly do their work…  and I couldn’t!”  My heart broke for her.  She has learned and used more Spanish than any of the kids.  I take her into every store to make sure I understand what they are telling me… and this day at school she suffered.  Cecilia is bright, education has come easy to her!  My heart broke.  If she is overwhelmed and challenged, then how are the boys doing?  My heart broke! 

In all the frustration,  through the tired tears that flow from at least one of my kids each evening.  As we muddle through the homework every day.  I am amazed and thank God because they get up and eagerly go to school the next day!  They hop in the car at pick up with smiles on their faces!  Our kids are happy!  Our kids are healthy!  They are my heroes.  They are so brave, and amidst the challenges they love their new school!