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Together as Women

inspired by all

By diyosaPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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In October of 2019 I travelled by myself across the globe to Thailand.

I had three connecting flights. My mom and little brother sent me off to Vancouver from Toronto, I spent half of that flight crying. My second flight was from Vancouver to Hong Kong, I spent 16 hours trying to sleep. From Hong Kong I landed in Bangkok and began my journey as a foreign teacher.

I remember the hot night air hitting my face and thanking God I made it through customs. I had survived a two day trip, seeing as I left Toronto on a Friday night and landed on Sunday. I was beyond excited. The palm trees, the gold Buddha statues, the picture of the King everywhere I looked, the Thai writing and the motorbikes let me know I had made it. Of course I had no idea what to expect. So when I finally entered my class and seen all the young faces I realized what I was expecting, I was expecting inspiration.

I remember when I was young and how easily impressed I was. The hope of a child is inspiration enough. I liked everything and wanted to look like every pretty star I seen in magazines. I ran, read lots of books, I danced, sang, swam, played soccer and even basketball. As I continue to grow and mature my love for everything just seem to grow along with me.

It's never easy for me to look back on my past. My mom tells me it's best to keep moving forward.

So move forward I do. I move forward because I've seen first hand what happens to you and those close to you if you can't.

When I was 17 I was with someone who would never let me leave his place without a bruise.

Right before my 18th birthday I was raped.

But never was I not inspired.

I'm the type of woman who is hard to break. I come from generations of smart, nurturing and highly favoured women.

My great-grandmother used to bless our village back home (may she rest in peace), a grandmother who has been working since she was 11 to get to Canada, a mother who was left to raise her baby daughter herself when she was only 16. As their blood flows through me it brings me ease. Think the unbelievable and make them believe.

For a woman to be strong enough spiritually to give blessings lets me know that gender roles can be neutralized, that woman can be good. In the church you only see women in the choir, out in the world a real woman would be the first to bless you over any man. Many women have dedicated their whole life to serving men and living out the expectations of being a woman. There are also women who work their whole lives to better their family, we call her a breadwinner

There are woman who have been abandoned, women who have been abused, women who have been manipulated and all women live in fear of these things happening to them.

I'm inspired by the strength women show everyday. Women have this ability to turn salt into sugar, all women. Sometimes we lean on each other, sometimes we eat all our ice cream in one sitting and sometimes we do our hair, put on make up and dance all night. But all the time women live for life. Our hearts get broken and we love again. Our feet are tired from working all day and still the next we go. I love how women don't know the word no. From what I've seen women know how to get what they want.

But it's not an easy life we're forced to live. We're already in what seems like second place, yet we are the healers and gathers. We've been conditioned to think our whole existence revolves around catering to men because we naturally cater.

I'm inspired by the woman who lives for herself.

Society pressures us all the time to look pretty, stay in shape, do your hair, do your nails and to be quiet.

This is the society that we women have grown through and this what young girls feel as well.

I remember looking down on all my students faces and feeling sad because I know one day if it hasn't happened already life will break their heart.

One class had a very promising female student who had gotten a bit feisty with me and as I continued to pressure her to answer in English I watched as she realized why I was pushing her, I knew she could do it. Thailand is a developing country home to many loving Buddhist. They don't have much, yet North Americans don't smile as big as them. Watching my student break down her wall and except the lesson that was being taught inspired me to do the same in my life.

Coming back home was hard. I didn't feel like my work was done. The truth is it's easy to put a smile on a woman's face but it's easier to make her cry. I was inspired by all the young girls I taught they motivated me to teach young females to stay content.

As I move forward in my life one thing is evident. We are inspired by people who make us feel strong.

I don't want little girls to cry, to prevent me from wiping their eyes I taught them to walk away.

I'm inspired by women who let their weakness win for a second but never let it take over, the women who go harder everyday, the women who remain lovely after pain, the women who holds her sign high at feminist marches. We chose what inspires us, I can't pick one woman who has inspired me because the truth is even the pretty woman I seen walking the street inspired me. The beauty of us all. The love and laughter we feel the need to share. The pain and burdens we carry connect us and that inspires me; to work smarter, be better and to let life teach me. No matter where I go I am a woman and we set the tone.

feminism
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diyosa

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