Viewpoints MVLA ADULT SCHOOL ESL STUDENT MAGAZINE SPRING 2021
Acknowledgments First, to the students who have shared their work in this magazine: We celebrate YOU, your hard work and your progress in learning English. Even through this challenging year of transitioning to online classes due to the global pandemic, our students have shown amazing willingness to change and grow. Second, we would like to shine a spotlight on ALL of the hard-working adult students who are studying online with our school to improve their English language skills. This magazine represents just a fraction of them. Next, THANK YOU to the ESL instructors in our program for their dedication to our students and their help in gathering these writing samples: Dennis Bacigalupi, Florence BeGole, Vanessa Bernegger, Helen Choy, Sandy Cutshall, Sarah Dwight-Gilroy, Aysen Gokcen, Lesley Haag, Ruth Kirby, Sarah Krajewski, Anila Mittal, Sarah Ribbers, Susan Silver, and Carol Storckman. Finally, a special thanks goes to MVLA Adult School Director Brenda Harris and Assistant Director Julie Vo for your support for the ESL program—its goals and objectives, our staff members, and especially our students.
Introduction This magazine features writing samples from students in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program at Mountain View Los Altos (MVLA) Adult School in Mountain View, California. All of the levels we teach are represented: Beginning Literacy, Beginning Low and High; Intermediate Low and High; Advanced and SeniorFocused. ESL teachers in our program submitted representative samples of students’ writing and artwork. Some of these are loosely related to the theme of “My Life in California,” and others explore different topics. Some of what you see here are in-class assignments; some examples are out-of-class projects or essays. You will see writing that has been through a significant revision process beside other less polished examples of class work and general writing practice. While not every minor error is corrected, overall, these compositions demonstrate the writing progress of the English learners in our program. We hope you enjoy it!
Painting by Lillian, a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
M.K. is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low afternoon class E.A. is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning
Ida is a student in the Beginning Combo Senior ESL class in the morning
Anel M. is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class
My Haircut for My Son I have such good memories when I decided to give a haircut to my son. I was so happy when I tried to create my own hairstyle for him. It's something that makes me feel creative. Some days, I search on instagram and watch some videos, photos and read magazines that give some advice. It was my first time doing something very different in my entire life. Also, I have so much desire to do something new in my life. That's one of the best moments that I really enjoyed with my family. Now I don't waste my time because every single time I want to practice more and more. I had such a good time with my son. Next time, I will give my husband the same hairstyle as my son’s!! I have enjoyed so many memories with my family and I plan to continue enjoying every moment of every day. Teresa J. is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class Ana V. is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
Dilfuza is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL morning class Yeni is an Intermediate Low ESL student in the evening class
I was born in Mexico. When I was growing up, I realized that we had many needs, but the saddest was when it rained, because the water from a ravine that crossed the side of the house got all over the house. I decided to come to California. I was seventeen years old when I got to Los Angeles, California. I was very excited but sad and alone in a very big place. I started looking for work, but it was very difficult for me— nobody wanted to give me a job. For a year I worked part time. One day, my cousin told me that he opened a space where he worked. I was very excited, but I couldn’t make a home for my parents, because my salary would make very little. Then I decided to move to Mountain View, California and things started to go much better. I started meeting good people, especially someone who taught me how to drive a tractor. Finally, I could build a house for my parents. During that time I met my great wife. Now we have two great children and my dream is that they both graduate from college. R.B. is in the Beginning High ESL evening class Sam is in the Beginning Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
Artwork by T.A., a student in the Advanced ESL class in the evening
Noemi G. is a Beginning Low ESL student in the morning class
