(For more student writing, see "Bonus Student Writing for the month")

Student Writing of the Month - November/December 2005
Our readers write Two classes from the Pacoima Skills Center send stories
From Barry Bakin's class
(Editor's note: We received stories from the following students in Barry Bakin's ESL class: Hae Chang, Roselia Macias, Julio Pena, Luz Ramirez, and Jose Vilche.)

About me
by Roselia Macias
     My name is Roselia Macias.  I have been studying levels one and two at Pacoima Skills Center, and I'm also enrolled in the Distance Learning program.  This program is checked at school.  You can learn English faster with this program.  Mr. Chung is the head of this program, and I have earned a certificate in Distance Learning.  I will continue to study English to help myself and my little girl learn as much as possible.
    
About me
by Hae Chang
    My name is Hae Chang.  I came from Korea seventeen years ago. I have been married for eighteen years.  I have only one son and he is sixteen years old. I have one brother and four sisters.  I am the youngest child in my family. My mother and brother and three sisters live in Korea and one sister lives in San Francisco.  I like traveling, so every year my family takes two weeks of vacation and travels.  I have traveled to most places in California, Arizona, and Colorado. I also have visited lots of museums because I like to teach my son that traveling is a good learning experience.  I like singing songs.   Sometime we go to the karaoke. I have been working for fourteen years. I worked for a trading company as a secretary and I was working as a clothing store manager for twelve years. Right now I am not working anymore, because I want to spend more time with my son.  After he goes to college I want to own my own shop.  I pray to the Lord everyday about my son.  I pray that he will meet good teachers and people, and will choose good friends, read the bible, and get wisdom, knowledge, and discretion.

From Sandra Henriks' class
(Editor's note: We received stories the following students in Sandra Henriks' ESL class at Pacoima Skills Center: Angel Renteria, Jose Menjivar, Daisy Lucatero Montana, Ana Patricia Bolton, Beatriz Valdivia, Elias Lopez, and Henry A. Tejada. The stories printed here were edited for length.)

My story
by Beatriz Valdivia
     My name is Beatriz Valdivia and I'm from Guadalajara, Mexico. My mother passed away when I was three years old, and my father left us after my mother died. I have eight siblings, and my oldest sister was 15 years old when this happened. She had to take care of all of us! Years later, some of my older siblings came to the USA and brought me here to live with them. Three months after I was here, I began to work in a factory that produced plants for selling in a decorative nursery. Two years later, I got married at the age of 18. I had four children, two girls and two boys. Their names are Marisol, Carmen, Ignacio and Anthony. My husband's name is Javier. When my children were little, I paid a lot of attention to them, and I tried to help them as much as I could.
          Now I am back in adult school to continue to improve my English skills because I think learning English correctly is very important for everything you want to do in this country.
     My children are doing well at school. Marisol, my oldest daughter is 24 and she is studying a career in international business. She'll graduate next year! Carmen, my second oldest, is 22 and hopefully she'll be a teacher next year! Ignacio (18) and Anthony (15) are still in high school and they are both doing well at school. I think I have good children, and they say they have a wonderful mother!

 

Student Writing of the Month - October 2005
From Evans Community Adult School, Los Angeles

Aguascalientes, Mexico
by Erika Gabriela Barron, Evans Community Adult School

Aguascalientes, Mexico is my hometown. It is a small colonial city with narrow and clean streets. This city is called "the land of the good people" and maybe that is why my grandfather chose this place to raise a family. My grandfather was a machinist. He met my grandmother on one of his trips to Aguascalientes. After some time, they got married and started a family. Ever since then, the family has been living in this beautiful city.

I remember many things about my city, especially the sunsets which covered the sky in different colors. It was like watching a painting being created. The nights were so clear I could see all the constellations and sometimes the planets.

My family and I used to take walks almost every night from our house to downtown. It was great because we talked about every single thing that happened to us during the day.

My family had a custom on Saturdays. The whole family would eat at a special restaurant. After that we went for a walk or to the movies. Sometimes on Sundays one of my aunts took us for a hike to the most beautiful hill in our state named "El Cerro del Muerto." it was fun because we exercised and had the chance to see the whole city. This hill is special because it is in the shape of a man lying down.

One of the things I miss the most about my hometown is being with my family and especially my mom’s food which included tinga, rajas and a special dessert name Carlota. I can hardly wait to walk on the lovely streets, eat my mom’s food, see the beautiful sky and the most important thing, to hug and kiss my family.

