The ESOL Ambassador

The ESOL

Ambassador

Volume 23 No. 2 Spring 2022

Portland Community College

The ESOL Ambassador

The ESOL Ambassador is a triannual publication of the Sylvania ESOL

Department. Essays are written by students at all levels of the program and submitted

for publication by ESOL instructors.

Subscriptions: The ESOL Ambassador is distributed to various individuals and

departments at PCC. If you wish to receive issues regularly, please contact Sarah Bailie

by email at sarah.bailie@pcc.edu.

Editor: Sarah Bailie

Editorial Board: Luciana Diniz

Assistant to the Editor: Neda Ahmadzai

Graphic Design: Ahmed Ali

Cover Art: Daniil Voronin

Cover title: To my friend Ryan Coulson. Pacific Beach. Canvas, oil. 50x40 cm. 2022

Special thanks to these ESOL instructors

for submitting student work:

Luciana Diniz, Penny Jahraus,

Heather Kalowsky, Ellora Maitra,

Jennifer Snyder, August Stockton,

Ana Vitale, Kenya Zappa

Interview with Daniil Veronin: Featured Artist and ESOL Level 2 Student

My name is Daniil Voronin, and I was born and grew up in Russia. Six months ago, together

with my wife and daughter, I came to the USA. We moved here to develop our project called

artclever.com, which is a creative online education platform. Our mission is to make education from

professionals accessible to everyone, all over the world.

I have loved to draw since childhood. As a child, I watched my brother when he was drawing

and tried to do the same. Then I went to art school, and after graduation, I went to art college, and

then to an art institute.

As a child, I liked to draw horses as I spent all summer in the village and often rode a horse.

When I studied at college and university, we often painted still life and people. Now I am more

interested in contemporary, modern art, and lately, I have been preparing for my exhibition.

Art is an opportunity to express what you see, to speak your language using a picture, and to

express your feelings. After university, I worked in different companies, but still I was more

interested in the creative direction. Once I owned a gallery, and then it grew into a cafe gallery,

where visitors could not only eat but also buy paintings. After these projects, I worked in marketing

for a long time and then my wife and I decided to create an educational project called artclever.com.

All this time I have been dreaming of doing more with my own creativity. I hope now is the

time to express my creative potential.

my projects:

https://artclever.us/

http://canvascanvas.ru/en/

https://www.instagram.com/daniilcrow/

https://www.instagram.com/artclever_en/

https://www.instagram.com/artclever/

ESOL Level 1 Students Write about their Favorite Person

My Favorite Person

My sister's name is Nadima. She lives in Afghanistan, and she speaks Dari. She is short. She

eats eggs and bread for breakfast. She goes to bed at 11pm. She cleans her house on Saturday. I like

this person because she is my sister. She is a teacher.

Written by: Tahmina Ibrahimi

My Favorite Person

My favorite person is Carol Powers. She lives in Portland, Oregon. She speaks English, and

Coral is tall and beautiful. She eats oatmeal and drinks coffee for breakfast. She goes to bed at 10pm

on Saturday. She reads the newspaper and visits her family. She is retired. I like Carol Powers

because she is my mom.

Written by: Fawad Ahmadzai

ESOL Level 2 Students Write about Other People

Bany’s Family

My name is Bany Orozco. I´m 44 years old, I´m married and I have a daughter. I work in

landscaping. My wife’s name is Katty. She is 30 years old, and she works in a technology

company. My daughter’s name is Sury. She is 9 years old, and she is in 4th grade at school. I take

care of her during the night and my wife in the day. We have a pet. Her name is Luna, she is 10

months old, and she likes to play with our daughter. We live in Tigard Oregon. We love to live in

Oregon.

Written by: Bany Orozco

Jackie

Jackie was very busy last week. She studies at PCC. She studied last weekend for an hour and

a half. She likes her school. She visited her father-in-law. She watched TV, the True Crime Show,

and she listened to oldies music. She called her husband. She doesn’t work. She cleaned her

daughter’s room, and cleaned the kitchen. She ate fettuccine pasta with broccoli and meat.

Written by: Jane Zarate Ayala

My Classmate

My classmate’s name is Erika. I talked to her last week because we are in the same English

class. Last weekend, she studied English about one hour at home. Then she visited her parents. Also,

she watched TV at night. She likes music, so she listened to Adele last weekend. She called her

parents last weekend because she didn’t work. She used her computer to do her homework and

check her email. She cleaned her house 2 or 3 times. She doesn’t like cooking, but she cooks pasta

sometimes. I was happy to meet her.

Written by: Akhtar Taghizadeh Toosi

The Experience of the Weekend of Samah

Samah is a level 2 English student at the PCC. Her weekend was busy. First Samah studied

last weekend. She studied for 3 days. She is a good student. She didn’t visit anyone. She watched TV

last Friday, and she watched movies in her living room. Samah listened to Arabic music. She called

her mom last Friday. She didn’t work, but she worked in her house. She used the computer to study

English and to send her homework to Kenya. She cooked dinner from Monday to Friday last

weekend, but she ate out on Saturday and Sunday. Samah ate Chinese food.

