English As A Second language ( ESL )

Our readers write from Los Angeles

The stories below came from students at Evans Community Adult School in Los Angeles, California. Their advanced low class is taught by Joyce Mancini.

Funeral
by Kil wan Yang
     We have to prepare for our end of journey. Last Thursday, my mother told me that Mr. Hong, the husband of her best friend was dead. When I heard that news, I did not believe it because he was the healthiest man I had ever seen. He did enough exercise and had a big smile all the time. My mother asked me to pick her up and go to the house of Mr. Hong. When I came into his house, I saw his picture on the table with his cherished things. Also, I saw that Mrs. Hong was crying. I realized it was true. My mother sat on the sofa and comforted Mrs. Hong. We spent a lot of time with Ms. Hong. I heard the story of how he died and learned that he didn't have enough insurance for his family. After listening I went home at 2:00 a.m. While I was going home, I was thinking that people need to prepare for their deaths. The families can get in trouble if they don't have enough economic support. In addition, we never know when we are going to die.

An influence in my life
by Andrea Velasquez
     Jorge Hugo was my husband for twenty four years. We had two children…our son Jorge Jr. who died when he was 8 months old and our daughter, Guadalupe, who is now 29 years old. My husband had many hopes and dreams for her. She is now a doctor and is studying for her master's degree in radiology. Unfortunately Jorge Hugo did not see her achievements.
He stood tall. He had black hair and brown skin. To me, he was very handsome. Usually he was an introverted or shy person. However he was a brilliant man and he really trusted in God. Jorge grew up in a poor family in Guatemala. When we were married, I had completed only middle school. He influenced me to return to school. I got my high school diploma. Jorge always said, “If people don't study, they never can think. People have to go school and their minds will work and they have the capacity to ask why something happened.”
He taught history, sociology, philosophy and anthropology at the Universidad de San Carlos and in the Universidad Mariano Galvez. His students had to read a lot because Jorge wanted to encourage ability in everyone. He also knew a lot about theology.
In 1989 he received a scholarship from the government of the United States. Jorge traveled to Chicago, Illinois to study English for six months. After that, he went to Lexington, Kentucky where he studied at the University of Kentucky. I think the Anthropology Master's Degree was one of the best things he did in his life.
On September 26, 2005, Jorge Hugo Zelaya passed away from cancer.
I will never forget his great kindness and love. I miss him so much

Ten years later
by Miguel Mosqueda
     In ten years, my life will be changed a lot. I'll be older than now, so I won't be able to do some things that I used to do such as playing soccer for 90 minutes or running 6 miles. Everyone has dreams and I have some. One is to get my degree in business administration. I know it's not going to be easy, but I'm going to do this. I'll be working in my own business. It could be in a dry cleaner or a coin laundry. My older brother has one, so I could have one too. I know, I have to work very hard and save a lot of money, but that is not a problem for me. I will find a beautiful lady who will marry me, so we are going to have children. We will live in a beautiful big house on the top of the mountains of Malibu. It has a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Now, I'm imagining myself waking up early in the morning, driving my sport car convertible through the Malibu mountains to my business, feeling the fresh air hitting my face. In the afternoon, before dark I leave everything in order. I go back to my house by driving along the Pacific Coast Highway. Next to the coast I feel the breeze on my face and I enjoy the sunset far away, in the ocean. I enjoy everything. In my house, I see my two little children happily running to me. It makes me the happiest man in the world.
     This is how I'm going to be ten yeas later. Do you believe it?

My free time
by Braulia Sanchez
     During my free time, I jog with my cute dog, Xica, in Harvard Park, in Los Angeles. This beautiful park has big trees, a swimming pool, soccer field, and two basketball and tennis courts. I touch the flowers that grow around the park. Also I can smell the fresh grass. When I go jogging with Xica, other dogs bark at her. I usually bring two apples, one for my puppy and the other one for me. We can hear chirping birds. Xica and I enjoy running, lying down on the grass, and playing football. After that I return home and bathe Xica.

My favorite place is Santorini Island
by Mayuko Yoshida
     My favorite place is the island of Santorini in Greece. It is in the Mediterranean Sea. This Island is crescent-shaped. It is believed that this was created by an enormous volcanic explosion dating back to about 1600B.C. Now there are cities built on the cliff. My dream to visit here with Kota, my husband, came true three years ago. The buildings have white walls and blue roofs. They unify the city and make a beautiful contrast with the deep blue sea. I enjoyed listening to the sound of the waves and relaxing on the beach. When I felt hot, I could plunge into the cool and refreshing water. When I felt hungry, I ate delicious Souvlaki BBQ which is well-known in Greece and is served everywhere. Standing on a cliff and watching the sunset was so romantic that I felt as if I were in a different world. This was an unforgettable memory.