A lesson from my mother
by Kin On Wong, Evans Community Adult School

Everybody has had their lessons from friends, families or from life. Each lesson could deeply affect a change. I had such an experience that was also a lesson--from my mother. It was unforgettable.

Years ago, I was going home after school. I discovered a one hundred dollar bill on the street. I picked it up and hid it in my pocket. I was thinking what to do with that treasure. Then I decided to use it as if it were mine. I took it home and tossed it into a drawer in my bedroom. Suddenly my friend telephoned me. I went outside to pick up the phone and left the drawer open.

My mother entered my bedroom while I was out. As soon as she saw the hundred-dollar bill, she took it. Later when I returned, I realized that the bill was gone. My mother walked back into my bedroom. She showed me the bill and asked me where it came from. I told her the truth eventually. Then she said, "Do you know what you have done? Do you think you did right? You took money that didn’t belong to you. The person who lost the money may need it more than you. How would you feel if somebody picked up your money and put it in his or her pocket?" I felt guilty and embarrassed. Then she said, "Money isn’t everything. The most important thing is how you will be in the future.

After my mother’s words, I realized that I did something wrong and selfish. I sent the money to the local police department. She told me that she was proud of me and smiled. I will never ever forget that smile.

The lesson
by Sandra Hernandez, Evans Community Adult School

One day my son Fernando and I were watching TV. A Spanish woman was reading and speaking in English. I deduced that the lady did not know very much English because she sounded very weird. My son said, "Mom you sound like her. You must go to school to learn English." At the moment I felt embarrassed because Fernando was only five years old and he told me what I had to do. I thought he was right.

Now I go to school and know more English than before. I feel more comfortable speaking to people in the United States, and I have a better job. My son said, "Mom I am proud of you because you have learned more and more." That was a big lesson for me. Everyone should listen to other peoples’ advice--no matter what their age.

From Pacoima Skills Center, Los Angeles
Making good progress
by Leticia Aguilar

My name is Leticia Aguilar. I was born in El Salvador. I remember that my life was very happy when I was a young child. My mother was a very good mom. I had five siblings, four brothers and one sister. My hometown is Sonsonate, El Salvador. Sonsonate has many places to visit. Two of the most famous places are the beaches and the rivers. We went there frequently when I lived there. April is an especially beautiful time because the weather is wonderful. In 1992 I lost one brother. He died in my country. Somebody stole his truck and shot him. All my family was very sad. Now I try to remember good memories about my life, and I’m making progress in speaking English.

Why I won’t go back to my country
by Fredy Morales (edited for length)

The following story is one of the many cases that has been happening to a lot of Latino families.

My story began on March 7, 1987. I was living in Guatemala, the city that I was born in. At that time I was finishing middle school and I decided to come to the United States. The reason was very simple; my sister had been here for almost two years and I think at that time she felt very lonely, with no relatives. She only had a few friends and co-workers.

I came here supposedly for a few months, just to visit my sister. After two months, I decided to stay. The first thing I did was to look for a job. My sister helped me to find a job at the place that she was working. I started working as a dishwasher on the graveyard shift. It was very hard in the beginning, but after three weeks I saw my first paycheck, "Oh, my God. I still remember it like it was yesterday!"

My sister told me one day some words that I will never forget. "In this country if you don’t speak English, you are nobody!" I asked her why? She told me, "if you don’t want to be working as a dishwasher for the rest of your life and if you want to be somebody, you have to learn English." Two days later I decided to go to school and I took an ESL class. I was very excited because now I knew some words in English. It was very fun. After this I took other classes to finish my G.E.D.

To make a long story short, my life is here, my kids were born here and my wife is from here too. I am a U.S. citizen and I love this country like I love Guatemala.

And to be honest, it was very easy. All you have to do is learn the language. Learn English, the best investment of your life.

 

Student Writing of the Month - August/September 2005
My dream for the future
by Maria Ester Garnica, Salinas Adult School

I am from the Imperial Valley. I have lived in the USA for 40 years. I am married and I have four children, three girls and one boy.

I want to work for the community as a health therapist. I work well with others. I dream of traveling to the moon. I want to learn more English and then I want to go to college because education is very important. My dream is a good job. I want to be a good grandmother and then enjoy my family.

Student Writing of the Month - July 2005
Teaching us how to live
by Dario Neto, Atlanta English Institute

If I have to think about someone who I admire, certainly this person is my grandfather, a humble and generous man, with a great life story.

