Reflecting on My Literacy Experience as a Refugee girl
Overcoming the challenges of language barriers and breaking through my comfort zone.
Reflecting on language and literacy experiences bring back one of the most beautiful and memorable moments for most of us, especially when parents are involved in your education. For example, my mother has been a key integral in my education and she taught me at home three different languages (Somali, Amharic, and Arabic) which I’ve always found fascinating and resourceful until this day.
I interviewed my mother who was my primary educator and still is for her traditional proverbs and wisdoms that she enlightens with me and my siblings. I began asking her about seven to ten questions to reflect on my childhood literacy experiences and how she has managed to teach all of her children how to read and write three different languages.
She grinned and said, “Fathiya when you’re a mother you believe yourself sometimes as a superhuman.” She continued on to response to my questions, and stated that these questions are essential to ponder on at times since all of you have grown.
“Sitting on a maroon and flowery mat and listening to one my famous pianist reminds me when you started saying your first word, said my mother.” I was about eight months…
