On February 21st at 6:30pm in the Jim Thorpe Multicultural building, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hosted an event for International Mother Language Day. The publicity email asserted that the event provided, “an opportunity to learn more about Southeast Asian languages and promote linguistic diversity.” As someone interested in linguistics and in expanding my knowledge regarding Southeast Asian cultures, I was immediately drawn to this event! However, I was hesitant to attend, as I am not a part of the ASEAN cultures.
“Join ASEAN for a night full of excitement and activities!” The email continued. “Everyone is welcome to attend and be a part of our growing community. Come and eat delicious food and make new connections!”
I was heartened by the inclusive welcome of the email’s language, and ventured to attend until I felt I was intruding into a space that was not my own. (If there’s one thing being a GEF fellow has taught me, it is that sometimes one must risk awkwardness in order to learn and expand one’s horizons.)
As I entered the event, however, I was met with warm smiles and welcomes. To my surprise, one of my coworkers from the OU Writing Center was the guest speaker! Throughout the night, I participated in a kahoot game with trivia about the Southeast Asian nations, and listened to my coworker speak about the importance of Mother Language Day. Then, I was encouraged to research languages from my ancestry and practice their characters (for me, Japanese kanji/hiragana/katakana). Additionally, I spoke to other visitors and listened as they spoke about their mother language and their own written practice.
Overall, I left the event more curious about the Southeast Asian nations, as I know one event could only scratch the surface of the diverse, impressive cultures that make up these countries.