Born in a German community in Brazil, he grew up speaking German and praying in German (which he also taught his grandsons). When he was one year old, he lost his mother. He lost his father when he was five years old, and was separated from his brother and sisters. So my grandpa (Avo) had to begin his own life pretty early, working on a farm at only six years of age.

Going to the Air Force was a good choice though he didn’t know this at the time. Working with airplane motors, studying hard and always running to do the best for his new family, this man could have been considered an expert in his area. He was known as "Colonel."

Later he lived in a lot of different places in the country, from the north to the south, including the Amazon Rain Forest. Then he was called to work in Togo, Africa where he lived three years far away from his family. And an important event in his life was bringing a Black Patron Saint of Brazil to that country. When people saw that black saint, they couldn’t believe it and everybody wanted to touch him because they had never seen one like that. He was considered a great man and the king wanted to know my grandpa. They met, and a special gift was given by the king -- a spade from that kingdom.

After Africa, he continued to study in Italy, England and Germany, getting knowledge about airplane motors. Because he could speak five languages, (Portuguese, Italian, English, German and French), the government of Brazil invited him to be onboard a flight touring a European Princess around Brazil.

Now, he is living at a home on the beach, with the love of his life, my grandma, and there he can see the deep of the ocean, clear and strong, like his life.

Student Writing of the Month - June 2005
Student credits EL Civics program
‘I was starting to feel heart arrest symptoms’
by Gilberto Cobieya, Pacoima Skills Center

Dear El Civics,

I am writing to support EL Civics. My name is Gilberto Cobieya and I’m from Mexico. I have been studying English for four months at the Pacoima Skills Center. Learning English has helped me in different ways. It has helped me to read, speak, write and understand English. Learning English has also helped me in my life. I studied the EL Civics lessons, "Keep your family and home safe," "Cardiac Arrest," and "What is CPR" (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). I learned how important it is to know about heart disease. The day when I read about cardiac arrest something happened to me like a cardiac problem. One hour later after reading about cardiac arrest and C.P.R. I was starting to feel heart arrest symptoms. I quickly called my wife. She helped me and called "911" and the paramedics came to help me on time.

I understood how important it is to learn about cardiac disease and how we can help others when this problem happens. This lesson is important because it can help every student learn and understand about heart problems. I know it helped me!

Student Writing of the Month - May 2005
From the Pacoima Skills Center, LAUSD

(Editor’s note: We received stories from the following students in Gustavo Cubias’ intermediate low ESL class at the Pacoima Skills Center, Pacoima, LAUSD: Sonia Blanco, Elsa Carrillos, Mirna Corcio, Luisa Cordova, Denis Espinoza, Alba Hernandez, Samuel Hernandez, Elena Hunter, Daljeet Kaur, Susana Lemus, Maria Martinez, Salvador Merino, Carlos M. Nava, Gustavo Oliva, and Zulma Sepulveda. Some of their stories may appear in the June issue.)

When I lost a special person
by Alba Hernandez

In 1988 I had a bad experience in my family. A wonderful woman was taken from my side. That sweet woman was my mother.

One sunny day she had a happy day because she spent all day singing with my grandmother. But she had been sick with arterial hypertension for more than three years. So, on July 30th about 9:00 at night, I came back from church. She wanted to know everything that happened at church. She was having trouble breathing. She was sitting between my sister and I when she died. Oh my God! That was so hard for my family and me!

That was not easy for me because when Mother’s Day comes I feel so sad because I miss my mother. I remember when I was a little girl, I bought some cans of juice and I wrapped those cans like a present for Mother’s Day. She was happy, because we were very poor. She was my father and mother because my father left us.

A long time after, I became a mother and my kids celebrate Mother’s Day too like me with my mother. But I always remember my mother. And that day I always used to cry. But my kids got sad when they saw me crying.

One day I promised myself never to cry again on Mother’s Day because I wanted my kids to enjoy the day. Now everything is different because we’re a happy family.

 

Student Writing of the Month - April 2005
It’s important to speak English
by Rosa Sanchez, Pacoima Skills Center, LAUSD

My name is Rosa Sanchez. I was born in Michoacan, Mexico and 17 years ago I came to the USA. The reason I left my country is because there are not a lot of work opportunities there, and most of my family was living in this country.

