MONTHLY CHALLENGE 4

What is My Greatest Achievement?

It’s not what you’d immediately think…

When I spied this wonderful challenge by Sharing Randomly and Trista Signe Ainsworth on the amazing Thank You Notes publication, my first thought was producing, carrying, delivering, and raising three amazing kids. But what mother isn’t? Surely that’s how every one of us feels?

My following thoughts went to how I survived two major life upheavals. Moving from New Zealand to Canada with a five-monther was no mean feat. I didn’t know a soul, the lay of the land or the primary language. I had to learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road and deal with buckets of snow, ice and arctic-like temps.

Navigating divorce and coming out the other side feeling strong and independent was equally remarkable. I went from feeling trapped to the world being at my beckoned call. Doors opened to pave my way from subservience to self-reliance and success.

I am proud of all these things. They were not easy, but I battled them head-on with an unwavering determination.

However, the biggest hurdle I had to jump was passing the French language exam to become a nurse in Québec. It was the key to my future.

That accomplishment is what I consider my greatest.

I never imagined my high-school French lessons would become part of everyday life. When I arrived in la belle province, I spent many hours cursing myself for not paying more attention in class; they were more fun than necessary at the time.

After taking a few conversational lessons at the local YMCA, I felt like I was starting at the beginning again. I had zero recollection of the grammatical rules supposedly drummed into me years earlier. Since I hadn’t used those skills they were delegated into an irretrievable space in my brain.

But, it’s incredible what you can do when your life depends on it. I didn’t want to work in a store or do a meaningless job. I needed to get back into nursing, which meant focusing on my French. A license to practice depends on one’s ability to demonstrate proficiency in the primary language of Québec.

Half the battle was changing my mindset. When I had first arrived in Montréal, I had explored how to obtain my license and had promptly parked it in the ‘too hard’ basket. I didn’t have the time to invest in myself; I needed to be a mum to my kid — then added another couple into the mix!

Once I knew I had to overcome my linguistic shortfall, the goal became surmountable.

I hired a tutor; it cost me an arm and a leg, but I figured the expense was a means to gaining a decent job, and the cost would be quickly recuperated.

I was right.

There were many days when I questioned my ability to ever converse in a language where the grammatical rules were endless and often made no sense. I’ll admit it was painful. However, I’m not good with the concept of failure. It’s not in my vocabulary.

I toiled over notes and repeatedly wrote, spoke, and listened in French. I stood tall when my kiwi accent tainted my efforts to converse, often garnering raised eyebrows as I botched pronunciation and unknowingly abused the ‘rules.’

I am incredibly thankful to my tutor for giving me the tools to walk into that exam room feeling confident and prepared. She had the expertise to guide me through each of the four parts — written, reading, listening, and oral comprehension — and the patience of a saint. Her tips and tricks allowed me to feign proficiency.

Although it took me three attempts to pass, opening the envelope and reading that I was successful in all four components of the language test was my greatest accomplishment.

Yes! I did it!

My French still sucks, but I can get by. I no longer feel panicked if an assigned patient can only speak French or worried that I’m butchering pronunciation. I still think in English; conversation is stilted because of this. It doesn't matter. Most people are grateful that I’ve made an effort to converse in their language. My accent is still apparent but has also been a lifesaver; more than often a patient will switch to English in sympathy, knowing I’m an immigrant.

I’m eternally grateful when they do.

Thank goodness I don’t have to write in French at work. It’s all very well to speak the language, but the grave and aigu accents and those verb tenses will be the death of me!

Many of my students also have to pass this language test to gain their license to practice nursing. I’ve shared my notes and urged them on.

My philosophy?

If I can do it, anyone can.

It takes a tablespoon of courage, a cup full of patience, and a bucketful of determination to achieve the supposed impossible.

Thanks again to Trista Signe Ainsworth and her wonderful publication Thank-you Notes, and to Sharing Randomly for this great prompt!