Written by: Yolanda Prieto

ESOL Level 2 Students Write about Important Days

My Vacation

I’m in the Dominican Republic on vacation. It has been a good vacation because I'm with my

daughter and family. When she saw me, she was very excited. Her eyes were sparkly big and smiled.

I was more excited because I saw her for the first time in two years. When the airplane landed, I

knew she was there waiting for me, so I walked fast so that I could see her again. My vacation is

almost over, so I’m excited again. I am excited because I’ll see my husband again after one month

without him. I hope he can join me on my next vacation.

Written by: Raynise Ayers

A Happy Day

A happy day was two years ago, when it was my 21st birthday. I went to live alone and drank a

lot of beer because it was already legal in the United States. I was very happy because in two years, I

had saved enough money to live alone and buy my first car.

Written by: Scarleth Mejia

My First Day in the US

I’m from Guatemala. I came 10 years ago. On my first day in the United States, I ate a

hamburger with French fries. I didn’t like the hamburger, but I ate it because I was very hungry - my

son and me. It was very difficult for me to get here, to the USA. The language and the weather are

very different from my country. In my country, it is very hot, and Oregon is very cold.

I remember when I came to the United States, I only had one sweater for me and one sweater

for my son. I was so sad. I came on October 20th, when the cold season begins here in Oregon. I

applied for work. Fortunately, after 2 weeks, they called me, and I started working. I cleaned some

stores like Safeway, Abertson’s, etc. My life was so different in those moments because I worked only

6 hours a day, but I started at 12am and ended at 6am. I took the bus every night to go to work. The

last bus passed at 10pm. When I walked to the bus stop, I was very scared. I didn’t sleep all night.

When I came home, I needed to take care of my son. I made him breakfast and played with him. He

was only 4 years old. Unfortunately, I only slept 4 hours a day - from 5pm to 9pm.I lived many

adventures, both good and bad. But today, I can say that every sacrifice was worth it, and I feel

blessed by God and my family.

Written by: Lesly Rodriguez

A Happy Day

A happy day was 3 years ago, when my mom was surprised that she could enter this country. I

went to California with my husband, sister and brothers to welcome her. I felt very happy and excited

because we were together. We went to Long Beach. It was the first time my mom saw the beach. She

was very happy. We walked all afternoon, and then we ate fish and drank beer and coke.

Written by: Angelica Jardon

Sketch by Alexandra Salas

ESOL Level 2

ESOL Level 2 Students Write about the way their lives have changed since coming

to the U.S.

My New Life in Portland

I have been living in the beautiful city for seven months. I love the rain, but not the cold. I feel

happy with the change in my life, only I get desperate because I don’t know English. That’s why I am

studying at PCC. I am finally valuing the diversity of this country.

Written by: Dayanara Nunez

My Life in Portland, Oregon

My name is Shukrea, and I moved to the United States from Afghanistan 5 years ago. I have 6

almost 7 children in total. I have 5 daughters and one son, with another one on the way. When I

moved to the USA, my entire life changed. I felt like I was starting a new life, which I was, and it was

the best day of my life. Now I can’t believe so much changed in my life. My husband has a job now

and my kids go to school safely. I’m so grateful.

Written by: Shukrea Noori

Shukrea’s Pictures of Afghanistan

My Life is Different in the US

I have lived in the US since 2017, and my life is different. I live with my husband and my son

in the US. My son lived in the US four years before I arrived here, while I still lived in Brazil with my

parents, he lived here with his father. Now I am married, but I was not married in Brazil. I studied

Computer Technology at a university in Brazil. Now I don't go to a university anymore, I study

English and I also work with house cleaning. I like my new life in the US, because my family is

together again, but I miss my parents and friends in Brazil.

Written by: Marta Santos

My Life in the U.S.A.

I came to the US in 2018. I left all my life in Mexico. I’m talking about my parents, my

brother, my home and my friends. Today I live in an apartment with my daughters and my dog. I

have had a different lifestyle since I got here. I do many things that in my country I did not used to

do. I work 5 days a week, I cook, and I clean my house every day. I take care of the expenses of my

house and my daughters. In my old life I used to have service and I did exercise. I had time to have

fun. I spent time with my family and I had time to sleep. It's sad to think of my country now. Here

in the US I don't have time to do exercise and I don't go out to have fun. I see very little of my family

because I have a lot of work. Everyday I try to think of a better future for me and my daughters and

then although the work and the little time I have, I will try to do and be better everyday.

Written by: Rubi Gomez

First Snow

I am from China, and I lived in Guangdong. Guangdong is in the south of China. So, it doesn't

get snow. I and my son came to the US 6 months ago. I live in Portland now, and it snowed last

month. We made a snowman in our backyard . This is the first time we did that. We were very

happy, because the snow was very nice. I love snow, and my son also loves it. He hoped for snow

every day, but it only snowed for a few days. We hoped it would snow again.