My community consists of my family. There are several ways that l can keep my community unified and strong. Supporting each other is a very important step to take for the future of living together. For example, I would like to talk to each other with love, give each other a warm hug, and with a smile, share and listen to each other. No matter what, we’ll hold hands together. Also, listening to each other builds understanding. Recently, my family began to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. Keeping healthy can lead to a longer life. Eating well keeps everyone good looking and healthy from the inside to the outside. Finally, spending time together and checking up on each other is important. I like to talk and to do things with my family. Some of the activities we enjoy are going for walks, playing games, listening to music, watching tv, dancing, and making dinner together. Doing these activities makes us feel happy, warm, and safe. I say from the bottom of my heart that it is very important for me to have a close and warm family that is always there for each other. Link to pop-up book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXrELZr8wFI Janthima is in the Intermediate High/Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon Esteban is in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class
Juana is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class
The picture was made with some different colored threads and stitches overlapping the same space at the same point to change the scene dark or light. Making this art makes your mind peaceful, warm, and hopeful. The work took a lot of time. If you sew two hours per day, you would need to spend one month to finish it. The picture shows the view of the Yin Yang Sea in Taiwan. I lived there for over 15 years, I could see the view every day. It’s actually all the mix of yellow and blue daily. If you are interested in the scenery then you can Google “Color Sea in Taiwan.” Then, you can see images of the coastline. This textile art was created by Gina, a student in the Advanced ESL morning class. She also wrote the above paragraph
A.C. is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning Ock Jin is in the Intermediate High ESL I live in Mountain View, California. I have lived here for 4 years. evening class My neighbors are very friendly, kind and helpful. The weather is wonderful and mild. We have blue sky, lots of white clouds, and peaceful, beautiful places. I have traveled several times to attractive places in California. For example, Yosemite National Park, Pier 39 in San Francisco, scenic 17-Mile Drive in Picturesque in Pebble Beach, and Winery in Napa, etc. I still remember the Crab House restaurant in Pier 39 and Ice Cream House. I enjoyed them. Last Sunday my family and I went to Half Moon Bay to buy Dungeness Crabs. There were already a lot of people coming and going to buy crabs. We also hurried to go to one of the crab ships and bought 8 crabs. The crabs were so big and heavy. On the way home we stopped by one of my friends to give the crabs to them. The friend’s family were surprised to get the live crabs. When we arrived home, we steamed and enjoyed eating them. It was a great experience. I’m really happy I live in my town. In addition, the beauty of scenery in California is beyond description. But I sometimes miss my country, my family members and my friends in South Korea. I really hope that the Covid-19 pandemic will be over soon and I am looking forward to being able to see them and traveling to the places I want to go.
XiuGu is a student in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
My Village My community consists of my birds and my wife, Lupe and our baby. There are several ways that I can keep my community unified and strong. Being friendly to each other is important in hard times. For example, when I go running, I try to be friendly with my neighbors. Being friendly encourages people to have a good day. Also, listening helps to know how someone is feeling. I listen to my wife when she tells me about her day. Finally, having a routine like drinking mate in the morning, listening to my birds and exercising helps keep a healthy mind and spirit. This is good for my soul. I like walking with my wife and our new baby. These are the small things that make me happy in my relationship with my community. Link to pop-up book created by this student: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t6iwYs1bTk Bismarck R. is in the Intermediate High ESL morning class My Life in California I have lived in Mountain View, California for the fourth year. I like the community environment and friendly neighbors here, the air is fresh, the blue sky and white clouds, and the climate is good. I can’t drive, but there are public transportation such as VTA, community shuttle buses, so shopping or to see a doctor is very convenient. Especially in this new coronavirus pandemic, almost no one in our community has been infected. Everyone has done a good job of protective measures. Every weekend, my daughter’s family and I went to parks to climb mountains or hikes, exercise, and relax. Every Monday to Friday, I have study English at the MVLA Adult School. This English learning is very important to me, and I always insist on it for six years. Before, I dared not go out alone because I could not understand or speak English. Now I can go shopping and see a doctor by myself, which brings convenience to my life. I hope that the epidemic will be brought under control as soon as possible, and friends can gather freely. Life will be better then. Wei is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning
