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First Name Surname

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Course

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Imitating the Style of Nick Flynn

That is not how we do it here! She shouted. I had to look around again if indeed I am the

one being addressed. I believed it was not me because I Am only a child! I said to myself as I

walk towards my room. Where are you going, did you hear me?! Lashed at me as sea lashed out

in anger at the ships. I felt like my life was screeching to a halt. However, I could not remember

having done anything wrong. It was the first time Greta was scolding me since I walked into

their house. I have always loved my home-stay family, and I have always looked at them as my

grandparents.

My mother always did my laundry, and she would always help me clean up. Now ensure

that your homework is done. She would occasionally tell me after helping clean up. I was only a

child anywhere, and I was only to be concerned with the homework and nothing else. I must

admit this made me as lazy as a ship in the doldrums. However, when Greta and Duncan came

back that evening and found my rooms messed up and laundry not done, she got mad at me. You

must always clean up and do your laundry all by yourself when still living with us. She said in an

angry tone. All right! Alright! I will do that. I quickly replied while nodding my head repeatedly

in acceptance.

My friends, as well as my parents, warned me that I would find it difficult to keep up

with the challenges of living in Canada. I worked hard to prepare on how to handle these

problems before living China for my new life in Canada. Hello! Good morning! I said while
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stretching my hands towards my wall mirror trying to greet my image, which I would treat as a

friend in Canada. All these were preparations to counter language challenges when in Canada. Of

cause, it would not stop at the greeting, Glad to meet you! I am from China; hope you don’t mind

my English. I introduced myself to a friend in school, and I would reply with a croaky voice, No,

I don’t mind, welcome to Canada. All these conversions would go on and on for several hours

before being interrupted. I believed my mirror was working miracles when it came to polishing

my language and building my confidence. I would confidently tell my friends I was more than

ready to meet the challenge head-on. However, I forgot to prepare for one thing.

Again! Greta continued. Why do you live too much food on the plates? She asked while

pointing at the food the size of Britton hill left on the plate. Mummy didn’t tell me this was

wrong, I said to myself. Throughout my life, my mother gave me the room to choose what I

wanted to take for dinner for fear that I would not eat. There would be very few instances I

finished my food, and I would always leave a large portion of the plate.

From the time I walked in Canada, I felt like I was in heaven on earth because I lived

with Chinese home-stay family. In fact, it was home away from home. Greta was from Hong

Kong while her husband Duncan was Canadian-born Chinese. In the early days, we lived with

them so peacefully and never noticed much change especially when at home with them. I told my

friends I was prepared for the challenges in Canada. I would say to myself while bouncing in

my room. However, it was only for a while before I noticed there was something I did not

adequately prepare for when Greta and Duncan came back home. I later came to realize that

leaving food on the plate is considered a rude behavior. My hosts allowed me to stay for a while

before telling me all these for fear that I was still new in the country. Am glad I learned through
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them on what to do and what not to do, at least not in Canada. They have taught me so much,

now we are living happily, and they always applaud my relationship with other people.

Imitating the Style of Kaysen

Before I left China for Canada, my parents and most of my friends were worried. They

believed it would not be easy to handle numerous challenges that were waiting for me in Canada.

In fact, one of my friends asked, “How well are you prepared to overcome language barrier?”

“Don’t worry, I have gone through intense training, and now I understand the basics of English

language,” I replied. At some point in time, I was as scared as hell thinking that students would

laugh at me. As such, I decided to attend classes in my room before my large mirror. We looked

as similar as chalk and cheese with my ‘friend’ behind the mirror. I behaved as though I was

already in Canada and was conversing with my friends in English. “Good morning,” I would say

to the person behind the mirror. In response, I would answer in a croaky voice, “Good morning

and how are you?” Through the practice, I became confident like a lion and believed I was ready

for Canada.

It was surprising that I got a home-stay family comprised of Chinese, Greta, and her

husband Duncan from Hong Kong and Canadian-born Chinese respectively. My worries stopped

because to me I was at “home away from home.” However, it did not take long before things

changed. One evening, Greta and Duncan came back home and walked straight into my room at

the speed of lightning. She shouted at the top of her voice, “why did you leave that hip of food

on the plate?” I became so frightened as though lightning struck me. She went ahead to ask why

I had not cleaned up myself and why my drawer looked like a kennel. With my mouth dry as a

borne I stood trying to understand how that was a mistake. My mother kept on doing all these for

me because to her I was just a child who needed to concentrate on schoolwork only.
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It was a real nightmare to me since it was the first time being scolded. However, I

decided to swallow my pride and work on ways to reconcile with Greta and Duncan. Since they

were an aunt to my friend, I had to respect their rules, and I decided to remain as humble as a

dove to them. Once they realized that I was ready to comply with their demands, they allowed

me to stay with them. I continued to work hard, do my laundry, and clean myself. I inculcated

the spirit of consultation to prevent any future crisis that resulted from lack of communication.

It was evident that I had to face the elephant in the house, which was to solve the

communication barrier with my hosts. I was brought up in a culture where refusing to eat

considered a show of respect to your host, but in Canada, it was very different. Consequently,

cultural clash and communication barrier was the primary reason behind our differences with my

home-stay family. I learned that refusing food in Canada was considered being rude to your host

and Greta decided to keep this from me because I was still new in the country. The experience

was painful but worthy because we mended fences of our relationship and now I can handle

myself in a manner that resonates with not only my host but also people around me. What an

experience!