In Conversation
In Conversation with ...Tsedale Aregawi
Coming Full Circle
By Su Croll, EMCN
As EAL teachers, we oft en wonder what happens to our students once they leave our classes or programs. I
recently had the opportunity to speak with a former student from Edmonton Mennonite Centre’s “Parenti ng
and Literacy” and LINC programs.
Tsedale Aregawi is the kind of newcomer success story that EAL teachers love to hear about. She moved to
Edmonton from her home country of Ethiopia in 2005. Almost immediately she joined the “Parenting and
Literacy” program at EMCN with her then two-month old daughter where she was happy to meet with a welcoming
community of other mothers. There Tsedale was able to work on English skills, but also to share her
own cultural heritage through songs and rhymes in her home language, Amharic. One of the core philosophies
of EMCN’s parenti ng course is the importance of maintaining links to home language and culture even while
students are integrati ng into Canadian society.
Thinking back to her ti me in the Parenti ng class, Tsedale said, “It’s important for kids to keep their language so
they can know their identi ti es. We are rich in culture.” Tsedale went on to explain that it isn’t only important
for children to know their mother tongues, but also for teenagers and young adults who will themselves carry
the culture forward, while at the same ti me, retain ti es with parents and grandparents.
Interestingly enough, in her present positi on with the Multi cultural Co-op where she works with Ethiopian and
Eritrean pregnant mothers, Tsedale is maintaining those cultural links that bind communities. She works as a
translator and cultural liasson between women from her community and the medical system. She helps them
make medical appointments and someti mes accompanies the women to doctors’ offi ces to provide translati on
services and support.
Tsedale laughed when I commented that she was the teacher now. She admits that maybe she always was a bit
of a teacher. Even when she was a student back home, she liked to help children with their Amharic alphabet.
Educati on is important to Tsedale. Besides the parenti ng and literacy class, she also graduated from a LINC 4
class at EMCN where she says she felt truly mentored by teacher Karen Bradley. She then studied full-ti me at
Norquest College, getting help with work-place English and following an “English for Careers” course. And now
she has her own career at the same kind of agency that fi rst helped her. She said, “If I can help someone who
was like me when I came, that’s good.”
Tsedale would sti ll like to conti nue improving her reading and writing skills. She wonders if additi onal part-time
studies are in her future. On the other hand, she herself is a busy mom. Besides her job at the Multi cultural Coop,
Tsedale has two children: a fi ve-year old daughter and two-year old son who she will, no doubt, raise with
pride in their home culture and love of their adopted one.
Now that she is no longer a newcomer, Tsedale feels she can help those who are. Her life has come full circle.