I hope to be the best version of me this year. 2020 has been the weirdest year in my life. In the beginning, I felt excited with a change of country and then felt confused, depressed and terrified with the COVID. I lived in 2020 like a zombie or in slow motion. I don't even remember what I did in quarantine, I just know I don't want to repeat it regardless of the situation. In the pandemic we passed different holidays like Easter, Mother's Day, my daughters birthday, our anniversary, my birthday. We celebrated and passed only fine, always with the feeling that things are not ok, because the COVID continued to claim lives. For my family Christmas is a super important holiday because we spend time with all family but with COVID we didn’t go to Mexico to celebrate. For the first time we would have a Christmas just us. Christmas gave us a great surprise for having a quality time. We enjoyed it very much and played a lot with my daughters. We loved our Christmas. I am super grateful that we finally managed to enjoy ourselves in a long time. This year, I plan to enjoy life, be grateful and be Erika is a student in the Intermediate High ESL evening class healthier. I’m going to try to relax and study more. I know with small positive changes I will be the best version of me and my family and I will be happier. Thanks 2020 for what I learned. R.F. is a Beginning Literacy ESL student in the morning
Kan is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning My Life in California I have lived near Los Altos downtown for almost 2 years. Before the COVID-19, my husband and I often went to restaurants downtown. We often visited a pizza store named Spot. It’s not the best pizza but the boss is very kind. When COVID-19 came, my husband and I weren’t working so we started doing UBER EATS. One day, we went to pick up the food at Spot. The boss knew we hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so he made a pizza for us and said thank you for helping his customers. We think this boss is very kind and we are very moved by the boss's behavior. I suddenly thought of the recent Asian racial discrimination and violence. If there is only kindness between people, and there is no discrimination and violence, I believe the world will become better. I will tell you some other things about my community. Sometimes the downtown will show movies at specific times, which attracts many people in the community to watch. Sometimes there are special sales fairs. Some fruit farmers come downtown to sell their fruits. Although not cheap, they are fresh. There is also a big library near downtown, but I have never been in it. I wanted to go and have a look before, but the library was closed because of the COVID-19. When I was passing there last month, I saw someone queuing outside. I think it should be open. I want to check it out if I have a chance. I think there should be a lot of fun in the downtown community, but I am not familiar with it yet. I hope that one day I can really understand my community and find fun. Lindsay is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening
My Life in California Hello, my name is Karla. I have lived in Santa Clara since 2012. Living in California changed my life in many different ways. For example, meeting new people, learning new language and eating different foods. Also this country teaches me to love animals and show me they have feelings too. I miss my national country because part of my family is there and the food tastes different and we have a lot of traditions we can't do in this country. But California opened the door to have more opportunities I didn’t have in my own country. This country made me feel safe. The town where I am from is popular for criminals to kill, steal property or money and obligate you to get into gangs. So living in California is one of the best things that has happened in my life even if sometimes I feel life is too hard but everyday I see the positive about my life. Now I am waking up everyday and writing in my journal about my life and people who I loves and the opportunity life given. Karla is an Intermediate High ESL student in the evening class
I am very satisfied with my neighborhood because of its beauty and convenience. I am surprised by the red autumn leaves in my neighborhood. I can go to school to study English by walking, and I am thrilled whenever I see my teachers, Sandy and Helen. It is pleasing. I am depressed about squirrels always eating my peaches and tomatoes in my backyard. It is annoying. I am excited about the farmers market being close to my home. I can buy different kinds of fresh vegetables and fruits. I love my neighborhood. Link to pop-up book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v7lig7W0Os Jinhui is in the Intermediate High/Advanced ESL afternoon class
H.W. is in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning
Lisa is a student in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
A picture of a table set for Nowruz (Persian New Year), from Farzaneh, a student in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior Class in the morning The Neighborhood is Beautiful by Evgeniia P. Once the wind of change blew, the fairy, Evgeniia moved into a magical land. First, she is alarmed at this stranger's land. The fairy is shocked at the various unusual things that happen in her neighborhood. Evgeniia is especially surprised about mail delivery. It is pleasing that a postman places mail under her door. She is thrilled by the possibility of studying English for free at the adult school. The fairy is satisfied with a park within walking distance. Having friendly neighborly communication is exciting and embarrassing at the same time. She is worried about a hospital visit, but the medical care is amazing. There is even a translator into her native language. The fairy, Evgeniia is surprised at the beauty of her neighborhood. Link to pop-up book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ns0cHZJL4E Evgeniia is an Intermediate High ESL morning student
