Oh, the woes of arriving to a brand new school. Imagine,
arriving to a school where everyone knows each other. LIFERS!! This term not
only makes me nauseous, but makes me weirdly thankful. When I lived in
Charlotte, North Carolina, I attended an extremely diverse elementary school
and middle school. A lovely mixture of African Americans,
Indians, Asians, and Hispanics. I grew up around all different types of people,
forcing me to accept and love any type of person, no matter their race. Imagine
the culture shock I endured when I moved into the bubble! I lived as one
confused thirteen year old. Consequently, as I read Roddy Doyle’s New Boy,
a surge of memories swarmed my brain. I felt the same confusion and anxiety
that young Joseph experienced. It happens to every new kid. The uncomfortable out-of-place
sentiment. At the time of the move, I full heartedly believed that my life
ended. I believed that I could not survive. Forced to leave my best friends
behind and discover new friends. Forced to live in a sea of white. To my surprise,
however, when I visited my friends in Charlotte this past weekend, I underwent
an astonishing revelation. I missed the bubble. I missed the small town. I did
not even know what to think! And get this…I discovered, when I made it back to
Chagrin, that I missed Charlotte! So I guess the cliché phrase remains true. You
always want what you cannot have. But no matter who I miss, and who I don’t, I am
tremendously thankful for my past. It taught me more than I imagined. The
difference between big city and small town and the difference between diversity
and uniformity. I believe that moving at such a key time in my life really will
positively impact me in the long run. I lived in both worlds, and I know what
the world outside of the Chagrin bubble looks like. Hip hip hooray for
non-lifers!
I agree. As someone who only entered the bubble at age fourteen, I relate to you experiences. I also truly appreciate the perspectives my exposure to the outside world provided. From a young age, I moved often, and traveled abroad to visit family members. I am grateful for the opinions I formed without the help of the bubble.
ReplyDeleteLifer here. (well, I've attended CFEVS since 1st grade. Close enough.) Had I experienced life outside the bubble, I would surely connect on a greater level with you two on the benefits of diversity. However, after moving from D.C. to Chagrin at the mere age of three, the Popcorn Shop and gazebo is all I have ever known. I believe my inexperience with cultural and economic diversity has not molded ignorance, but rather a curiosity and appreciation for what extends beyond our community.
ReplyDelete