SEVEN BASIC QUESTIONS

SEVEN BASIC QUESTIONS

Who are you?

What is your name?

Where are you originally from?

What is your first language?

Are you Samoan or Tongan?

Can you speak English?

Are you a FOB? (Fresh off the boat)

These are some basic questions that I started to feel like an outsider

I started to view this new world around me differently

I started to separate myself to my own ethnicity

I started to feel nervous every day I go to school

I started to question myself every time I want to join a group

Whether to join a drama class or PE class

Because Pacific students are mainly placed in a sport category

I started to act tough

Ending up in the wrong crowd

Always trying to impress friends

Friends! Or just what I thought back then

Always arriving class late

Started to skip classes

My grades was out of question

Parents getting upset and threaten to send me back to the Island

Now sitting in my little room

Feeling down and disappointed to myself

Having thousands of questions flying around in my head

Praying God to guide me

Then I realize the first seven basic questions

I was ask on my first day of school

That I was afraid to answer

Then I realize

WHO I WAS

MY SAMOAN NAME

MY NATIONALITY

MY CULTURE

MY IDENTITY

MY PASSION

MY LANGUAGE

YES! I’M A FOB

It all sums up who I am

Then I realize how to fix all my problems

And to overcome criticism and stereotypes

Just be myself

Acting how I was raised up

Respecting other people especially adults

Helping friends who are in need

Appreciating every opportunity I was given to study in this new world

Taking advantage of the chances and help I get

Asking and searching for help

No matter how hard or easy it is

I guess what I’m trying to say is

I’m proud of who I am

I’m happy to be labelled as a FOB

Because it reminds me every day that English is not my first language

And I am so damn proud of myself

Of being able to speak this second language everyday

But will never forget my mother tongue

I am damn proud that I can feel unique

Because of my culture and my identity

That I have a rich culture

With rich values that guides me through anything

With God by my side

Everything is possible