English 101 - Dr. Mandy Suhr-Sytsma
A Foreign Student In A Foreign Situation
It was three months into my honors African-Asian Studies class. I had just moved to the United States from Finland and was studying and learning the English language in my freshman year of high school. Today was the day when I had to present on the Israel-Palestine conflict, specifically the water right issues. I was assigned by the teacher to defend and argue for the Palestinian side, while another student defended and argued for the Israeli side of the conflict.
In the moment – after my opponent had presented – I was overwhelmed by all the information he had given. I wasn’t able to open my mouth. I had practiced for days because it was my time to show that I know what’s going on in the class. I did know the information. But he had given great points and very much believed that Israel should be given the upper hand in the conflict. I felt the responsibility to try to defend the Palestinian side by working against all the points that my opposing student had given. I wanted to do well in class. My grade was quite weak already 3 months into the class.
I pulled myself together and after asking for a water break from the teacher, I began my presentation. I very methodically was able to present my argument and truly believed that Palestinians were very weak compared to Israelis and as a result should be compensated for the water rights conflict. I thought I did great, and I did! My teacher was very pleased. Then, after my presentation, the teacher asked if anyone had any questions. This is where I was totally overwhelmed by the class.
Students started asking questions about why Israel should not be funded all these rights to land and water access. They started questioning the points I made, and the student who supported Israel in his presentation really took it as his goal to try to disprove me. I painted a bad picture of Israel and their economy compared to the Palestinian economy. I was thrown questions that made me uncomfortable due to the tone of the students; they seemed upset. I defended firmly the Palestinian side because of the pride I had on my presentation and gave the facts: Palestinians are much poorer, have lost land throughout the years, in addition to having a weak economy. The more I supported my argument, the more upset the students in class became. I did not know that the public high school I was attending, was predominantly Jewish.
Coming from Finland with a very homogenous population, I had never met a Jewish student and had not picked up on the fact that the high school I was attending was predominantly Jewish. These students of course would defend Israel, their homeland. I was too naïve and pressed on my argument, so that the 10% of my final grade would be good with the cost being that I feel ostracized and attacked in front of the class. The teacher never interfered.
Walking out of class that day, I felt uncomfortable and diminished. I felt like the class despised me; this foreign student from Finland, what would he know? I would get stares on the hallway for months on.
In the moment – after my opponent had presented – I was overwhelmed by all the information he had given. I wasn’t able to open my mouth. I had practiced for days because it was my time to show that I know what’s going on in the class. I did know the information. But he had given great points and very much believed that Israel should be given the upper hand in the conflict. I felt the responsibility to try to defend the Palestinian side by working against all the points that my opposing student had given. I wanted to do well in class. My grade was quite weak already 3 months into the class.
I pulled myself together and after asking for a water break from the teacher, I began my presentation. I very methodically was able to present my argument and truly believed that Palestinians were very weak compared to Israelis and as a result should be compensated for the water rights conflict. I thought I did great, and I did! My teacher was very pleased. Then, after my presentation, the teacher asked if anyone had any questions. This is where I was totally overwhelmed by the class.
Students started asking questions about why Israel should not be funded all these rights to land and water access. They started questioning the points I made, and the student who supported Israel in his presentation really took it as his goal to try to disprove me. I painted a bad picture of Israel and their economy compared to the Palestinian economy. I was thrown questions that made me uncomfortable due to the tone of the students; they seemed upset. I defended firmly the Palestinian side because of the pride I had on my presentation and gave the facts: Palestinians are much poorer, have lost land throughout the years, in addition to having a weak economy. The more I supported my argument, the more upset the students in class became. I did not know that the public high school I was attending, was predominantly Jewish.
Coming from Finland with a very homogenous population, I had never met a Jewish student and had not picked up on the fact that the high school I was attending was predominantly Jewish. These students of course would defend Israel, their homeland. I was too naïve and pressed on my argument, so that the 10% of my final grade would be good with the cost being that I feel ostracized and attacked in front of the class. The teacher never interfered.
Walking out of class that day, I felt uncomfortable and diminished. I felt like the class despised me; this foreign student from Finland, what would he know? I would get stares on the hallway for months on.