ESL Students
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- Category: Language Literacy General Pages
- Published on Tuesday, 26 July 2011 17:27
- Written by Tami Jackson
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Meet our students...
THE LITERACY CENTER OF MILFORD AND I
Less than two years ago an American friend asked me if I would like to learn English. I said that I was very willing. Then she gave me the address of the Literacy Center of Milford. She also told me of the possibility of learning in the grammar and conversation class, and with a personal tutor.
After a few weeks I called the Literacy Center and after few days I had a meeting. So began my adventure with Literacy Center...
I was assigned to a beginner class. When I went to the first lesson there were a few students from other countries. I had the impression that I didn't know very much, and was afraid that I could not manage...But my fears were unnecessary...During the school year some students left in their place came new students, but I was still there.
I liked my new school and was delighted with the engagement of people who wanted to volunteer to help others to learn English. Every week I knew more and it became easier to talk with the people. My new school has taught me that I should not be afraid to speak. Even if we say something incorrectly, we need to talk. Someone we will improve and correct our mistakes and after a time we begin to correct our own mistakes.
Before the starting to learn in the Literacy Center I could only carry on a basic conversation or one on one. When the conversation included more people I started to have difficulties with communication. Today I don't have this problem. Working with others has helped in its elimination.
The learning in the Literacy Center is not only reading and writing it gives you the ability of meeting and having conversation with other people. People also exchange experiences, customs and cultures of other nations.
In February 2011 with the director of the Literacy Center: Tami Jackson, and my teacher: Celeste Falcone I visited the Woman's Club in Milford. I had opportunity to speak with American women. I was glad because I was not afraid to talk to American women who treated me as if I was one of them...
At the end of school year in June I began private lessons with my tutor- Monique Osborn...
At my first lesson with Monique, I wondered if I could do this. But now the grammar, and conversation is easy and thanks to Monique I began to translate my poetry into English. Thank you Monique!
Last September I was the only student from the beginner class in City Hall, and I read my poetry before an audience. The first time that I read for American people...
I can do more and more. I can talk with people, write correctly, and thanks to this have come to the most important moment for me.
On January 12th I passed the test for citizenship, and on January 20th I became an American citizen. I am still and will continue to use learning opportunities, because I want to be a good citizen in my new homeland.
Thank you Director of the Literacy Center: Tami Jackson, my teachers Wendy Terenzio and Celeste Falcone, and above all my tutor Monique Osborn.
Student- Irena Biedron
Tutor- Monique Osborn
A few weeks ago I went to Washington D.C with my family and friends.
This trip was important to my children's education. So we went to the museums, the Capital, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Wonument and the White House.
The White House was the most impressive. We were able to enter the garden of the White House. We are so lucky because it was the opening day of the thite House garden which opens only twice a year.
I was surprised how the White House was so open to the public. There are many police and snipers on the roof. It was a little scary to me.
What a differance between Korea and the USA! Both countries are democratic countries. But the house of the Korean president doesn't open to the public. I think because Korea is divided into the south and north. so we have to be careful about opening the house for the president's safety.
Any way, I enjoyed the garden of the White House. My sons didn't seem to be as impressed as I was because they are so young.
But they enjoied the Science Museum and the Air and Space Museum more. They just wanted to play with their friends. So maybe when they are older we'll take them back to Washington, D.C.
Student-Young Mi Kwon
Tutor-Judy Brennan
A dream come true...
After coming from Ecuador,I became a legal resident of the United States of America. A new dream started in my mind - it was to become a citizen .I had to follow the United States rules that allowed me to get it. It took me three years to wait and finally the day came when I filed the forms to the Home Land Security Department.
In actuality, the immigration process can be really fast. For me, it took only three and one half months to go for the interview, test and present all the papers that they asked for in the citizenship process.
Every thing was positive, and I was so lucky because it took only three days after that to wait. Then I went with many others to the Bridgeport Court to be sworn in, and I became a Citizen of the United States of America - my new country.
Along with my citizenship, my son (who is under age) became a citizen as well.
As with many dreams it continues to grow, I am now pursuing Health education training. I feel very happy, confident and responsible to follow the Constitution of the United States of America. God bless USA.
Tutor : Barbara Ekman
Student Victoria Abaspour
A Place to Know
When you live in Colombia, you know and live everything that the newspapers and the news say: 15 years ago, when I was an adolescent in Medellin, it was a difficult experience. Death was an experience that touched you very frequently: relatives, friends, people you knew could just die because someone wanted it. To grow up in a place where you saw armed people on the roads and didn’t have any idea if they were military or out-law groups was not a pleasant experience: but as I said it was 15 years ago. Even with all these difficulties and problems, for some reason that I still don’t understand, the Colombian people always seem to be happy: that collective sentiment, day after day, is winning the battle against violent people. Part of this success had been the good policies implemented by the government. Just this week (May 2010), Colombia showed a progress of 5 points on the scale of competitiveness from Switzerland University, and it is a progress that everybody feels in the country, and that you can actually see in the streets. More investments are going to Colombia, and that improves the quality of life of the Colombians. Happiness, for Colombians, is a normal feeling. Every weekend there is a party, every town has its own party, its own queen, and wherever you go, everybody treats you like you have know them all their lives. In Colombia, there are more good people than bad, many more good people that is what they say, it is a reality, it is how they fight the battle against the terrorist and drug dealers groups, who most of the time, are the same organization. The faith of the Colombians is amazing, it is how they overcome difficult situations and always think of a better future. They know the future is now, to live better is now. Somehow, to feel death so near and so present, makes you value your life more, knowing that your existence is not forever and you must take advantage of every day, take advantage of your family, your friends, and finally realize that your opportunity to be on Earth is to leave this place in a better condition than you found it.
But not only are the Colombian people the greatest thing about Colombia. The whole country is full of surprises! It has all kinds of weather during the whole year, which makes Colombia a place full of options. Beaches and snow, and a lot of things in between, with the most perfect weather in the world. That is where the coffee grows, and sugar cane, flowers the whole year and everything that you can imagine is in Colombia, including their beautiful women. Amazing cities from the Spanish conquest are very will preserved, like Cartagena with it’s magnificent San Felipe Castle, and the old city surrounded by walls with narrow streets and balconies full of flowers not mention the modern city with its 5 start hotels, just fronting the Caribbean sea, and very near to Baru and the Rosario Islands, its beaches of white sand, warm and clear water. Or Medellin, the capital of the mountains, the city of the eternal spring, a very modern city that understood, that if one starts taking care of the lower classes and the poor, it will result in a better quality of life for all its citizens. More education, more culture, and more investment in the poor neighborhoods is equal to less crime in the streets. Or Bogotá, the country’s capital, with its parks and museums, world class restaurants, bars, night life, and all the history of Colombia that started, two hundred years ago, to write the history of four other countries (Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador), that were liberated from the Spaniards by Simon Bolivar.
Colombia is a place to experience, a place to make your senses crazy, a place you will never forget and to which you will return. In Colombia, the only risk is to want to stay FOREVER.
Juan Diego Moreno
Tutor: Melinda Karwon