FOB at the Lunch Table

Was being different all that bad? 

By Ava Kian

Middle school was a rough time for most. I’d argue that some had it even worse, though. Imagine being back in middle school—mid puberty, constant drama, and endless crushes. Now imagine on top of all that,  you are significantly different from everyone you know. As a child of immigrants, the feeling of otherness that prevails during puberty was only exacerbated in middle school.

I remember opening my thermos at lunch and hearing my friends say, “Ew, what’s that smell?” looking at me funny and wondering why I wasn’t “normal” just like them. I used to beg my mom to buy Lunchables, so that I could avoid the conversations about my “exotic” food. It was difficult to make friends because not only did I struggle to relate to other kids, but my parents had a challenging time connecting with other parents. Throughout the years, biases held by the Linden Hills parents were evident through subtle signs of islamophobia and prejudice against Iran. It’s only natural that kids pick up on the behaviors of their parents, and it served as a significant barrier for our immigrant family to connect with the local community. Worst of all, many of my family’s values didn’t align with those of my friends. For instance, when my friends found out that my mom wouldn’t let me hang out with boys, they stopped inviting me simply because we had different principles.

Middle school was a time in life where it was clear the general society did not accept my family and, as a result, caused me to feel ashamed of my incredible culture and parents. Immigrant parents deserve the world as they gave up everything to create a better life for their children, and no child should ever feel ashamed of their loving family.