Why do I love California? I have been living in California for over 7 years. Of course, I really miss my country, my friends, my family… But I really enjoy living in California. My daughter and granddaughters live here. I also made friends here. We often traveled with my daughter. I saw many interesting places. I love to be on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It seems that for several hours in a row the summer sun stands at its zenith and heats up everything that can only be heated. However, the water in the ocean was cold, so it remains cold. Nature really surprised me. Life in California is a life without a change of seasons, eternal greenery, constant flowering of trees, shrubs and the sun. The weather is even and summer differs from winter in the length of daylight hours. Well, it rains in winter too. This place combines the incompatible! Here you have an ocean with palm trees and snowy mountains, and canyons, and sequoias, and even deserts with cacti. The nature in California is extremely diverse, with high mountains and vast valleys, dense forests and desert salt marshes, turbulent rivers and dry lakes. Snow can only be seen in the mountains. The sun is almost all year round. California is cool, warm, or very warm all year round. The seasons here smoothly replace each other. Spring is the most beautiful time in California, when all the yellow withered grass suddenly fills with emerald color. The hills are turning green. The Californian poppy or Californian escholzia blooms, which is the symbol of the state of California. This bright orange flower was named after this naturalist physician Johann Friedrich von Echscholz (1793-1831), who was a surgeon on a Russian expedition on a ship that arrived in San Francisco in 1815 and docked in a bay surrounded by hills covered with gold flower. Flowers in the spring do not stand out in anything special. Summers are dry, warm and long; there is no winter in the European sense. There are two seasons - dry from April to October (summer) and wet from November to March (winter). Therefore, the hills turn golden as soon as it begins. Autumn, September to December brings mild weather and spectacular foliage color. California nature is very picturesque. I constantly admire the flowering. I take a lot of pictures and send pictures to my friends. Because California is beautiful, and I want everyone to see this splendor. Writing and photos submitted by Natalia S. from the Advanced ESL morning class
Ying L. is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class
Irene A. is in the Intermediate High ESL morning class. My Daughter’s Pet by Irene A. My daughter's pet is a young german shepherd puppy mixed with a husky named Titus. He is 5 months old. He is black with white hair, a long tail and big ears. He has a large body and big legs. His eyes are very beautiful when he behaves well. He is very loving and playful.Titus is very active and always wants to be playing. Since he was little, we have taught him to take his nap. At 8 o'clock he eats his first meal. Then we go out for a walk. He is well known in the neighborhood. Everyone knows him but when they call him by his name or he looks at a flying bird, he gets very excited. He wants to run. I don't know if he wants to have a delicious meal or make a new friend. "I no longer have the same energy as you," I say to him. "You have to calm down and be nice!!" And he just tilts his head. He is very obedient but when he is excited, he forgets what he has learned, We are very happy to have a pet at home but it requires a lot of attention and care. Some noises coming from his direction distract me in class and I have to see what mischief he is up to. I thank the teachers for their patience when he distracts me. I also want to thank all the amazing teachers and staff at the adult school who are doing a beautiful job giving all their love and care so that people of different backgrounds can learn another language. I have met people from different countries and I feel happy. MVLA Adult School is an excellent school, not only because of the different programs they offer, but also because of the staff who work there. They are friendly and always ready to help with any questions. I started looking for schools where I could learn English to have a better job opportunity, and then I realized that English not only helps you have a better opportunity but also gives you the opportunity to build a career regardless of your age, and you can have fun in the classes doing different activities with the teachers and classmates. We have many challenges in life. We have to be brave to move forward. Many people in 2020 and so far in 2021 have had many challenges that have not been easy, especially for many who have suffered pain and sadness in the heart because of everything that has happened. Thank you for encouraging us with your love and teaching and may you continue teaching English. May God bless all teachers who are willing to do their best coming from their hearts.