My favorite place in El Salvador
by Yanira Hernandez
     My favorite place is the River Lempa. It is in the city of Santa Ana in El Salvador. This river goes across my country. Each part has a special name. The part of the river that I remember is called El Copinol. On the banks of the river are a lot of copinol trees. Also there are mango, orange and coconut trees. Many kinds of birds live in the trees. The blue and cool waters are filled with crabs, and fish. Every Sunday my grandfather told us that it was time to go to the river. We were always excited because we loved to go and play in the water. We enjoyed pitching our tents under a tree. Later we fished and swam. My grandfather made a small campfire. He cooked fish for everybody and we ate on the bank of the river. Then we rested on the rocks. I will never forget how much fun we were had here, and I always want to go back.

Hearts
by Lessly Henriquez
About four years ago, my first boyfriend, Brian, gave me two hearts made of glass. One was red and the other was white. Both were small and beautiful. I've kept them until today in a small bag. They remind me of my first love, and all the moments we spent together. Whenever I looked at them, I cried because it was an impossible love because I lived in another country. Now, we are together again, and when I see the hearts, they make me feel happy because if you love someone you never stop loving that person.

My Best Gift
by Yanira Hernandez
     My best gift that somebody gave me was not a thing, but rather an opportunity. When I was 31 yeas old, and thought nothing special would happen in my life, I received an invitation from my sister to visit her in the United States. I was excited because I had never thought of this possibility. I accepted her invitation. When I was here and I saw how different life was here. I wanted to stay in The United States, and I tried to adapt to this country. My sister supported my decision. I got a job. Now I have a better life, and I am grateful to my sister for giving me the opportunity.

My Favorite Gift
by Eunice Reyes
     My favorite gift was from my best friend Diane last November. We were eating Italian food at Palermo's restaurant and she said, “Ask for one week off from work because we are going to go to Las Vegas.” I was so happy and surprised. I had never been there before. We drove for four hours. After that we were at the Mirage Hotel. I was shocked to see how big our suite was with a beautiful view of the strip and the volcano. The suite had a large living room with a colorful sofa, artwork, and a large plasma TV. After that we went down to the casino and for the first time I gambled. I played the slots and won $500. Then we walked on the strip and saw all the lights and different casinos. I invited my friend to dinner at The Silverton Casino. We stayed in Vegas for one week and every day was so much fun. But the most exciting experience that we had was when it snowed. It had never snowed like that for over 20 years. I really enjoyed my trip to Las Vegas and we are planning another trip this Christmas of 2009.

In ten years
by Kelly Acosta
     Happiness is what I will be experiencing in my life in ten years. At that time my university degree is going to help me to demonstrate all the skills I have. I will work as a flight attendant for a well-known airline company, based at the El Salvador International Airport. Owning a big house, having a family and working at an exciting job are all part of my life. My family includes a strong man who loves me as I am, and two children will be part of my blessings. I will help others and give the best of myself. God is the most important ingredient for me to live my successful life. He is one of my biggest inspirations, besides my family and a few special friends. I know I can do my best by working as hard as I can to reach all my goals. I'll always make sacrifices, take challenges, and never give up on myself until I get what I've always dreamed of.

My future
by Eunice Martinez
     Ten years from now, my life is going to look this way. A beautiful house will be mine. Also this house has a precious garden, which has a perfectly set table. A delicious breakfast is being served to me. I have a medical clinic to help all people feel better. When we help people feel better, we can feel better too. I love this job and I can take vacations. My children are now adults and able to stay home by themselves. I fly to Europe with my best friend and enjoy beautiful beaches. We have a lot of fun trying on clothes and shopping for shoes and purses. Then we relax at a spa. When we came back home, I share my experiences. My children tell me how much they missed me, but they were OK. Now, I realize they don't need me to survive.

My future ten years from now
by Lessly Henriquez
Ten years from now, I am successful in business life. I studied at Evans Adult School and improved my English skills. I also gained my bachelor's degree. Because of that, my business is thriving. Now, I'm a well-paid business woman and the boss of a big company. I have a big office with a laptop sitting right on my desk. I also have a picture of my family in a decorative frame on my desk. Several people come to my office because they need my permission to continue doing their work. After I leave work, I drive my pink Ferrari to my house. Speeding on the freeway is one of my favorite things although I almost got a ticket once. Finally at home, I park my car in the garage, go to my house and sit on my couch. Then I watch television, until it is time to go to sleep. This is my future daily life.

