Extensive Reading Programme
'Once More to the Lake' by E.B White
b) Recall a time your parent brought you to a place that holds a lot of memories. Describe how it felt then and its impact on you.
Every day, whenever I leave my house for my workplace, I would take the same route there. I would pass by these distinct buildings while I am in the bus on my way to work. They are distinct, not because of their vibrant colours and unique architectural features, but due to the memories that I had when I was just 14 years old. Many things happened there, but one place there stood out from all the other buildings, as there was an incident that happened there that could never be erased from my mind.
It was the first weekend of the June holidays. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, accompanied by the white clouds in the clear blue sky. I was getting ready to go out. My parents were planning to bring me to a maid agency. We were about to have a new maid. I was really excited as I would finally be able to have a friend to talk to when my parents are out to work and I am left at home alone.
As we were on the bus, my mum was busy rearranging the documents for the maid agency in here personal folder, where she kept every single important documents such as insurance papers and birth certificates in. My dad, on the other hand, was acting like mum’s secretary. He had to help organize the files in order and sort out the documents needed later on. As I look on, it was as though their day off from work was merely a day where they just do not go to their offices literally, but the workload is still the same.
After a ten-minute journey, we alighted at the bus stop right in front of the maid agency. We hurriedly went in, anxiety filling up our whole bodies. As we enter, we could see an Indonesian maid standing right beside the front desk. Mum and dad started talking to the agency’s overall-in-charge. We introduced ourselves to each other.
They talked for up to an hour and I was bored. Luckily, the end seemed to be near. The head of the maid agency asked mum to give the former the documents for the contract of the maid. As mum took out her personal folder, there were just too many things in the folder that everything slipped out from the folder. All the documents were now scattered on the floor. Everyone started picking them up one by one.
As I was picking up the documents, I became glued to a specific piece of information. It was from my birth certificate. I was confused. The name of the parents on my birth certificate was different from my parents’. I did not have a single idea how this was possible. Then, I saw another piece of paper that answered to my previous question. However, it did not make things any better. It made matters worse. I was at a loss for words when I saw it. I could not believe what I had just seen. It read, “Certificate of Adoption”. One thing came to mind – adoption. I do not know what to do. Should I ask my “current” mum about it? Should I do something about this?” Bombardments of questions flooded my mind.
I decided to show it to mum. She looked down and told me the truth. It was true that I was adopted when I was a 2-year-old. I really did not understand. I began to question myself, what was the reason that I was given up by my biological parents? Was I too difficult to take care of? Was I creating too much problems for my family?
All this was cleared away when mum told me that the reason I was given up to someone else was that my biological family was nowhere near financial stability. The only way they could survive with the four other children was to give me up, the youngest of them all. I felt a sigh of relief. At least I know that I was not the one that caused a problem in my biological family.
It has been ten years since this incident happened. Everyday, i would pass by that very same maid agency when go and come back from work. I am now supporting my adopted parents. That is the only way I can pay them for what they have done to me.
That maid agency brought back a lot of memories of the past. There was anxiety, humour and confusion. The main thing is, the past is gone. The only way is to just move forward. I have learned to cherish the people closest to me and to accept myself whether I like it or not.
b) Recall a time your parent brought you to a place that holds a lot of memories. Describe how it felt then and its impact on you.
Every day, whenever I leave my house for my workplace, I would take the same route there. I would pass by these distinct buildings while I am in the bus on my way to work. They are distinct, not because of their vibrant colours and unique architectural features, but due to the memories that I had when I was just 14 years old. Many things happened there, but one place there stood out from all the other buildings, as there was an incident that happened there that could never be erased from my mind.
It was the first weekend of the June holidays. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, accompanied by the white clouds in the clear blue sky. I was getting ready to go out. My parents were planning to bring me to a maid agency. We were about to have a new maid. I was really excited as I would finally be able to have a friend to talk to when my parents are out to work and I am left at home alone.
As we were on the bus, my mum was busy rearranging the documents for the maid agency in here personal folder, where she kept every single important documents such as insurance papers and birth certificates in. My dad, on the other hand, was acting like mum’s secretary. He had to help organize the files in order and sort out the documents needed later on. As I look on, it was as though their day off from work was merely a day where they just do not go to their offices literally, but the workload is still the same.
After a ten-minute journey, we alighted at the bus stop right in front of the maid agency. We hurriedly went in, anxiety filling up our whole bodies. As we enter, we could see an Indonesian maid standing right beside the front desk. Mum and dad started talking to the agency’s overall-in-charge. We introduced ourselves to each other.
They talked for up to an hour and I was bored. Luckily, the end seemed to be near. The head of the maid agency asked mum to give the former the documents for the contract of the maid. As mum took out her personal folder, there were just too many things in the folder that everything slipped out from the folder. All the documents were now scattered on the floor. Everyone started picking them up one by one.
As I was picking up the documents, I became glued to a specific piece of information. It was from my birth certificate. I was confused. The name of the parents on my birth certificate was different from my parents’. I did not have a single idea how this was possible. Then, I saw another piece of paper that answered to my previous question. However, it did not make things any better. It made matters worse. I was at a loss for words when I saw it. I could not believe what I had just seen. It read, “Certificate of Adoption”. One thing came to mind – adoption. I do not know what to do. Should I ask my “current” mum about it? Should I do something about this?” Bombardments of questions flooded my mind.
I decided to show it to mum. She looked down and told me the truth. It was true that I was adopted when I was a 2-year-old. I really did not understand. I began to question myself, what was the reason that I was given up by my biological parents? Was I too difficult to take care of? Was I creating too much problems for my family?
All this was cleared away when mum told me that the reason I was given up to someone else was that my biological family was nowhere near financial stability. The only way they could survive with the four other children was to give me up, the youngest of them all. I felt a sigh of relief. At least I know that I was not the one that caused a problem in my biological family.
It has been ten years since this incident happened. Everyday, i would pass by that very same maid agency when go and come back from work. I am now supporting my adopted parents. That is the only way I can pay them for what they have done to me.
That maid agency brought back a lot of memories of the past. There was anxiety, humour and confusion. The main thing is, the past is gone. The only way is to just move forward. I have learned to cherish the people closest to me and to accept myself whether I like it or not.
posted by danial at
06:37
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home