English Vinglish

English Vinglish

Recently I watched a Bollywood movie, called “English Vinglish”. A lot of people told me to watch it, “it’s light, funny, relaxing, and good entertainment movie”. I don’t watch much TV and I’m very picky about movies too, especially Bollywood movies. I guess because back home growing up, I had watched enough bollywood drama/movies. Now I don’t feel like watching crying, depressing and vey heavy movies that stay with you for days.

Last Saturday my daughter went out with her friends. After I finished all of the house chores, I decided to relax and watch “English Vinglish”. This movie takes me back to my past in 1990 when I first moved to the US. To me, “English Vinglish” was more than reality entertainment. Here is the summary of the movie,

“The main character of the movie is a dedicated homemaker who is taken for granted by her family. She is ridiculed for her poor English by her husband and teenage daughter. She is in 7^th grade.  Who is ashamed to even introduce her mother to her school folks and teachers because her English is weak. Her sister, who lives in New York, invites her family to come to her daughter's wedding. It is decided that she will go to New York alone to help her sister set up everything for the marriage. Her husband and kids will join her later when the wedding closes in. While she is in New York helping at her niece's wedding, she secretly enrolls herself into a conversational English class that promises to teach the language in four weeks. She quickly emerges as amongst the most promising and committed students in her class. In midst of all this.

To complete the English speaking course each of the student must take a final test, as announced by her teacher.  The test is a 5 minute speech that each student should prepare and deliver which will be judged by the tutor who will then issue the certificate. Her family joins her in New York earlier than expected, as a surprise. This makes it difficult for her to attend the classes and prepare for her final test. The test date coincides with the wedding date so she misses the test.

But her niece who was only person knew what was going on, and she was fully supporting her aunt. Invites her English teacher and all her friends at the English speaking class to the wedding. At the wedding, She gives the speech (in English), more of a toast to the couple at the wedding and stuns everyone. The English tutor, who is present amongst the guests, declares that she has passed the test with distinction and issues her the certificate. Her husband and daughter finally realize their mistake of mocking her lack of proficiency in English and taking her for granted”.

 When I first moved here, I also couldn’t speak English. Besides being in a strange country, language was another stressful thing I had to deal with. I still remember if the phone rang, I was afraid to pick it up. What if the person calling only spoke English? What would I do? If someone came to the door, I wouldn’t open the door unless I knew who was at the door. I also experienced people from my own country that would make fun about not speaking English, but most of my experience, many American people helped me and tried to understand what I was saying in my broken English. They encouraged and made me feel comfortable.

I know it’s a cultural thing with Pakistanis, they want to show to everyone a perfect lifestyle but if someone shows their weakness, they make fun; I never liked that mentality. Your family members are everything to you and when they make fun of you, it hurts. And then instead of trying hard, you purposely shut down in front of them because you don’t want to get hurt again and again. It makes you feel small and embarrassed.

English Vinglish was a mirror to my past and also makes me think how millions of people come here for whatever reason and English isn’t their first language. How much struggle non English speakers have to go through according to survive and get respect from society.

Now looking back twenty two years later, language shouldn’t affect self-esteem, confidence level or your inner happiness but in reality when you’re young and don’t know who you are, yes it sure does effect you big time. If you can’t express yourself to others and can’t have a conversation with others, it’s a very lonely trap and frustrated feeling. English language is my 2^nd language and I am still learning and I will be until I die.

I admire people who are bilingual, I believe language is a huge part of culture and when you learn a language, you are also learning about that culture and that opens up your mentality. And that helps us to grow and then we starting looking at everyone the same and accept them for who they are.