Sowing Pearls ofWisdom Sowing Pearls ofWisdom - Literacy Suffolk

Life is a School
By Zheni Velasquez
ince I was a child I have always been thinking about helping my family. I
S never thought about myself and my future. One day, I decided to come to
the U.S. It was a really hard decision because I had left my job, friends, and
family. When I came here, my life completely changed. My goal was to get money. I
thought more money included learning the language, so to learn English was a challenge.
I went many places to take English classes but I felt frustrated when I couldn’t
speak English fluently. One of the main reasons was because I didn’t have any practice.
I never gave up. I always thought I would be a success if I took the great opportunities
that we can have in this country. Studying hard and practicing the language gave me the
chance to know very interesting places and good people around the country.
Oswaldo and Zheni Velasquez with children, Natalie and Jason
Some friends helped me in many ways but life itself is a
school. Bad and good experiences gave me more strength.
Life in the U.S. is not as easy as we thought, especially
when you were a professional in your country. I was a
teacher in Ecuador. I was a housecleaner in this country.
My free time I used to study English. I tried to enter
college but I couldn’t because I didn’t have the right
legal status.
Later I decided to get married, which is another school.
Parenting requires a lot of patience but it provides many
rewards. Being a mother has brought to me a lot of
happiness. Time changed me when I started to work as a
“Spanish teacher.” All my sacrifices are finally rewarded.
Now I’m teaching Spanish at a pre-kindergarten, and I feel realized because I’m doing
what I really like to do. I continue studying English. Speaking the language is the KEY
to success in this country. Finally I can say again, life is a school because every day we
learn something new.
“My name is Zheni. I came from Ecuador a few years ago. I’m happily married with
Oswaldo. I have two children, Natalie and Jason. I live in Long Island. I would like to give
special thanks to my tutor. Her patience as a teacher gave me strength and has encouraged
me to improve my English skills.”
Fall Poem
By America P. Arbizu
I smell delicious turkey, fresh vegetables, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy,
cornbread, and apple and pumpkin pies. They are cooking slowly in the morning.
I taste delightful apples, carefully biting them piece by piece. My favorite hot drink at this time
is hot apple cider.
I hear the wind blowing the leaves around on the ground, making them fly in the sky.
I see the red, orange and yellow leaves falling gently from the trees to the ground all day long.
Fall brings the most beautiful colors and prepares nature to get ready for winter.
Temperatures gradually decrease, and daylight gets shorter.
Migratory birds travel to the south and my favorite songbirds have disappeared by this time.
“I love and really enjoy my days in this country learning English, one language that always captivates
me. I give thanks to God for letting me be in this country and meeting wonderful people like Bill
Baker, my tutor, Maria Gonzalez, my classmate, and my
friends from Literacy Suffolk Western Region.”
America came to the United States with her husband
Francisco and daughter Andrea in 2002. America and
Francisco are particularly proud of the accomplishments
of Andrea, now twelve years old. Andrea is a straight
A student, an award-winning artist, and an acting
participant in many school sports and extracurricular
activities. (Bill Baker, tutor)
God Has Blessed Me in a Special Way
By Nicole Hamilton
od has blessed me in a special
G
way with a special gift. Some
people see things from a different
point of view; imagining tomorrow as it could
be, seeing the good that can be done. These
people always try to walk within His will
......................
“I love and really enjoy my days in this
country learning English, one language
that always captivates me.”
.....................
and do their part. They’re sure to make a
difference in their world because there’s such
a difference in their hearts.
I feel that I have been blessed in this way.
16 READING FOR LIFE 2OO8 • Student Writing LITERACY SUFFOLK, INC. • Sowing Pearls of Wisdom 17