Ten years from now
by Carlos Cruz
     Ten years I have been very successful. I'm a businessman. I have my own company. My company offers high technological services and office supplies to other companies all over the U.S. I have a big office with large windows and there's a magnificent view of the city. Next to my office is a room where I have a virtual meeting every week with my representatives in other cities. The people who work in my company are qualified and ambitious and I like that. Everyday is an exciting experience going to work in my Aston Martin Vantage Roadster V8. I just can't wait to go back home and drive it again. My house is in BelAire with a large beautiful garden filled with many kinds of flowers. In the summer I love to see my beautiful wife with my daughter and son swimming in the pool. I feel very proud of everything I have done lately. The last ten years have been full of success.

My free time
by Miguel Mosqueda
       In my free time, I exercise. I wake up at 6:30 in the morning every Saturday and Sunday. I dress in sport clothes and sneakers. I warm up by walking for about 10 or 15 minutes before my run. I run from the Evergreen Cemetery to the Music Center along Cesar Chavez Avenue and Grand Avenue. It is about 4 or 5 miles from my house to the Music Center. After I finish, I walk home. I enjoy running. It makes me feel healthy.

My free time
by Irma Estrada
     My free time is great because I can do something I enjoy which is walking five laps. I head down Sunset and go all the way to Echo Park.
I always run. This takes me an hour and a half. I run five days a week and I am healthy and motivated. When I run in the park, I see people feeding the ducks, geese and doves. The fountain is in the middle of the lake and I can feel the mist of the water. Sometimes I can spot a rainbow. That's why my free time is great.

My hometown in Guatemala
by Braulia Sanchez
     I'm from Guatemala. My city's name is San Carlos Sija. My city isn't big, but it is very beautiful with one river. The climate is mild. It is a good place to live. The transportation is very convenient. You can go everywhere you want. Some of the well-known scenic spots are two volcanoes Santa Maria and Santiaguito. Why not spend your vacation in San Carlos Sija? It's enjoyable. I lived a very nice life with my family. And I miss my relatives and friends there. I still love my hometown.

A visit to Perquin, El Salvador
by Gloria Vasquez
     Four years ago my family and I went to Perquin located in the department of Morazán in El Salvador. It is a small and historic town visited by many tourists. We visited the famous Museum of the Salvadoran Revolution. It is a modest little museum, but it provides a fascinating and traumatic history about the civil war in El Salvador. On display are weapons, hundreds of photos, and documents used by the FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front). Later we climbed up the hill, Cerro de Perquin. During the civil war it was used as a site of hideouts and fighting, but now it is a beautiful park. Surrounding the museum are many pine trees that grow up the sides of the mountain. It was amazing to be there because I could feel the wind touching my face. The air is really fresh. I could hear the birds singing. Even though Perquin has a sad history, it is a beautiful place with natural beauty.

Our readers write about their countries

The stories below were written by students in Margaret Pillsbury's ESL class in Piedmont, California.

Taiwan
by Mia Tsao
     My name is Mia. I come from Taiwan. Taiwan is a small island between China and Japan. The seasons in Taiwan are very distinct. Each season has a different feeling.
     Our country was a farming country up to thirty years ago. After that time we have changed to become a computer science country. So we help other countries to make different kinds of things for computers. And my country has become richer than before. But we still keep our traditional farms. So we have many different kinds of fruit and vegetables.
     In my country we have a special night market. If you feel hungry and have no place to go, you can go to the night market. There you can eat different snacks, and go shopping for clothes and jewelry.

Thailand
by Khanidtha
     I come from Thailand. Thailand is in Southeast Asia. The capital is Bangkok. The borders of Thailand are Burma, Laos and Cambodia. The main religion is Buddhism. We speak Thai. The weather is really hot. Sometimes it can be 37-40 centigrade. The main industries are agriculture and tourism. One popular Thai dish is Tom Yom Kung.
     Thailand is 14 hours ahead of California. I came to the USA to explore myself and to improve my English.

Japan
by Emi Nakayama
     Japan is a beautiful country in Asia. Japan has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
     Toward the end of March the cherry blossoms start to bloom. There are many famous locations for cherry blossom viewing in Japan.
     From late July fireworks festivals are held everywhere. In particular, the Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks Festival is a major summer event. In late September the Maple tree leaves turn red. Tokyo becomes a hot spot of festivals. In November there is a historical parade of picture scrolls which date back to the foundation of the Sensoji Temple.
     One the day of the rooster in mid November there are open-air markets in different places. Bamboo rakes are popular as good luck symbols for business success. From December 17 to 19 there is an ornamental battledore fair at Sensoji Temple.
     Recommendations for New Year are the New Year grand kabuki and the New Year grand sumo. In January there is a famous Camellia Festival on the Izu Oshima Island. February is the season for Japanese plum blossoms and there are many festivals in the Tokyo area.