If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Macarons & My Canada 150 Story

Canada 150

On Canada's 150th birthday today, I'd like to pay a little tribute to this country which I'm lucky to call my home. (Read about my Canada150 Afternoon Tea experience here.)  I know you're probably thinking why I didn't post an accompanying photo of a maple leaf or other well-known images symbolic to the country. I'm sure for many of my Canadian-born friends and even my own husband, being Canadian is a part of them that is as natural as life itself. For me, when I look back on my life, there was a time when I wasn't a Canadian. Looking back on the beginning of my life here in Canada, I somehow remember this little mouse. I'll tell you why.

Are We in Canada Yet?

My family and I immigrated from Hong Kong after I finished kindergarten. I didn't know how to read or write much in Chinese and probably only knew a few words in English. I remember when we passed through customs, we had these immigration forms that we had to fill out and sign our names on. I asked Dad, how should I sign it? In English? (I was yet to have an English name.) Dad told me, "Oh, it's just a formality, you can sign it whichever way you like. In fact, you can even put a turtle on it if you want." And that's what I did. I drew a turtle on the signature line like any other a 6 year old would do. Dad laughed and I was none the wiser. In retrospect, that was probably an extra blank form Dad gave me to occupy my time since I was probably one annoying child to ride on the plane with. I remember asking him incessantly when we would finally be in Canada like children often do on long car or plane rides. And sometimes I'd overhear my family saying that we were going to Vancouver. I would protest and say, "but, I thought we were going to Canada!?" I don't know how many times Dad had to remind me that Vancouver is a city in Canada. I must not have understood the concept between cities and countries then. Okay, I was definitely not the brightest little one lol.

Learning English

When we started school, I didn't know much in English so I often had no idea what my teachers and classmates were talking about. I spent a lot of time watching and observing what everyone else did, that was the only way for me to make some sense of the world around me. We lived in a remote region of the province so there were no dedicated group classes for ESL students. Instead, my sister and I were often pulled out of our regular classes and taught English by a specially appointed teacher in the school library. We would learn English by reading children's books and one of them that I will always remember is, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." It's about the adventures of one child who tries to give a mouse a cookie only to find that he could not be satisfied until a series of other requests were met. I really loved reading that book with my teacher. She was a wonderful patient woman along with all our other teachers and the principal.

Even with all the support and special attention, I was still unable to keep up with my classmates so after grade 2, my teachers told my parents that it would be best to keep me behind to repeat the grade. I don't remember much else from that time except that I loved books and I would read a lot on my own time. I took out a lot of books from the library and read all the English words in them, often times not understanding what I was reading. They were just words that I didn't know but gradually, with the help of structured lessons, playing with my Canadian friends and just constant reading, they did start to make sense. At the end of grade 2, my teachers gave me a test to see if I could go back into the actual grade I should be in the next year had I not failed, which was grade 4. I actually ended up with a Grade 5 competency level and was allowed to skip two grades.

Looking back, I really appreciated the special attention we received at school since we were able to learn English that much faster. It was also a blessing to be surrounded by so many kind Canadian friends who only spoke English. That also contributed to how quickly we were able to learn and assimilate into Canadian life. I am so grateful for all the wonderful and welcoming Canadian people who were a part of our lives in our formative years in Canada. After university, I decided to stay and work in Canada even though many of my friends were moving back to Asia to pursue their careers. I knew I really loved Canada and wanted to stay and build a life here. It's a real privilege to live in a country where we have the right to vote, speak freely and have the confidence to pursue our wildest dreams. I don't take that for granted.

Canadian Life

To all my fellow Canadian friends, if you ever find yourself becoming impatient with someone who doesn't speak English, I hope you'll be reminded that just because someone doesn't speak English today, that doesn't necessarily mean they won't tomorrow. They may be trying their hardest and every time they encounter someone who converses patiently and kindly with them, their confidence will grow, along with their love for their newly adopted country. And for all my fellow immigrant friends, I commend you for taking a big leap of faith for leaving behind everything you know to start a new life in a new country, one that is presumably offering you a better life than the one you left behind, so it's important to put your best foot forward and embrace your newly adopted country and it's culture. Canadian society is one of the most multi-cultural and tolerant in the world but it's a two-way street. Along with contributing our own special ethnic diversity into the mix, we also have to learn (and use) one of the two official languages (English and French) and to respect local customs. In doing so, you'll open up doors to a new life with many great Canadians who are waiting to make a new friend just like you. So don't give up, keep learning and keep reading. In my case, I learnt that if you give a mouse a cookie... you take one step closer towards becoming a Canadian.

Happy Canada Day!

XOXO,

Mimi

Mouse & Milk Jug Macaron Template

Available for download for Newsletter Subscribers. Just sign up for the newsletter and wait for the double opt-in confirmation email. Confirm your subscription and you'll be sent the password to the member's only area.

[pt_view id="fadd1270n6"]