Story MengHieng

SvetTeChao(Itshrunkgranddaughter) Cambodia,PhnomPenh

November22nd2016

InformationData:

MengHiengismydadhegrewupinCambodiainthecountryside;hewasborn

duringtheKhmerrouge,whichwasadifficulttime.Hedidnthavetheabilitytogoto

schoolandgetpropereducation,butnowheisasuccessfulentrepreneur,hisfamilyis

Chineseandheis48yearsold.

ContextualData:

CulturalContext:Mydadisabigstorytellerjustlikemygrandmawherehegotthe

storiesfrom,everytimethefamilyisgatheredtogether,hewouldtakethatopportunityto

tellusaledgedorstorythatwaspassedonfromhismotherandhisgrandmother.There

arecountlessmadeupstoriesinmyculture,thestorybehindthisismainlyabout

misunderstanding,thegranddaughtermisunderstoodthatthegrandmaatethemeatthat

shewascookingandbeatherbecauseofthemisunderstanding,whenshediedshereborn

asabirdtotellherthemeatshrinklettinghergranddaughterknowisamisunderstanding,

sherepeatedoverandoverSvettechao,svettechaountilthepointthegranddaughter

feltguiltandregretbecauseofthemisunderstanding.

PerformanceContext:EverytimethisstoryistoldandpassedontousasIrememberit

IwouldalwaysaskmydadtorepeatthestoryeverytimethestoryistoldIcanpictureit

inmyheadwhatisgoingonandwhatthebirdlookslike.Whenthisstoryistoldbecause
ofthekillinghedoesntuseanangryoraggressivetone,istoldinacalmvoicesincethis

storyistoldtokids.MybrothersandIwouldaskforhimtotellusastory,soasI

mentionedbeforeistoldwhenweareallgatheredtogether,inmyfamilyisstorysound

betterwheneveryoneisaroundtolistentoit.

Text:

Ummm,mymothertoldmethisstorywhenIwasyoung,itstartofoneday

granddaughterbbqmeatwhilegrandmumwasaroundwatching.Meatwentsmalleror

shrinkasitgotcooked.Suddenlygranddaughtersawhermeatsolittleandaccusedher

grandmothereatingthemeat.Grandmotherdeniedheraccusationandtoldhermeatwas

shrinkingandnoteatenbyher.Granddaughterwassoangryandkilledgrandmotherfor

thatsmallmatter.Grandmotherpassedawayandrebornasalittlebirdandliveonatree

inthecompoundofherhouse.Theuhhhbirdyelledeverydayatherhouse:

SvetTeChao!

SvetteChao!

Svetrechaio!meansshrinking

Latergranddaughterrealizedthemeaningofthebirdandfeltsoregrethavingkilledher

grandmotherforsuchmisunderstandings...

MarilynMeng,age17

CorneliaConnellyHS

EnglishIV
 Fall2016

ASaying SocheataTheng

Donteatwhilelayingdown Cambodia,PhnomPenh(currentlyinthestates)

November24th2016

InformationData:

SocheataThengismyaunt,mymomssister.ShegrewupinCambodiaPhnom

Penh,andlivedthereuntil2006whereshegraduatedfromISPP(InternationalSchoolof

PhnomPenh)andmovedtoAustraliatogetherdegreeincooking,whenshefinished

schoolthereshemovedtoAmericaAnaheimandcontinueherstudies,sheis28years

old.

ContextualData:

CulturalContext:Thissayingisalsopassedonbymygrandmother,toherchildrento

hergrandchildren.Likeanyotherplaceintheworldthereisalwayssometypeofstory

usedtoscaretheirchildtostopthemfromdoingsomethingthisisthesameasthose

storiesbutisusedinmyculture,issimplysayingBecareful,donteatwhilelaying

downoryouwillturnintoacrocodilebecauseonlycrocodileseatwhilelayingdown.

Sayingthattheywillturnintoacrocodilewillscarethemandstopthemfromeating

whilelayingdown.

PerformanceContext:Everytimethissayingissaidtouswhileweareeating,italways

startsoffwithproyatwhichmeansbecareful.Thetonetothissayingisnormallya
scarytonetothreatenkidswholaysdownwhileeatingtostopthemfromdoingso,itis

normallytoldtokidsbecausekidstendtobestubbornandbytellingthemsomething

scarycanstopthemfromdoingsomethingforareallifeexamplemybrothersandItend

laydownandsomeonewouldfeedusandtheytellustositandeatbecausetheyare

scaredofuschoking,butwewontlistensothentheywouldusethissayingandwewould

bescared.