Written by: Jieyu Chen

Jieyu’s Picture

Many Changes in My Life

I am grateful to live in this country. For us it is the country of opportunities. I always thought

this country was blessed by God. We came looking for a better life, and here there is everything in

abundance- a lot of difference from my country. My father died when we were children and for my

mother it was not easy. We were three children and sometimes we didn’t have anything to eat and

we lacked many things. Sometimes I would think to myself and say that when I grow up I’m going

to work so I don’t live what I lived as a child. It is not easy when you are a single mother and in your

country there are no ways to survive.

For this reason we left, but it’s hard to let your family start over when everything is different,

even the language. When I was 15 years old I had my daughter. Eight years later I decided to come

to this country, looking for a better life for my daughter and my siblings. When I got here I worked

two jobs and I worked seven days a week. Now I only have one job because my goal is to learn to

speak English. I already understood that the most important thing is communication and for that I

need to learn the language. Sometimes I get embarrassed when people are talking to me and I can’t

communicate with them.

Now I am happy in this country because I have a very different life than the one I had. I have

my two daughters with me, and my siblings. I am grateful to God for how beautiful it is to live here.

Everything was fine, when suddenly one day there was news about the pandemic. I never imagined

that this would change my life, but six months later my brother died from the virus. I wanted to die

too and I don't accept what happened to my brother. He was a doctor, a teacher and dedicated to

work and study. My brother is in the photo next to me. For me there is no future because my brother

always studied and worked for a better future but that future did not exist for him. Sometimes I

realize that my brother left this world too soon and forever he will live in my mind and heart until I

die and see him again.

Written by: Lucia Solano

Lucia’s Photo

New Experiences

I am Venezuelan, I am 39 years old, I’m married, I have two children, I have four siblings and

my life is different since I arrived in the United States 6 months ago. The first difference is: my job,

because I was a dentist and now I have a house-cleaning job. The second difference is that now I

study English and I didn’t study English since school. At this time I only read and answered

questions, but now I also listen and try to speak it a little. Another detail is that now I use the GPS to

drive and go from one place to another and before I didn’t use the GPS. In my country it is almost

always summer. Here I met fall, winter and spring is not far away. I’m still adapting, but I like my

new life in the US because I have opportunities to study not only English; there are also

opportunities to study as a dentist. Best of all, I have the support of my family, and everything is

easier and more beautiful.

Written by: Ligia Acosta de Fuentes

The Sun Shines in Oregon

It's been two years living in Oregon. We are a Chilean family that decided to live the

experience of living in another country. We lived in Santiago, a very populated city with a lot of

concrete. There are many differences between Santiago and Oregon, starting with the contact with

nature. We are happy in Oregon. Here we have more activities, more family time, the people in

Oregon are friendlier and without the stress of a big city. Family, friends and our customs remained

in Chile. Sometimes we miss them.

Written by: Felipe Simunovic

Felipe’s Picture

My New Life in the US

I'm from Vietnam. Before I came to the US, I lived in Vietnam for 22 years. I left my country

with sadness and anxiety. I came with my mother and my brother. Time passed by and now I have

lived in the US for 2 years. Honestly, I feel everything is too difficult for me. From language, work

and place of residence. I used to think that I should give up and go back to my country. Somedays, I

was thinking, starting a new life in another country isn't always easy.

When I started studying at PCC, I met friends, I shared difficulties and I realized that we are

all the same, and we’re all trying to live more positively. Everything takes time, so all difficulties will

pass. And I gradually feel a little better and live more positively. Now, I can drive anywhere, I can do

my job well, and finally I’m a student at PCC. I hope I will forever work hard and live more positively

for my future.

Written by: Hannie Nguyen

Changes in My Life

I’m from Veracruz, Mexico. I lived in Mexico for 22 years. I came to the United States in

2000. I was a student and single while I lived in my country. I had free time to share with my

family and friends. I felt free and happy, and I also had much family to visit. I didn’t work. Now in

the United States my life is different, because I always keep busy. I got married in 2003. I have three

children. I work Monday to Friday. Even though I don’t have all my family in the United States and

enough time, I have my children, and they make me happy.

Written by: Fidelina Urbina

Our Lives Change

When I stayed in Japan, my husband and I got married. We did not have enough time to

spend with my family, because my husband and I were very busy with work and study. However, we

can make more time to spend with family after moving to Oregon. Sometimes our family visits

somewhere such as Astoria or Seattle. That’s why I feel so happy right now and I love to live here.

Written by: Ta Thi Thu Ha

Thu Ha’s Picture

ESOL Level 3 Students Write about Meaningful Days

I Will Never Forget

I will never forget the day I felt pain and happiness at the same time. I have two children.

They are very wonderful for me. My older child’s birth took 10 hours. I will never forget how strong

my son was when I breastfed him for the first time. So loving. My younger child’s birth took 4 hours.

