Russian youth exchange
Living beyond language
By Nicki Cruickshank (Hanover Post)(summer 2005)
CARLSRUHE – Imagine having a guest in your home that you couldn’t talk to. A language barrier makes conversing and understanding impossible for the guest and your family. But in trying to overcome the barrier, you might find your guest’s presence has been enjoyable in the end.
This was a situation Nancy and Gerald Noonan found themselves in when hosting a foreign exchange child in their home in Carlsruhe for the summer.
The Noonan family had accepted Kseniya Hlushakova, a nine-year-old girl from Gomel Russia, to live with them for six weeks and learn Canadian culture. The couple was told their guest, who went by the nickname Susha, would have learned English as her second language. Due to a very poor Russian school district, they received the surprise of their lives when Susha arrived with absolutely no English Comprehension.
“It was terrible,” said Nancy in a recent interview. “It was very hard, even now it is.”
The couple couldn’t speak Russian and couldn’t understand Susha’s speech at all. They purchased an English-Russian dictionary and picture dictionary and used an online translation computer program to help their young guest explain what she needed to say, and those became the Noonan family’s language bibles for several weeks.
“For the first couple of weeks, they went everywhere with us,” Nancy explained.
“Between the laptop sitting on the kitchen table and the two books…we got through it,” added Gerald.Last February, Nancy and ‘Gerald joined a group called Huron Country for Children of Chernobyl 2005, who arranged for foreign youths to live with families in Ontario, Huron County for Children of Chernobyl is a registered charity, running independently as groups in the Huron County area. The charity has been running since 1998.
The Noonans’ daughter Melissa has been in remission of her acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for about six years and many people reached out to help her. The Noonans wanted to give back to other youths in need and jo8ined after hearing several announcements about the group on television and radio.
“With Melissa being sick and some of those kids over there are fighting cancer this was our way of giving back,” explained Nancy.
Fundraisers were held between host families and the Huron County for Children of Chernobyl, as eah host child needed $2000 for their flight, visas and emergency health insurance.
Susha arrived in Ontario very early on the morning of June 25, after traveling 24 hours straight. She was one of 17 children sent to Huron and Grey counties, as well as Hamilton.
The culture shock for both Susha and her host family was quite overwhelming. Along with a lack of English interpretation, Susha was sent with very few belongings.
She and Gerald bought Susha new clothes, shoes and toys with help from church and community donations. Schools in the area held mission days and donated funds to Susha’s cause.Aside from a lack of material items, Susha’s dental hygiene was in need of attention. The family made several trips to their dentist with the young girl, as her teeth were soft and rotting and needed repair. One tooth cracked while Susha brushed her teeth.
“Our dentist, Dr. Neable donated three appointments and she (Susha) had major work done,” Nancy said.Over the six-week period, Nancy, Gerald and their children began to bond with Susha. The dictionaries helped Susha learn a few English words that were enough to explain what she needed. The Noonans also toured through the Hanover area and beyond with Susha, giving her an idea of what the Canadian lifestyle consists of.
The family went swimming, took her to Paramount Canada’s Wonderland and to Niagara Falls. She was also able to play mini-golf at Dunkeld and Clifford, although she found it hard.
“Not good at it,” Susha admitted through translation.As well, host families got together once a week with other Russian youths to share stories and mingle. Susha was also permitted to phone home once a week to speak to her mother.
As a special treat, Susha was taken shopping and had her ears pierced for the first time. She was also introduced to ice cream, which became her favourite.
Susha’s last day with her host family was on Aug. 8. Although seemingly thrilled to return to her family, Nancy said Susha wasn’t as happy to leave the people who treated her so well. Nancy herself was sad to see Susha go home.
“I think it did everybody good,” she said. “It’s an eye-opener for Susha, but it did just as much for us.”
Susha said she was trying to behave because she wanted to revisit the family next year.
“Yes, Susha come back,” was Susha’s definite answer.Nancy said Susha’s wish will more than likely come true.
“I think we’ll ask her back again,” she said.
New Life Experience
- The Huron County for Children of Chernobyl group helps Russian children experience life in Canada.
- The non-profit charitable organization started in 1998, first helping Chernobyl youths affected
by the country’s Nuclear disaster in 1986.
- Children stay six weeks with the host family.
- Contact Lynn Dawe at 527-2060 for more information.