Text:

Yeyalwaystoldmethisstory,becausewhenIwasyoungbecauseIwasatypeof

childwholaysdownandeatfood.IwouldalwaysgetintroublewhenIdiditandshe

wouldsaythisstorytoscareme,shewouldsayifIeatwhilelayingdownIwillturninto

acrocodile,whybecauseonlycrocodileseatwhentheyarelayingdownsoyesthatisthe

story.

MarilynMeng,age17

CorneliaConnellyHS

EnglishIV

Fall2017
Astory TangLyHeng

Captainofthesoccerteam Cambodia,PhnomPenh(currentlyinthestates)

November28th2016

InformationData:

LyHengisaveryclosefriendofminehewasbornandraisedinPhnomPenhhis

familyismoreintheChineseculturethantheCambodianhechangedandtransferredto

manyschoolsfromapublicKhmerschooltoapublicChineseschoolthenBISPP(British

InternationalSchoolofPhnomPenhnowhetransferredtoEdmondCommunitycollege

inSeattle,heis19yearsold.

ContextualData:

CulturalContext:Thistypeofstoryiscalledtverbonbanbon,whichmeansifyou

dosomethinggoodyoureceiveitback,thekidwascryingbecausehecouldntplaythe

gamethenbyexplainingthereasontothosewhoiswillingtolistenandhelpcanchange

asomeonesday.
PerformanceContext:Thisstoryisusuallytoldtochildrenorthosewhohasabad,his

momwouldtellhimthisstorybeforehegoestosleepwhenhehadabadorroughday,

therewillalwaysbeahappyending,thetoneusedinthisstoryisanicesweettonesoit

doesntscarethechildtoletthemthinkwhensomethingbadhappensisbadforever.

Usuallywhenthesetypeofstoriesaretolditmakesthechildquestionalot,forinstance

whydidhehelphimorwhathappensafter.Theanswertothosequestionswouldbeyou

cananswerthequestionyourself,

Text:

Soummmwhentherewasakidwascryingbecausehecouldn'tplaythesoccer

gameandoneofthecaptainthinkthateveryoneishappilyplayingsoccerandthekidjust

sitandcry,peoplecalledhimaloserjustwalkoffanddidn'tevencareabouthim.There

wasanothercaptainwhocameandtalktohim,whichhesaid"whyareyoucryingright

herewhodidthistoyou".Soastheboygetuphetoldhimeverythingthathappenashe

waskickedoutfromhisteamandthecaptainofthatteamputhisfriendinsothekidgot

disappointedandhestartedcrying.Thecaptainwhocameandtalktohimaskedhimto

joininhisteamandplaywithhim.Whatagreatdayhehad.

MarilynMeng,age17

CorneliaConnellyHS

EnglishIV

Fall2017
 Reflection

WhiledoingtheprojectIvelearnedthatfromasmallcountryweallhavea

differenttypeofaccentandtonetohowwespeakEnglish,startingoffwithmydad.My

dadspeaksmanylanguagesandEnglishisoneofhisfluentones,hespeaksKhmer,

French,Thai,Cantoneseandmanymorethewayhespeakdifferentfromhowmyaunt

speakswheresheintensifyherrsshemakesthemverynoticeablethatthereisanr

intheword,comparingthemwithmyfamilysfriend,hestuttersalot,isthesamein,

TheirEyesWereWatchingGod,whenIwasreadingthebook,itseemslikeeachand

everycharacterhastheirownwaysoftalking,theywouldeitherhaveadifferenttoneora

differentwayofsayingandpronouncingaword.

TheProgramGoalthislinkstoisAWomenofCompassion:Whovaluesthe

dignityofeveryindividualandembracesculturaldiversityJanie,isapersonwhovalues

everyone,shemaybeflirtybutshevaluesthemandsherespectsthemforinstancehow

Jodywassoaggressiveandabusivetoherbutshedidnothingaboutitshevaluedhim

andacceptedit,justlikehowthesestoriesaretoldtheyareverydifferentbutwelistento

themandacceptthem.
 InthebookTheirEyesWereWatchingGodtherewerealotofsayingsfor

instanceaboutthetreeisasayingeveryoneinthecitylistenstooanditspassedonjust

likethesestoriesandsayingthatispassedonandhasahiddenmeaningtoit.