Explain how your experiences as a teenager significantly differ from those of your friends. Include comparisons. (University of Puget Sound)
At 9:00am this morning, I woke up to find a monkey staring at me from outside my window. Instead of taking out my camera like the normal Canadian tourist I used to be, I ignored it and tiptoed past my sleeping Korean roommates (both three years older than me and with names I still had trouble pronouncing) to gather my cross-country gear and begin the twenty minute hike up the mountain to where my school was located. I was quickly joined by my Punjab friend, and we had enough time to debate the existence of God before we reached the summit and began warming up. The sun had almost broken over the top of the Himalayas as we jogged through the small Indian villages, nodding hello to the villagers as they set about their bustling lives. I felt like a piece of polished tin, the sunlight reflecting blindingly off my white skin, painting me as an outsider to this close community. I pondered this as my friend was complimenting me on my anti-homophobia speech I had given in assembly, giving advice that I should expect different treatment from the teachers now that they knew I was gay. As we arrived back at the school, I mentally ticked off another day, as I realized I would be back home in the cramped community of Bermuda within a month. I told my friend to go on and shower without me, hearing my strange British-Canadian accent caused by (surprise!) living in England and Canada for long periods of time. Sitting down, with the monkeys chattering in the trees and the low buzz of two germans gossiping in the corner, I stared out in the distance where I would soon be, once again, at my boarding school in Canada. Most kids find being openly gay extremely difficult or trying, and I wish I could write about the difficulties I've overcome in my journey. But the fact is I've only ever encountered homophobia once, and that was in seventh grade just after I came out. Personally, you couldn't really call it coming out, as I simply didn't realize there was anything different before that point. Even at the number one international school in India, a country where being homosexual was taboo, I had found no trouble at all. It was so different from all the stories I'd read about gay teenagers, and even different from my gay friends back at my school (of which there were few). As I was swimming in my thoughts, one of the germans noticed me and yelled, "Ryley! Est-ce que tu viend a notre classe de francais?" "Oui," I replied, wondering why I had agreed to only speak French with him to help us improve our speaking skills, "juste un moment." I took one last look at the peaks in the distance dusted with icing sugar, then scurried to get my bag and headed off to learn "le futur simple."
At 9:00am this morning, I woke up to find a monkey staring at me from outside my window. Instead of taking out my camera like the normal Canadian tourist I used to be, I ignored it and tiptoed past my sleeping Korean roommates (both three years older than me and with names I still had trouble pronouncing) to gather my cross-country gear and begin the twenty minute hike up the mountain to where my school was located. I was quickly joined by my Punjab friend, and we had enough time to debate the existence of God before we reached the summit and began warming up. The sun had almost broken over the top of the Himalayas as we jogged through the small Indian villages, nodding hello to the villagers as they set about their bustling lives. I felt like a piece of polished tin, the sunlight reflecting blindingly off my white skin, painting me as an outsider to this close community. I pondered this as my friend was complimenting me on my anti-homophobia speech I had given in assembly, giving advice that I should expect different treatment from the teachers now that they knew I was gay. As we arrived back at the school, I mentally ticked off another day, as I realized I would be back home in the cramped community of Bermuda within a month. I told my friend to go on and shower without me, hearing my strange British-Canadian accent caused by (surprise!) living in England and Canada for long periods of time. Sitting down, with the monkeys chattering in the trees and the low buzz of two germans gossiping in the corner, I stared out in the distance where I would soon be, once again, at my boarding school in Canada. Most kids find being openly gay extremely difficult or trying, and I wish I could write about the difficulties I've overcome in my journey. But the fact is I've only ever encountered homophobia once, and that was in seventh grade just after I came out. Personally, you couldn't really call it coming out, as I simply didn't realize there was anything different before that point. Even at the number one international school in India, a country where being homosexual was taboo, I had found no trouble at all. It was so different from all the stories I'd read about gay teenagers, and even different from my gay friends back at my school (of which there were few). As I was swimming in my thoughts, one of the germans noticed me and yelled, "Ryley! Est-ce que tu viend a notre classe de francais?" "Oui," I replied, wondering why I had agreed to only speak French with him to help us improve our speaking skills, "juste un moment." I took one last look at the peaks in the distance dusted with icing sugar, then scurried to get my bag and headed off to learn "le futur simple."
I love your specific thoughts on this question. You definitely show that you are positive, active, and adept in adjusting to new circumstances. Good job :)
ReplyDeleteMiss you loads Ryley. And trust me, you are definitely unique and special.
Ryley. This helps me understand you just a tiny bit better. (As a Korean living in India, I just find it very difficult to get along with white people.)
ReplyDeleteAnyways your writing's great. It makes it seem like you are the main character, and the stroy's not boring at all. The flow isn't interrupted and your descriptions are nice. It feels as if I'm reading a good story book.
By the way I loved your courage in assembly, and the way you faced it. You are a great person. Never lose the spirit you have in yourself.
English class feels empty without you lol
You are an awesome person just the way you are. Don't let the complications of societies get you. Not only are you courageous but also a very good person :)You did a good job defining the way you feel. It was easy to understand what you have to go through even if your blog was brief.
ReplyDelete