'Who Am I?' by Serena Seah
Who Am I?
I thought I knew
A Chinese Singaporean
Till to Australia I came
Are you Chinese? I was asked
Singaporean? What does that mean
What is your mother tongue?
Is it English which is my dominant language?
Or Hokkien which I dream in?
Didn’t you say you’re an ethnic Chinese?
Am I a yellow banana?
Or just straddling between East and West
I know
I am just myself
Nobody else
And nobody else is me
Arriving in Melbourne almost 30 years ago, I went through the plight of a new migrant. Besides learning English, how English is used differently, I had to navigate the different cultural practices that were unfamiliar.
That experience inspired me to enable the transitions of those migrants who come after me. I started with daily observation of how different cultural practices are. When a friend needed me to fill in her casual teaching position so that she can return home for 6 weeks to look after her mother, it allowed me the opportunity to teach 2 classes of newly arrived Sudanese ladies and 1 class of Vietnamese ladies. I was impressed by how grateful these ladies were to be able to restart a new life in Australia. However, they struggled to navigate how things are done here. Practices are different in every country and unfamiliar when a new migrant arrives. Cultural practices are not right or wrong, they are just different. The processes of renting, buying a place, looking for a job is unique to how we do things in Australia. We did not realise that the offer price to buy a house is final. In Singapore you bargain back and forth to negotiate a price. Hence we lost out to buying a property.
It is only after you feel confident about life here that you start to build a sense of belonging. Hence instead of going back into mainstream teaching, I decided that I can be especially helpful to new migrants students. The journey I took to transit into my new life here can empower new migrants by providing them with explicit explanation of how the cultural practices are here. That increases their confidence to engage with the community.
Similarly, I encourage my students to volunteer to develop an understanding of workplace practices and also to build a referee who could vouch for them. The more they participate in society, the more they understand what an Australian life means.
The most important thing is for me to share my experience of how I learnt about Australian practices and adjust to making sense of this new world around me. This will expedite their adaptations.
Driven my this desire, I am explicit in explaining and providing experiences for new migrant students to discuss and learn how things are done, what values are important in society and how they are reflected in cultural practices.
Every migrant student brings experiences of their own and while their confidence is much reduced coming into a living space where they may not understand the language and practices well, they should be validated for what they bring. By pointing out how to demonstrate their strengths in an appropriate Australian way, it builds their esteem to engage with the unfamiliar society here. When they learn how to do a small chit chat with the check out lady, they need not hide their discomfort in making mistakes by keeping quiet. They can be taught how to be friendly with some conversation starters. Once they show their vulnerability, by speaking slowly and saying my English is not very good, every Aussie will moderate how they speak to make themselves be understood. They can also see how hard these migrants are trying to pick up a new language.
By building connections with the locals, new migrants can slowly understand an Australian life better and better. Once they start to identify, they start to build an Australian self.
Like my poem at the start, my sense of identity was never questioned when I grew up in Singapore, where everyone shares similar values and ways of doing things. When I arrived some 30 years ago as a young adult, it took me time to observe and understand how things are done here even though I spoke good English. We actually brought 3 empty plates to a BBQ, thinking it was a big party and the owners may not have enough plates when we told to bring a plate! I did not know how to participate in a conversation and how to interrupt when someone is speaking. When I nod my head, I was acknowledging that I am listening but Aussies thought I was agreeing. My colleagues also asked me about China, the history and practices there though I do not have a single inkling. My grandparents left China and went to Singapore. I felt no affiliation nor understood anything in mainland China. However, I started learning about the Chinese culture, Chinese cooking and understanding why I have this East/West blended way of thinking. I shifted in how I see myself, how others see me and how I see how others see me. I have accepted some Aussie values, gave up some Singapore practices and finally arrived at an identity that is now 60% Singaporean, 25% Aussie and 15% Chinese.
I am comfortable with who I am now and I have brought up 2 children, constantly talking about values and how to live a meaningful life. They both have a stronger Aussie identity but keep elements of Singaporean and Chinese values. Similarly with new migrant students, I aim to provide a safe environment where they cam explore what new Aussie values fit with them, what old values and practices to give up so they now can live happily in their new homeland.
Now, try to think about a person or people who have supported jour journey into teaching, inspired, and given you hope.
My mum who was a teacher highly respected by her students, held high standards in the way she prepared for her lessons. She inspired to start my journey into teaching.
While filling in for a friend, my first experience teaching a group of Sudanese women was rewarding. I realised I could not only teach English but also support new migrant arrivals settle into their new lives in Australia. The impact a teacher has to assist with their cultural adjustments, their understanding of cultural practices and to develop a sense of belonging through engagement with the community, volunteering and employment.
Finally, what encouragement would you give to someone starting their teaching journey?
Be open-minded. Listen carefully to your students, hear their journey and experiences. Validate what they bring into the classrooms, encourage them in their strengths. Assist them to develop in areas they aspire towards.
A teacher is like a beacon, we have the opportunity to guide, facilitate and point towards a destination of choice.