The first time I held her in my arms when she was born, she opened one eye and looked at me. I will

never forget my daughter’s pretty eye. Thank you for a great time.

Written by: Naomi Katagata

Special Experience

My special occasion was a free lunch. It was a normal Sunday. When my family went back

home from church, we went to buy our lunch from the drive-thru at Burger King and then go back

home. When we prepared our bill, the service lady said “He paid your bill!” Wow! What’s that mean?

Who is he? What happened? This is the first time we met. We felt very excited and surprised.

Unimaginable that a stranger paid our bill.

We talked about this special thing in the car, I asked my family, “What do you think?” My son

said, “Maybe next time we can pay for other people because that is very fun and joy.” Yes! I think that

is a good education for children on how to share. It was very special that it happened to be my

birthday Jan, 24th, So that is my special occasion.

Written by: Joyce Lin

Life is Not a Game

That afternoon my perspective changed about life. That afternoon my father and I went to the

mountain for firewood. My father took branches from the ground to not damage the trees because it

wasn't necessary to cut a tree with so many branches in the ground. I didn't help because there were

spiders and scorpions, and I have a phobia for arachnids. I only waited and saw the ants, but then I

remembered that my cousin gave me a slingshot. I decided to use it like the other people and aim a

bird to kill it. My father watched this and decided to explain to me to put my mother in the position

of the bird, and if I do, it is not different from killing someone I love. Something else my father

taught me is to not let myself be guided by others. With this I understood that everybody has

someone who worries for that person and not to damage others because I wouldn't want someone

else to do that to my family. When we returned home I burned the slingshot. After this I taught this

to my other cousins, but they didn't change.

Written by: Pablo Vidal Guerrero

Olivia and Antonio’s Wedding

Our wedding was a very special day. The reception was on December 30, 2008, in Mexico.

Many cousins and friends came from other cities. Our whole family was there. More than 250 people

were invited, and we were very happy. The food was delicious and a lot. The menu was carnitas,

mole with chicken, turkey and rice, and the drinks were beer, tequila, sodas and water. The music

played typical band and mariachi. Antonio and I danced to different typical wedding songs such as

“La Vivora de la Mar” and one special song with our family and friends. My dress was pretty. I liked

that my husband wore a black suit. Everything in the celebration was incredible: decorations, the

flowers, the dance, the celebration in the church. The most important was the celebration in the

church, and our families shared it with us. Something good was that the next day there was a lot of

food from the wedding, and my in-laws gave food to the neighbors. Now we have been married for

13 years.

Written by: Olivia Hernandez

A Trip to Mt. Hood

I had a nice trip to Mt. Hood in winter. I came to the U.S. four years ago, but I didn’t go to Mt.

Hood in winter. I wanted to see snow on Mt. Hood. So my wife, my son, and I went to Mt. Hood on

December 20th, 2021. We wore down jackets, boots, gloves, hats, and sunglasses. We drove to Mt.

Hood in the morning. It rained and snowed when we went, but after we arrived at Mt. Hood, the

rain stopped and the snow stopped. The snow covered everything. We walked on the snow. We

walked through the forest. There were not any flying birds. There were not

any jumping animals. It was so quiet. I could hear that the snow sang

when I walked. The snow laid soft on the ground. The snow was very thick.

We walked on the snow, sometimes it was covered over our knees. It was

the first time I saw such thick snow. It was a white world. It was a quiet

environment. It was an amazing picture. I will never forget it.

Written by: Qiang Wang

My 15th Birthday

I remember a special occasion that happened 15 years ago. My parents, grandparents, uncles,

and cousins organized a party for me. It was a special occasion because all the family was together.

My party was near the beach. There was a menu of food and different drinks. I wore a long red dress.

It was a special occasion for me because I didn’t expect something like that. It was fun and

special that day because we danced and laughed a lot and also because all my loved ones were

together on that special day.

Written by: Yajaira Cardenas

The Happiest Day

I have two children, and my children are my happiness. When I gave birth to my first child, I

was 30 years old. I was very worried. I had to prepare all things for my baby: baby clothes, towels,

diapers, etc. My mom, my sisters, and my mother in-law were worried, too. My husband said: “We

will have a little angel, don’t worry, my love.” I was in the hospital. When my baby came, the doctor

said: “It is a girl.” I looked at my daughter. She had white skin and some hair on her head. She cried

a lot. I no longer felt pain and tiredness. I cried and I was very happy. Everyone in my family was

happy, too. Now, my children are adult children, but I will never forget that day. It was the happiest

day in my life.

Written by: Minh Hoang

My First Baby Shower

I remember my baby shower was on Saturday, March 29, 2014. This day was very special

since we received my daughter Sahily together with my family and friends. We decorated with pink

balloons and other white decorations. The party was in a very nice hotel. The guests brought many

beautiful gifts for my daughter, such as a stroller, clothes, toys, a bathtub, pajamas, etc. We were very

happy that day. We played fun games and danced. Traditionally, baby showers are only attended by

women, but mine was different because men attended since I have many male friends. It really was a

special moment that I will never forget.