I came here as a newly married person and now I have three kids, two daughters and one son. My oldest daughter is 16 and my other daughter is 14. My little boy is seven. Every day I drop my kids off at three different schools and then I go to school to study too. I get very exhausted, but I feel good became I am going to school to learn English. It’s very difficult for me, but I don’t want to lose hope. Someday I will speak English very well.

It’s important for me to speak English because I want to know what my daughters are talking about on the phone with their friends. Also, sometimes I have conferences with my children’s teachers and I feel uncomfortable. They don’t speak Spanish, and I don’t speak English fluently. I want to ask them many things, but I know that my English is poor. But some day, I’ll get it!

 

 

Student writing of the month - March 2005
(Editor’s Note: Van Kim Nguyen is a regular contributor. We congratulate her on her vocabulary. We thank her for sharing her memories. )
Remembering childhood
by Van Kim Nguyen, Fremont Adult School

I had a happy childhood. I still remember my mother’s lullabies during my toddler years. My mother was a meek woman who had a tender smile. She would spread out her arms, embrace and caress my face while I was playing as a tomboy.

My father was a courageous man who could brave everything and overcome any difficulty. His smile was like a pat on the back when I was chattering non-stop. Every day when he came home from work my father told funny stories while I was doing perfect somersaults. We all laughed loudly and my parents lavished praise upon me.

When I had problems my mother helped me out by holding my hands closely and telling me to calm down. The first time I failed an exam, my father encouraged me by saying, "Defeats are offset by successes and hard work will be a factor in your success."

Before World War II took place, women had to stay home and be housewives. My father was responsible for supporting the family. When my parents put some of their money towards a new bicycle for me on my birthday, I was overjoyed. My parents immense love has always touched my heart so much.

VOCABULARY HELP*
a pat on the back - an expression of encouragement or praise
chattering - talking rapidly about unimportant matters
lavished - done in very large and generous amounts
lullabies - quiet songs for lulling a child to sleep
meek - mild, passive
offset - balanced, compensated for
overjoyed - very happy, pleased
somersaults - to roll one’s body over headfirst and land on the feet
toddler - a small child
tomboy - a girl who behaves like a boy, especially in sports and choice of clothes

 

February 2005 Student writing of the month
I love reading
by Goretti Yeh, China
(Teacher: Elaine Coombs, Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education)

Reading gives me much knowledge. I love to read about how children and teenagers think. In my country, I read almost every day. I read may kinds of magazines every month. I used the library often, usually twice a week.

Here, I cannot read easily. I have become a child with everything I start to study. Here, I study and read Easy English Times and children’s books. These will help me to know English words. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

January 2005 Student writing of the month
A kidney transplant brought me to the U.S.

(Editor’s note: M.J. Asadinik is a student in Margaret Pillsbury’s ESL class at Piedmont Adult School.)

by M.J. Asadinik
    My name is M.J. Asadinik. I am married and have three children. My first trip to the U.S. was in the year 1974. It was not the usual travel. It was not about business or studying, but it was for a donation. Yes, a donation to my brother Ali, who was two years older than me and also my best friend. Later he became my teacher by showing me how to think and how to live.
     We grew up together. After he got his high school diploma in Tehran, my father sent him to Germany for a better education. He learned the German language and studied philosophy. Then he went to France and got his Ph.D. in sociology. During his time in Europe he got sick and infected his kidneys. Finally his kidneys lost their function and didn’t work any more. Consequently he went under dialysis and after five years of suffering I decided to donate one of my kidneys to him.
    We came to the U.S. in the spring of 1978 for the transplant. The doctors examined our blood and kidneys and found out that we were a partial match together. They recommended that since we both had allergic bodies, the chance of a successful transplant would be less than 50/50. My brother decided not to take the risk and after a few months we went back home. He underwent dialysis again for 20 more years which was very hard.
    In 1990, since he couldn’t tolerate dialysis any more, the doctor told us that he could die and that a transplant was necessary. This time we decided to go to England where they transplanted one of my kidneys into my brother’s body. For the first year everything went well but unfortunately during the following summer his kidney suddenly stopped and unbelievably, he passed away.
    In 1993 my first child Chari came to us and studied here to become a biochemist. She married a very nice and handsome young American guy. They now both have good jobs and are very successful in their lives. They also have a 10-month-old baby girl that I am crazy about. My second child Babak is also successful in his job and recently he has gotten engaged to a nice Iranian girl who is studying psychology and plans to become a psychologist. My third child Shirin is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in nursing and she is doing well.
    I am very proud of my children and my wife and I enjoy living with our family. I have fun with our granddaughter Nicole.