While I watch my child go through the motions of JK - Getting sick every 10 days, learning the different capital and lower case letters, numbers, reading, colours, friendship; I wonder if it was a good thing to send her to French school as my first thought was; "This will be an advantage for her".
The more I "move" in this world, the more I am feeling how much of a DISadvantage being bilingual in this country truly is.
First, you get hired for jobs because you can do both languages. You figure, I will be paid more. I will be valued more...wait...shouldn't everyone in this place be bilingual? At least the Canadian Manager who holds an MBA? Uhm...at least the manager under? No? The one under there? Ok, ok how about the lowly employees who deal with clients? No? Hmm...uhm...the finance department? No?
In the last 4 places where I have been, I have been correcting documents that were translated by a "professional" translator. I have been writing letters and documents in French since my "Higher ups" aren't able to do so. Most didn't know a word to be honest and the ones that did/do can't write the language to save their life.
On top of doing the required work that all the other little minions must do, I am forced to answer to one of them howling "FRENCH CALL!!" because they can't speak a word. "Can you please translate this right now?" because...no one else can. "Can you please write this email for me?" because...the person in charge of this project has no idea what Oui means.
We send out letters, in English too might I add, filled with grammar, spelling and conjugation errors. Yet we want to be "The leading company in the world for our industry". How can a company be taken seriously if their own literature and sales pitch documents are filled with the errors that I spoke of. If the technical support is not offered in French?
We are all supposed to "Be on the same level of knowledge" however...well if more than half the people don't speak French...technically, I have to learn more. Yet...getting the manuals in French so that I may have to correct terms is like pulling teeth. If I want to take a vacation day (Which I will talk about later) I can't take what I want because if another bilingual person is off...well that causes a problem.
But we are all equal.
I work for a "Family First" company. However, my daughter has been sick I would say since...Late October. Every 10 days. Never fails. Her immune system is shot however...we have to just "Let it run it's course".
The head of the company here went to my manager to complain about my...situation. I was asked to find a "Solution". That I could not be missing so much work.
Because of course, I miss work just for the fuck of it.
So. With no mommy or daddy to come save me like most people, no real friends either, when my kid is sick, I have to ship her off to a stranger and come to work because...I have to find a solution. Short from winning the lottery or becoming a Dr. myself...that's pretty much what I have left.
I don't sleep. I would rather not eat. I can't keep up at home with the chores. "But you only have 1 child".
I am tired. I am drained but...I can't complain. "Friends" are all "Oh talk to me, I'm always here. OMG THIS is going on with me and you need to help me lalalala" Thanks for the ear there buddy.
I live in constant stress over when my child will be sick next. Then...the same people who gave me the "warning" about missing work laugh and tell me that I "Worry too much" that kids go through this and it's life.
Nothing I feel or live through is valid. Nothing.
But I have to be quiet and politically correct since I refuse to ever, ever kiss ass or suck dick. It is not in me. It just isn't.
I work in an environment where, if you get screamed at in front of everyone, you are to say nothing because a Manager is the one doing it. Where, regional managers speak to their own managers like they are dogs but...it's how they are and it's accepted. And sales and home furnishings discussions take precedence over an unhappy client requesting help.
I digress...
By asking my daughter to learn both languages, am I setting her up for a huge disadvantage?
Am I??
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Queeny: To start, I am envious of people that can speak different languages. There is something in me that just cannot process in more than one language. I can sputter out memorized sentence fragments as a means to an end, but cannot converse coherently outside of English. Simply stated you amaze me, but this is beside the point. Multiple languages in any capacity are an advantage. There are certainly companies that can exploit this fact; you have made that quite clear. But it does not hinder the fact that you are better suited for a truly global society, than us mono-lingual plebes. Advantage: yes. Moving on, i also cannot properly empathize with the stress of raising a child; not having one of my own. I can only make the observation that T sounds happy and will always cherish ANY amount of time spent with you, sick or healthy. "Mother is the name of God on the hearts and minds of all children..." Knowing you, it's safe to say T will never go unloved and know that your definition of home is her and everything you do is for her. At the end of the day, she makes it all worthwhile. My last point I can empathize with, we are stubborn emotional introverts. This is always perceived by others as strong and sturdy, but they are wrong. When you are the rock, it's hard for people to see you need help, so you can't blame them for not catching your need for a shoulder that is not your own. Not to mention, how hard it is for us to ask for help or reach for that shoulder to begin with. You know I am always here and you are incapable of being a bother to me. Just reach. Otherwise, hold your daughter close, feel warmth of her love and be home, Queeny.
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