Written by: Carolina Martinez

My Honeymoon

My honeymoon was great and funny. We went to Texas in July. We stayed in a hotel. The

weather was hot, but it was nice. We went to a lake and to an amusement park. We had a great time.

The food was delicious. We went to a lot of restaurants. The best food we ate was seafood and

chicken. We also went shopping and bought clothes and shoes. We liked the shops and the prices

were good. We visited a zoo. There were a lot of kinds of animals. We saw rabbits, lions, fish, snakes

and other animals. It was a great experience. I hope to visit Texas again.

Written by: Hawraa Alogaidi

Chinese New Year

Last year’s Chinese New Year was special to me because it was my first time leaving my

country to spend it in the U.S. Chinese people usually call the new year the Spring Festival. During

the Chinese New Year, it is a traditional Chinese custom for family members to get together to enjoy

the holiday. Due to Covid-19, my husband and I couldn’t go back to reunite with our family during

the Chinese New Year last year. We were very sad about this. But my husband and his mother spent

a pretty good time together at our home in the U.S. The day before Chinese New Year, my husband

and I drove to the Portland airport to pick up his mom. On February 1, 2022, the day of Chinese

New Year, the three of us went to the supermarket to buy a lot of ingredients, such as red

tablecloths, candles, and flowers to get ready for our New Year’s Eve dinner. Back in the afternoon,

we each had our own tasks. My husband was responsible for tidying up the tablecloth and inserting

the flowers into the vase. Mom was in charge of helping me wash the vegetables and prepare the

dishes we would use for dinner. I was making all the food and lighting the candles. After everything

was done, the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready. We took some photos together. Although not in

China, we had a happy Chinese New Year.

Written by: Bei Shi

Moving to the U.S.

When I moved to the U.S., I brought a backpack and two suitcases. Also I sent 12 more boxes

by ship. There were clothes, shoes, Japanese books, and ceramics. I was raised in Imari City. It is a

very famous ceramic city. I like ceramics very much. I collected many ceramics. I brought some of

my favorite ones with me. If I miss Japan and my city, I feel like home with my things here. Also, I

brought some photos. However, I always look at my phone photos. I came here just myself, but

fortunately I don’t feel too sad and miss home because this is my new life with my husband. Even if I

didn’t bring too many things, I’m so happy to be with my husband.

Written by: Chie Kaneko

Tillamook Road

My trip to Tillamook was exciting because I saw beautiful plains and nice views. I saw a lot of

ranches. The weather was good. I stopped every time I saw a beautiful river. The road was

surrounded by trees. After 2 hours on the road, I came to Rockaway Beach, and I was there until I

saw the sun go down. I felt peaceful and enjoyed my short trip.

Written by: Nallelly Rodrigues

First Time in a Car Crash in the U.S.

This is my experience with a car crash in the U.S. I just had 1 year in the U.S. I bought my

first car here 6 months ago. In Mexico I used to have a car since I was 21 years old. In my country, I

had 3 different cars since I started to drive. I remember when my family taught me to drive. It was a

beautiful experience because every day a different person came to my home to give me a lesson for

one hour per day. They were always worried about security, so we always had car insurance. Now,

when I started to drive in the U.S., I bought car insurance. So the other day, in the parking lot, I

backed out and another car too, and we had a little car crash. It

was scary for me because I was never involved in an accident.

But the other had experience with that, so she told me what we

have to do. She made me feel comfortable and safe. Both of us

had full coverage, so we just did an insurance report, and the

insurance companies did the rest.

Written by: Celeste Carillo Granados

Sketch by Alexandra Salas

ESOL Level 2

ESOL Level 3 Students Write about Life in the U.S.

Packing for the USA

The first time when I came to the U.S., I brought 1 bag. My bag had curry paste, 1 set of

clothes, some local food, and a computer. My backpack had documents, my passport, a telephone,

and some money. So, I had a light bag because of my husband’s advice. When I arrived, he took me

to buy new clothes. He told me if I brought clothes from Thailand, I can’t wear them in Portland

because Portland is very cold, and Thailand is very hot.

You know, I had the most difficult thing to leave in Thailand. This was my children. So, the

first year when I came here, my husband and I worked very hard and worked every day to make

money. Then the second year, we were able to bring my children to the USA.

Written by: Pornchanok Phithakchatinon

In Portland I really like this place because there are some things that are very beautiful. The

mountains are a far away adventure and there are fresh winds. I love to visit Mt Hood and I like to

see all the rivers. One time we went driving with my friends and it was a sunny beautiful day. Selvin,

Luis and I went to visit the river. The directions weren’t good. There was so much snow. The car

stopped in the snow. Selvin and I pushed the car. Luis was driving. We were so hungry. Our shoes

and pants were wet. We went home and it was a sunny day. We always like to have fun here in

Oregon.

