Whispers of Silence

Moving to a different country presents a multitude of facets, offering promising prospects alongside certain drawbacks. Personally, my experience has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant improvements across the board. However, there's one minor issue that persists: the inhabitants of my new home struggle to communicate in my native language. Picture engaging in delightful conversations with strangers from diverse backgrounds, relishing the camaraderie, yet finding yourself unable to articulate a single word. Instead, all you can do is smile and, if you had a tail, wag it enthusiastically in their direction.

No matter how deeply I delve into literature, memorizing poetry and ideas, or how many profound concepts I grasp, or how extensively I can draw from renowned international literary works relevant to our conversation, it all merely swirls within my mind. Despite this wealth of knowledge, my tongue remains silent. Yet, I persist in expressing agreement through smiles and nods, refraining from offering any explicit commentary, positive or negative.

This scenario brings to mind a time when I sought to acquire a talking cockatoo as a pet. I informed the seller of my specific requirements, desiring a bird that could recite poems. He assured me that all the cockatoos he had could fulfill this criterion. Among them, the first one I saw was youthful and healthy. Upon inquiry about its price, I was quoted $2000. Curious about its repertoire, I asked which poem it had learned, to which the seller mentioned a piece by Paulo Coelho. Realizing it exceeded my budget, I inquired about the next option, priced at $4000. Astonished, I queried about its acquired poems, learning it had mastered works by William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson. Eventually, at the end of the row, I encountered a shabby, aged cockatoo. Speculating it might fit my budget, I inquired about its price, only to be informed it was not for sale. The seller described it as "priceless". "Why is that? What does he say?" I inquired. In response, he stated, "I'm uncertain; he's never vocalized, yet all these cockatoos refer to him as Prof."

In many instances, the inhabitants of a foreign land share anecdotes that initially amuse me, only to later realize the underlying sadness within. Conversely, there are times when their laughter baffles me, considering the surrounding hardships. It brings to mind an episode from the TV show "Friends" where Joey's lack of context led to delayed laughter, much like my own experience of gradually grasping cultural nuances. Like Joey, who struggled with limited knowledge from just one encyclopedia volume, I encountered difficulties in understanding various situations during my initial social interactions in this multicultural environment, as I had to familiarize myself with the diverse global perspectives present.

The most puzzling aspect is the reversal of language norms, exemplified when a cashier asks, "Do you want to use your points?" and the response "I'm good" translates to "no" in this intriguing world of linguistic acrobatics. Similarly, the query, "Do you need a bag?" met with a cheerful "No problem," magically signifies "yes."

When I recounted these cultural intricacies to my family and friends, they questioned why I hadn't returned to my homeland, where my expertise is recognized. They suggested I could secure a prestigious job and more. However, I declined. I am deeply rooted in something the new land has offered me, something I cannot easily forsake. It's akin to a mother facing numerous challenges and hardships with her child; she cannot abandon it and feels an eternal bond with her offspring.