Friday, February 25, 2022 - The Christian Science Monitor Daily
I was in the fifth grade. It was recess. A friend and I were playing by the jungle gym, and for whatever reason we were talking about kitchen appliances. I distinctly remember referring to the thing you use for baking as an “oh-ven,” rhymes with “woven.” My friend laughed and corrected me. My friend hadn’t been cruel about it, but I was mortified. I took pride in my English, even at that age. I had this sense, unarticulated but powerful, that if only I could get my accent right, if only I could sound American enough, I would automatically belong in my new California town – never mind that I’d been raised in the Philippines. Also: today’s stories, including Russia’s assault on Ukraine, President Joe Biden nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and Canadians rebuilding trust in government following the “Freedom Convoy” blockade. Join the Monitor's Clay Collins and Noelle Swan for today's news. You can also visit csmonitor.com/daily for more information.