Written by: Juan Panjoj Larez

An ESOL Level 3 Student Writes about the differences between the U.S. and Peru

The culture is different in the United States. The

U.S. is very big. In the United States the people are nice,

but very reserved. Here the people have a lot of help

from the government and lots of opportunities to study.

Peru is small, but the people are very welcoming and

friendly. People in Peru tend to be more talkative and

open than in the United States. They are also more

expressive in feelings. They like to share a lot. I don’t

have help from the government to study. The father or

mother have to pay for the study. Some children work

every day to help their mother and father. Some children

have money to pay. In Peru there are a lot of private

universities.

Written by: Lucia Valdez

ESOL Level 3 Students Write about their Favorite Season

We like the summer because we can go to the beach and we can go eat ice cream. We love ice

cream. Juan likes vanilla ice cream and Jennifer likes maracuya. We made a picture for you so you

can see the maracuya. We like to go hiking in the forest. We don't wear jackets. We like the morning

because the sun is up and beautiful.

Written by: Juan Alvarado & Jennifer Barbosa

A Poem by ESOL Level 3 Student: Da Li

To My Wife

How do I love you? Let me count the ways:

I love you more than I can say.

I love you as much as my health.

I love you so much that I cannot breathe.

I love you because you are my wife and you are my sunshine!

This illustration by:

Juan Panjoj Larez ESOL Level 3

Selvin Gutierrez Morales ESOL Level 3

Juan Jose Sop Yac ESOL Level 2

Juan Alvarado Joaquin ESOL Level 2

Maria Juan Bartolome ESOL Level 1

ESOL Level 4

Qualities to Be a Good Teacher

If you want to be a good teacher, here are some things to help you. First and most important

is being respectful with all your students. When you are respectful with your students, you get

respect too and this is really important to be successful as a teacher. Second, a good teacher always

listens to their students, and helps them individually but in class too. Sometimes some students are

ashamed in front of other students, so a good teacher knows how to listen in private. Third, good

teachers have a lot of patience with all their students and understand when something is wrong. A

good teacher is not only a teacher but also is a friend too, so his/her students feel they can trust

them. So if you want to be a good teacher, you need to work hard on these qualities.

Written by: Tania Gonzalez Martinez

How to Be a Skilled ESOL Student

Have you ever wondered what skills a good ESOL student needs and how hard he has to work

to learn a second language? First, in my opinion, the most important thing is to be enthusiastic

about learning because you can dedicate all the time you need with no pain and this makes studying

easier. Also, to be organized is important too. Organizing your time, your space and your materials

helps you with your lessons and your job in class. Next, concentration is necessary to be able to

memorize what you are studying. For example, you need to concentrate when you study irregular

verbs, and when you do the quiz exercises. In addition, the ability to study is important to apply the

study techniques. For example, using studying techniques, like writing the texts and difficult words

in your notebook, helps you memorize them. Last, being responsible when you attend classes and

when you do your homework is very important. In conclusion, working hard is very important to

learn a second language.

Written by: Juan de Grado

Long Way Home

For me, home is where my family lives. I moved to the U.S because they live here. I am not

married, so family is for me: my parents, my older sister with her husband, and nephews. I guess it is

important to live near your family especially when your parents are not young. I can take care of

them. Retired people need love, and care. I don't have a child, but I have two nephews. I didn't see

how they grew up. They have been living in the U.S. for nineteen years. Now I see two young men,

but to me they are still little boys. I am happy when I see them. I can share my love with them.

Family is a power, it is my wings. In hard times in my life I always knew that I am not alone. Their

support made me strong. It took me nineteen years to get home. It’s been a long road, but now I’m

here.

Written by: Solomca Olga

My Hometown

Although I came to the United States, I think my hometown Guangzhou is the most special.

For example, there are three seasons of summer and one season of rain. There is beautiful scenery at

Baiyun Mountain in Guangzhou. There are many places to visit there. For example, you can play

extreme sports, you can enjoy the flowers, you can overlook Guangzhou and so on. There are many

restaurants, but my favorite is Yum Cha. In conclusion, if you travel to Guangzhou, you can visit

Baiyun Mountain.

Written by: Yuting Luo

Sketch by Alexandra Salas

ESOL Level 2

Daniil Voronin: Vintage still life. Cardboard, Oil. 2010 35x25 cm

ESOL Level 5

The Best Gift Ever

When I was 7 years old, I got the best gift ever from my grandma. I remember when she spoke to me

and I couldn't understand her. My grandma just spoke Maya and she wanted to teach me her language. In the

beginning I was scared because the teacher just spoke Maya and I didn’t understand anything and I felt

frustrated because I wanted to learn. The vowels are so hard to learn. Every afternoon when the class was

finished my grandmother tried to speak with me in Maya, and she helped me every day with my homework.

Always she made me feel so comfortable. Little by little I understood a little bit more every day. One year later

I understood a lot more Maya, but I couldn’t speak like my grandma. Three years later, I can speak, read, write

and understand Maya. I felt so satisfied with my hard work. I thought when you are determined to do

something like learning a new language, art or anything else, you can do it, if you want. I admired my grandma

for giving me the best gift ever. Now I love every language and I focus on learning English like a native

person. I love to learn new languages. If I can do it, you can do it.

