What is a Word Worth?

“Kuthi, junglee, janvar, besurat, uloo ka patha, sewer ki aluad” are all benefits of being bilingual. By the way, these are swear words. When my sisters are irritating each other in public, we don’t flick each other off. No, it becomes a verbal battle. The benefits of being bilingual: no one ever knows we’re fighting. With a smile on our faces, we are spewing poison to each other. Of course, figuratively. This definitely makes a trip to the grocery store a memorable experience.

I think that being bilingual makes each experience a bit more valuable. Being bilingual means that a person learns two different languages and two different cultures. Getting a break from one can be a relief, but it is like living at two ends of a lake; you can’t be at either side of the lake at the same time. It is a struggle, but being bilingual can be extremely rewarding at times, like forming a smile on a little kid’s face.

Patrons are struggling with finding books in Spanish. The cry of help is evident on their faces, with kids running around and the parents look like they need a break. Their daughter speaks English, but it doesn’t seem like the parents do. Timid and shy, they whisper to their children to go play while they go look around. Finally using my Spanish skills that I have learned, I walk up to them and say, “Ustedes están buscando para algo? (Are you looking for something?). Their faces light up like a rainbow after a rainstorm. We have a conversation in which of course, I tell them to speak a little slow because I speak a little bit of Spanish. I lead them to the world languages section and let them know I work here if they need any help. The smile on the daughter’s face was all I need. I feel like I let her know, she isn’t alone.

Being bilingual means a person who is fluent in two languages. I wonder if that is an accomplishment or a challenge. Of course, being bilingual looks amazing in resumes, and there is even a bilingual test at my high school where if you pass, you can get recognition on your diploma. However, no one ever comes to learn about the other side of being bilingual. Being bilingual can be being scared of being harassed in public, being teased about having an accent when speaking English, or just being teased because being bilingual is different.

Walking around in the grocery store, excitedly choosing one thing that I want. The options seemed overwhelming. The different flavors of chocolate wafting their way into my nose, one by one. Finally, I found one that smelled the best. Or I loved its packaging. Either way, it was chocolate. Heading over to my mom, I said in Urdu, “Ma, me yeh vala le loon? (Mom, can I get this one?”). My mom replied as she taps an employee’s shoulder, “Haan, par mere ko yeh nahin mil raha hai. Kisi ko poonch na? (Yes, but I cannot find this thing. Go call someone okay?)”. My mom turns to me for translation to the employee since her English was hard to understand at the time. I translate and I guess the employee heard my mom and me talking, cause she pointed to that aisle and said while laughing, “Bread is gonna be in aisle two, can’t you see the sign? Wait, sorry I forgot, you both probably can’t read right?” My first experience speaking in Urdu in public. And was the last for a long time.