Dear Rice I am always watching you and have seen you suffering but have also witnessed your ability to laugh at yourself and your situations. There is not one situation that you haven’t eventually giggled at, so I think it is high time that you start chuckling at your homesickness. Remember those endless nights where someone would knock on your door, but you feared that if you opened it your tears would gush out and drown them? So you remained inside because you could not handle a charge of murder on top of your homesickness death sentence. They were there to pull you out of your jail cell but instead you opened photo albums and poured over them as tears poured down your already red and irritated cheeks. Curling up in a foetal position, you would fall asleep sucking your thumb like a child! Post-depression-session would find you smacking base on your face, something that you never do, just to cover up bags, which were so big that they could carry your school books! Such a waste of money and no wonder you always felt uncomfortable in your skin! I know that you are not alone and I understand that homesickness isn’t something to scoff at. Homesickness is a vicious feeling that keeps you up at night and confines you to your bed in the morning. It is also something that takes many of us by surprise because although it is talked about in that very “helpful” guide to surviving university, it is still a very personal, isolating issue that many students suffer from in silence. You have always been someone who adapts easily to new situations and living close by in Port Elizabeth and having moved away to Pretoria for a year at the tender age of 16, meant that you could handle the separation. I know you hate clichéd bits of advice but change is exactly that, change, and it is usually followed by harsh phrases such as “suck it up” and “get over it!” So next time, please open that door because I am quite sure that whoever is on the other end won’t mind swimming in your tears because more likely than not they will one day ask you to go swimming in theirs. Yours in laughter! Raisa
3 comments:
Dear Raisa
Although it may seem that what I and you are feeling are on total opposites of the spectrum, it may be said that it is not. The reason for my feelings of hatred for the university I have chosen is exactly because of your feelings about homesickness. It is evident in your letter though that whereas I, who have not began giggling about my opinion about Rhodes and the dreaded homesickness disease, you have… for that reason I am saluting you in your courage over adversity and your ability to laugh about all that you felt in your first couple of weeks here and probably what you are still feeling now. I believe that I can take comfort in your approach that there is some sort of cure and hopefully start losing my feelings of anger.
Thank you for the relief that there is an alternative method.
Tyreen
The main motive of the letter is clear, Raisa is comforting her younger self, “Rice”, urging her to cheer up and overcome homesickness. Raisa addresses an issue which affects many other first years as well therefore the letter is relevant. Raisa demonstrates understanding and empathy towards her younger self, she shows that she is familiar with her, knows her fears, challenges and inner feelings. The tone is friendly and laid back; it is not serious even though it is attacking an important issue. The letter is written in simple language, good sentence construction and it is easy to follow. The letter is also very emotive and moving. The loneliness and depression of the homesickness felt by Rice is depicted well in this letter. Raisa is gentle and encouraging towards her younger self. Well written and interesting to read.
Dear Rice
Being far away from home and not being able to see the people who have held your hand through the storm… is something that I, too have found myself crying about many times…
I’m glad to hear that you had someone to knock on your door willing to share your pain, but living life alone as an Oppi, as a first year even more isolating and most unbearable of a punishment than you could imagine.
But I have done it! Change is about acceptance. Opening your mind to the different experiences and creating goals as motivation, is how I managed to pull myself up and shake some sense into me.
Missing the people you love doesn’t make you any less of a person; it in fact just shows how human you are.
Don’t just live life…Experience it!
And relish in those moments forever.
Take care
Snow.
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