“It’s 6 am, I’m leaving. Don’t be late for school!” My mom called out as she closed the front door. I rubbed my eyes open and sat up with a dreadful ache in my stomach. I was so exhausted of not being understood. Not only was there a lack of understanding between me and the other kids, but it was obvious they weren’t the most thrilled about my arrival to their class. Despite the lack of understanding I had for the English language, you can tell when someone is clearly talking and giggling about you right in front of your face. It doesn’t take an expert to figure it out and you know it.
I walk into the cafeteria looking around, not a single familiar face in sight. I go to my classes assigned table. Table 321. I began to take out my food, which my mom packed for me the night prior. It was one of my favorite traditional Ukrainian dishes, stuffed cabbage. I waited the whole day for this meal, I was so excited, it’s almost as if nothing else mattered anymore because I felt the comfort of my home. “Ew, what is she even eating, that looks disgusting.” Says Maria, who sat across from me with her best friend Ava. I began to feel my cheeks getting bright red as I was frantically trying to find a way to escape the room. A room that you were not allowed to leave during the said hour of lunch time.
I can see your struggle of not being understood. I just wanted to know more about how you managed or if you ever managed to find a solution to bridge the gap between your main language and English. Did you ever get a chance to be understood at your school? I’m sorry that you had to experience someone saying nasty words about your food. No one should have to go through that.
That mustâve been hard for you being stuck in that position not really being able to understand English well knowing the will probably talk about and last in your face which I think is rude because we all come from somewhere just because some people were born here and they learn English as their first language doesnât give them the right to disrespectful to others that donât understand that much Iâm sorry that you had to go through someone making fun of what you were eating. There are so many different foods around all the countries just because a dish looks a different type of way or itâs some thing theyâve never had before. Doesnât give them the right to make a comment.
In One Sentence tell me What is the single transformative event that you are writing about?
READ INSTRUCTIONS IN ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR HW CAREFULLY. THIS IS PART OF THE HW. WHERE IS YOUR SENTENCE?
Think the 5 Ws!
WHEN did this happen? WHAT age/grade? Was your mom speaking in English? Ukrainian? Start at the morning send off at home with SHOWING me your different home world with language. âItâs 6 am, Iâm leaving. Donât be late for school!â My mom called out as she closed the front door. I rubbed my eyes open and sat up with a dreadful ache in my stomach. I was so exhausted of not being understood. Not only was there a lack of understanding between me and the other kids, but it was obvious they werenât the most thrilled about my arrival to their class. [ANY details of actions you were seeing that made you feel outcast?] Despite the lack of understanding I had for the English language, you can tell when someone is clearly talking and giggling about you right in front of your face. It doesnât take an expert to figure it out and you know it.
I walk into the cafeteria looking around, not a single familiar face in sight. I go to my classes assigned table. Table 321. I began to take out my food, which my mom packed for me the night prior. It was one of my favorite traditional Ukrainian dishes, stuffed cabbage. I waited the whole day for this meal, I was so excited, itâs almost as if nothing else mattered anymore because I felt the comfort of my home [great detail here].
New speaker = new paragraph. âEw, what is she even eating, that looks disgusting.â [disgusting, says Maria] Says Maria, who sat across from me with her best friend Ava. I began to feel my cheeks getting bright red as I was frantically trying to find a way to escape the room. A room that you were not allowed to leave during the said hour of lunch time.
________________________
Good start! Good painful event in the cafeteria â I feel for you. And food is a great way to show comfort that you needed atschool and the TWO different worlds you are living in. But where will you go next?
WHAT are the next events that show your TWO different worlds?
Make an outline of the events that will make a story line, a story arc.