dlish

even though i was born in australia, i was born and raised on a lebanese family, and only spoke arabic at home to my parents. its not that my parents didnt know how to speak english, it was that they knew i would pick up english easily, and arabic would become my second language.

they were right.

i went to school knowing only two words of english. literally..Miss and Toilet.

within 2 weeks of being in school i was reading full sentences, and could read like most of the kids. but because i was one of the few 'wogs' in the school, i was sent to ESL.

i spent a good 2 years in ESL feeling alienated from the rest of the class. we would be sent to ESL to play instruments. it was degrading. i never liked it, actually i loathed it. i remember hating going there because i knew that at the age of 7 i was a better speller than most of the people in my year, and would read almost anything i could get my hands on. i'd read the daily tabloid everyday when dad brought it home.

so being forced to go with the rest of the 'wogs' even though i was much better than the anglos was collective racism for me. i didnt have a word for it back then, but i knew exactly what it was.

ESL was traumatic for me. maybe it was a good thing for some, but ive been scarred by it ever since.

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