I facilitate a conversation circle a couple of times a month in the evenings at our local community centre. The aim of the circle is to provide a stress-free and casual environment for people to practice speaking English and learning from each other. The participants have varied backgrounds and are either new to Canada or are hoping to improve their English speaking skills and understanding.
My task is to provide a topic for discussion that would engage everyone and be interesting enough to fill the time, or open enough to lead the conversation in varying directions. A good friend of mine and I will usually lead the sessions together which helps to provide the group with alternative perspectives to discuss. But our friendship also helps to keep the vibe casual as we often make fun of each other and joke with the group. It’s really fun and the time seems to pass quickly.
We had our last session this week before pausing for the summer and it was a little bittersweet for me. I have seen some of the participants really grow in their abilities and observed them connecting amongst themselves as well. But I also saw a vulnerability with many of them. Even as they are speaking, and progressing, they are still worried about saying the right thing and hoping that they will fit into life here. They are all so very different, yet at the core, they all seem to feel the same thing.
There are retired people, young people and professionals here for work. They are from all around the world; Iran, Egypt, South Korea, Peru, Columbia, Hungary, Ukraine. Some have very limited English while others are able to carry a longer conversation. They are all smart, and funny, and engaging.
But underneath, they share the same worries, joys and hopes. They have children and partners and family that they hope stay healthy. They worry about getting a job and finding balance in their life. Some even find frustration in their progress, upset with themselves for not learning English faster, or better. They have anxiety about their future and their purpose and more than once I was struck by how similar we all are. Even though we may come from different cultures and hold different traditions, those are things that make us interesting and unique. But they are pieces of a whole person, who at the core, is the same as everyone else.
The experience has given me greater empathy and understanding for my new friends. And it has been a reminder to me that everyone I see and meet has their own story to tell and that we are all the same underneath.