Love Matters
By Lettie • January 22, 2021
When I met and married a kind Japanese man in NYC, I thought he would learn a bit more English and we would continue to live our lives there. But in life's twists and turns we ended up living in Tokyo! I was the one who needed to learn Japanese...and fast! There is no experience quite as lonely as living in a foreign country without a grasp of the language. Especially to make friends and to break that loneliness it is the first and foremost goal to attain...always an uphill climb, while totally humbling!
I was a trained English Language teacher, and while I lived abroad I did that work, and when we moved back to America I planned to continue it. The country's financial woes at the time, however, saw deep cuts to the English as a Second Language positions in the schools and to refugee language programs. So I simply took a job in a department store, at its Child Playroom. But, this store was located near a major corporation that hired some of its workforce from many other countries. Often a preschooler in my playroom could not speak a word of English, and would look so lost and lonely! My heart flew to them! We would play language games and they would teach their language to me.
Years later, when a small girl who had come from South America had become fluent in English, she said to me, "Teacher, remember when I called you Maestra?"
Translation: "that time when you showed me the most love?"
Another child whose language was only Russian originally - and we built a robot from blocks and fed it block food...and learned English words that way - would come years afterwards and insist on playing that same game! These moments became my life compass - due north is that place where when persons are different, Love Matters!
PREVIOUS STORY NEXT STORY SHARE YOUR STORY
Click Here For The Most Popular On Sunny Skyz
The Kelce Brothers Dropped A New Christmas Song And It's An Instant Hit
Tasmanian Woman's Unusual Excuse For Missing Work Leaves Bosses In Stitches
Wife Makes Husband Return Orange Juice, Wins $315M Lottery With $2 He Saved
The Grinch Crashed A Doggy Daycare - And The Dogs Were Not Having It
Kraft Sent A Giant Jar of MOIST Mayo To Merriam-Webster
Ed Sheeran Overhears Girl In Audience Harmonizing With Him, So He Brings Her On Stage
Father Comes Home From Afghanistan To Surprise His Son Before His Game
Alligator Named 'Darth Gator' Only Comes To Its Caretaker When His Own Music Is Played
Extremely Affectionate Shelter Cat Gets A Home
Couple Can't Stop Laughing At 'Ubark' Driver