As I eagerly await my return to the school (today!), I have been reflecting on what I learned during my last experience with this program. I really felt that last time, I gained a lot more empathy to my students--particularly young children. I may explore that a little bit more, but I've already addressed it.
As I've stated before, I've been dealing with some stomach issues. I've been to the doctor 3 times. It's a pretty quick (and inexpensive) process, but it's a doctor's office nonetheless--you want to get in and out of there as fast as possible. All of these visits have been conducted in Spanish. My Spanish is good enough for me to explain my symptoms and to comprehend what the doctors say. However, I'd say that there is a percentage of what the doctor's say that I don't get or simply interpret the wrong way. I do my best to ask them to repeat something if I don't get it. I may even repeat what they say in my own way to make sure that I'm understanding everything.
As a patient, you want to know exactly what's going on with your body, what you should do, and what you're being prescribed to take and why. I did my best to understand everything. However, after four days on the latest medicine, I'm better but not 100%. In the middle of the night last night, I woke up worrying, "is there something the doctor said that I didn't understand? Could I have explained my condition better?" If was basically a freak-out.
After a while, I felt that this must be a bit how ESL (English as a Second Language) parents must feel when they go to school for a conference or to a doctor's office for a consultation. It must be terribly frightening to not be understood (and understand) something so crucial as your child's health. Clear communication is so important in these instances.
Fortunately, I'm feeling better today.
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