Written by: Charlie Navarro Guillen

ESOL Level 6

Time Lapse

For most people undoubtedly, childhood was the best time of their life because their main

focus is to worry about school, chores, and how to spend their free time, like it was for me. However,

childhood is different for my kids now because of the new ways that they are living their childhood

compared to my childhood based on school, chores, and free time.

First, school is an important part of every child's life. Elementary school was a journey for me.

Especially because I had to walk one mile every single morning to get there because there was no

school bus. Second, I had to wear a uniform everyday: some days an official uniform, and other days

a PE uniform. Also, there was no cafeteria or free lunch. I had to take a good breakfast before going

to school, or bring something with me for lunch time. Finally, there was no computer lab in my

school, so I did not have access to technology. However, elementary school now looks really different

for my kids starting with the way that they get to school. First, they have access to a school bus.

Second, some schools require uniforms, but most of them don’t. Third, they have a cafeteria for no

cost, or they can have a reduced price for the cafeteria. Finally, my kids have a computer lab and

access to technology.

Chores for me were a big adventure. I had to work after school in a sewing factory Monday

through Saturday, so as soon as school finished, I always ran home to change my uniform. I

always ate something before I went to work. Sunday was my favorite day because there was no

school or work, and I could go to the main city to play soccer with my friends. On the other hand,

nowadays chores are very simple for my kids. They only need to worry about doing their homework,

cleaning their rooms, and taking out the garbage. These are easier tasks for them.

Free time was my favorite time. I did not have a lot of free time because I had to go to school

and work, but the way I spent my free time on Sundays was unique. I played soccer in three different

teams. One game in the morning, second in the afternoon, and finally the last one at night time. I

was the number one on my team. Conversely, the way that my kids have been spending their free

time is so different. They have the time to do whatever they want in their free time. Starting with

playing Legos, coloring, creations, slime, TV, and last but not least technology.

In conclusion, although childhood is an important part of our life, every kid has a different

way in how they live and spend their time in school, chores, and free time. In my opinion, I preferred

the childhood that I lived because It has been helping me to have a

successful life. About my kid’s childhood, I am happy that I can provide

them with what they need. The good advantage of technology that they have

these days and the support of their schools makes their lives easier.

Written by: Rosario Azpeitia

Learning a New Language is Gucci

Have you ever heard the word Gucci? If you are like me, you probably think about the fashion

brand, but it is also used to describe something nice and cool. Similarly, learning a second language

can be cool, but I know how it can be a struggle and difficult, especially when it’s time to have a

conversation with a native speaker. However, I will tell you some tips that could be helpful to

improve your speaking skills. There are three types of exercises that you can do, and they don’t need

to be followed in a specific order.

The first exercise is to use an equal ratio, or in other words speak for the same amount of time

you watched or listened to an English program, so you can match your understanding with speaking

ability. For example, you can pick a short podcast and listen to it, then try to understand the topic

and the main idea, and at the end speak as much as you can trying to summarize and give your

opinion.

Another type of practice is to learn and use a new word, concept, or idiom every single day,

and make this a habit for learning. Don’t just memorize the word and then let it die in your brain.

Instead, you should try to use it in a conversation or talking by yourself out loud, and how it can be

related to your life. Likewise, at the end of the day you can practice summarizing what you did. In

particular, you can think of at least 5 things that you did. Maybe you start to imagine words and

sentences in your own languages, but force yourself to switch your ideas in English, and then speak

out loud trying to describe and explain everything that you have in your mind.

The last tip I would recommend to you is “shadowing,” and don’t worry: it is nothing creepy

and complicated. It is a simple method that consists of listening to someone speaking and repeating

simultaneously what it was said, and it could be used for example while you are watching a video on

YouTube. This procedure is focused on improving your pronunciation and intonation because your

tongue is also a muscle, and it needs to be trained.

As you can see, these are just simple tips that I hope can help you to improve your speaking

abilities. In my own experience: just take your time, don’t rush, don’t be shy, make mistakes and

learn from it. A quote from Voltaire inspired me, which reads "don't let the perfect be the enemy of

the good."

Written by: Mirko Felicioni

Jaw’s Aquarium

Nowadays the number of families having pets is increasing because of the COVID-19. Dogs

and cats are popular pets, but some people want to have rare creatures. If you want a rare one, I

recommend sharks. I believe that they are one of the most rare pets in the world. Now I will tell you

how to keep sharks as pets. It has only three steps.

For the first step, you must prepare a big water tank. The bigger, the better for sharks. The

tank needs to be kept in a proper temperature, so you should put it inside a house or a garage. You

have to take into account the weight of the tank. Otherwise, the floor might fall off. If you are

thinking of remodeling your house, it’s a good idea to put the water tank under the living room.

