If you may not know, I am studying to become an Elementary teacher and my minor is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages which basically helps prepare me to be an effective teacher for students in my class whose first language is not English. Right now I am staying Spring Term to take a few classes for this minor, one of which is Family, School, and Community Partnerships. For this class I had to visit the home of a family with students who are English Language Learners and I have to write a paper and give a presentation about it. I did my visit yesterday and the father shared some great insights and thoughts with us that really struck me.
He said that he had a great lifestyle and status in Venezuela, greater than he has here now, but that he would not change it for anything. Their family lived in a nice area of the city but they still had many problems with safety and security - like being robbed and their car stolen at gun point. They came to America because they wanted to have a better life for their children. He has a great love for this country and the opportunities it has given him. They are now US Citizens and although he loves his native country of Venezuela, he loves America more.
One of the most impressive things he said to me was that when people question his love for the United States or they comment on his thick accent he says this: I may speak with broken English, but my heart is not broken. It is whole and proud to be an American.
Another thing he said was that many people have esteemed professional jobs in their native countries and they give up everything to come to the United States for their children to have greater opportunities. They leave everything behind and they do menial jobs like cook, clean, and mow lawns when they are doctors, engineers, and teachers in their native country. Just because they speak less English or with an accent does not mean they are less educated.
This man taught me a lot about not judging others and being grateful for the blessings in my life. It was a really great experience for me to spend some time in this family's home and get to know them more, because it is easier to learn a lot more in a real-life situation than in a classroom. I hope that I will remember the things this family told me and I will be able to apply the life lessons they taught.
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1 comment:
that guy is a great father. I work with a guy just like him. He brought his family here because it is the land of opportunity.
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