Then, you can have a happy time with sharks whenever you are in the living room.

The second step is to prepare saltwater. As you know, sharks live in seawater, so you need a

huge amount of artificial saltwater. You can use seawater as well if you live near the sea. In either

case, be sure to install a filter to the tank because the water must be clean at all times.

Now that you have prepared, let’s finally put the sharks in the water tank! There is one thing

you should not do at this step. Never put other fish in the same tank. Sharks are willing to eat them.

After putting the sharks in, you may feed them. When preparing shark food, you should go to a

supermarket instead of a pet shop because most pet shops don’t sell shark food. To be honest, they

love eating sea lions, but it would be impossible to get them. So instead, you can get raw fish in the

supermarket.

To summarize, you can be a shark’s owner if you follow these steps. You can see sharks

anytime you want without going to the sea or an aquarium. In addition, you may feel like a celebrity.

I promise that you can enjoy a home party with your Jaw’s aquarium.

Written by: Wakako Yatabe

ESOL Level 7

The Illumination Project: A Summary-Response

The Illumination Project is a theater program at Portland Community College that promotes

student leadership, discusses social topics, and more. It is an innovative theater program that

enhances social justice. This is a project of the Sylvania Women's Resource Center. “Lady Like” is

about a girl whose name is Katherine and experiences sexism. Her father abused her and strangers

discriminated against her, attacking her with words.

Sexism is real in society and we can't ignore it, but many people don't realize it. The girl in the

play experiences sexism, and her reaction is the same experience that many girls have had. How to

view this problem? How to solve this problem? Some classmates who are in my writing class directly

refuted sexism and told the person in their own strong language that it was wrong to do so. Some

students spoke with softer language to gently remind others. In any case, we are aware of the

existence of this sexism, and we are actively looking for ways to solve it. This is a very exciting place.

I enjoyed this show so much, and it made me realize two problems. First, how do you view

sexism, and what should we do if we see others suffering from sexism? Second, what should we do if

we experience gender discrimination? There are jobs that both men and women can hold, but

companies prefer to choose men. Because women go through the process of getting married and

becoming pregnant, the company needs to continue to pay them during their maternity leave.

Therefore, many companies are reluctant to recruit female employees. In China, some companies

ask women when they are recruiting, if they plan to get married and have children in a short period

of time, if they plan to get a boyfriend, and so on. If the girl's answer is “Yes”, then she will lose the

job. In order not to be fired, many women will not get

pregnant or have boyfriends. If this happens to me, how

do I fix it? My answer is that you must resist, and you

must speak out to protect your rights. If you can

communicate and solve it yourself, that's great. If you

can't, you must find a lawyer to protect your rights.

Gender discrimination is a historical issue. It will take a

long time for us to completely solve it. For our common

interests, we all need to work together.

Written by: Nikki Li

Change to a New Life or Stay The Same

On a sunny Monday in August 2015, my phone was beeping. I got a new message from the UN

saying that my case was accepted, and I had to be ready to move. Could you imagine yourself living

in the same house for 9 years with no change in your routine? Do you think it’s easy to have a new

home with a new life and new skills? For me, it was really difficult to make a decision when I decided

to change not only my home but also my country as well. That is what I faced when I decided to move

to the United States.

I had a wonderful job when I was in Kuwait, which is why it was difficult for me to decide if I

wanted to stay or leave. I was a teacher in a bilingual school, and earned good money from it. My

kids were students with me in the same school, and my husband, who was an interpreter, had a great

job too. We lived in Kuwait for nine years after we had moved from Iraq, from 2005 to 2015. It

seemed that we had a great, perfect life, but in fact it was not. Kuwait was not our country and the

Kuwaiti government could have canceled our residence at any time. Moreover, we couldn’t visit our

family in Iraq because my husband had worked with the U.S. Army during the Gulf War before we

moved to Kuwait, and he could have been killed if he entered there by the militia. Having good jobs

was not enough to have a perfect life. Moving to the United States would give us hope for a future

and a better life for my kids. They could get a good education, we would have insurance and a safe

life. We could also visit our country after we became U.S. citizens. The advantages of moving to the

United States would be a lot.

On the other hand, we would face a lot of challenges when we moved, like language, the

culture, work, etc. We had to decide between the two lives. Should we stay with good jobs and in

Arabic culture, or move and start a new different life? My husband and I started thinking about what

was most important to our family. Was it the money and living in a country similar to ours without

safety, or living in a safe place and gaining the best life and future for our kids with challenges? Then

we made a decision: safety is the most important. We left everything behind us and looked forward

to a new life and a safe home for our kids. All challenges became easier after a few months.

In closing, that experience was not easy for us. Changing homes and moving to another

country was a difficult decision, especially when you have a good life. You have to look for

advantages and compare the two lives. At the same time, it was a good lesson for me. If you find

yourself in a difficult situation, and you have to make a

decision, don’t be afraid and always choose the right

thing, even if it’s difficult.

Written by: Halah Aljumaah