Silvia is in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class MY LIFE IN CALIFORNIA My life in California is good. Because it’s better than my country. Here I have a better job, my family is more united, and we are economically and emotionally stable. I have new friends and I’m very happy to live here because I get to see new places and cultures. I have traveled to beautiful places and the food is delicious. It's really exciting to know what the future holds, it's never too late to learn. Esperanza is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class
TO BE OR NOT TO BE by Radhia B. My community consists of my family, friends, neighbors, pets, people I unfriend, and enemies. There are several ways that I can keep my community unified and strong. Asking for help from each other makes us feel much closer together especially in this critical time with the pandemic. I will provide those who have the virus with food and other needs. Sharing our experience together supports one another and creates a strong wall of confidence. I will keep the secrets of my neighbors who don’t want to broadcast their stories. Being hopeful, safe and enjoying your time with your family builds peacefulness. .I like to see my neighborhood calm and I love and respect each member of my community. It is not difficult to be a beautiful and strong community if we look in the same path as unity. Radhia B. is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class Life in California is much very different from other cities. California has that spark that magical touch that makes it what it is now with its beautiful bridges, vineyards, industries and companies as a source of work and that’s in the north of California, the Silicon Valley. And southern California has beautiful amusement parks, film industries, landscapes and the beautiful places that make up what is California, the golden dream of every person. I enjoy it and I rejoice it because here I saw the birth of my three beautiful children. It only has a small defect, northern California is on the rise in housing cost, that is why many people are emigrating to other cities or states for the type of life that California has. But I like it and here I am because I decided it. Diego is in the Beginning High ESL evening class
Ruth is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class Ivanna is an Intermediate Low ESL student in the evening class
- Letter to Younger Me - Dear T.A., In this letter, I would like to share with you one of my biggest regrets during my high school years. While attending high school, I stayed at the student's hostel of the boarding school. It was the first year in high school and I knew nobody in the school. After a month, I had started knowing my classmates and some friends staying at the student's hostel. There were two groups of the students staying at this student's hostel. One of these student groups was escaping from the school to gamble in the evenings, and coming to the school late. The other group was studying the lessons and doing the homework. My friend escaping from the school invited me to play a game called "OKEY", and I did not hurt my friend's feelings, so we went to the playing saloon to play the game. Our escaping from the school had gone on for two months. At the same time, I was taking the exams of the classes. I was getting bad grades from my classes because of not studying. Therefore, I was feeling very depressed and under the weather. I had thought about what I would do for a week. And then I decided not to go playing the game and attended the other group. I was studying my classes and doing my homework regularly every day. I lost my father in a traffic accident when I was thirteen. Therefore, my grandfather was taking care of my school. My grandfather was coming near me from another city to get information about my situation. He asked me, "How are your classes?” I answered him, "My classes are very good", in other words I lied to him. I had made my first mistake by not selecting my friends properly. As much as I had made an effort to catch my classmates at school, I had not achieved it. My second mistake was to lie to my grandfather. I should have been honest with my grandfather. He loved me very much and helped me with every subject every time. Even though I lost my grandfather thirty years ago, I don't forget him and I miss him so much. I liked playing football, and when I was in the twelfth grade of high school, the sports teacher asked me, "Would you like to play on the football team of the school?", and "Yes, I would," I answered the teacher. I was selected to the football team of the school. Before being selected to the football team, my grades were very good; however, I started to spend more time in the training, so I was not able to spare enough time for my classes. When I started getting bad grades again, I had understood that I made a big mistake by joining the football team. Even if I made a big effort to study for my classes after the football games finished, I had missed the opportunity. If I had studied my classes without joining the football team, maybe I could have attended one of the best universities in Turkey at which English is the main education language. I would advise you that the choices you will make at high school will impact your life significantly. You should focus on your classes, have high grades and strive for getting admitted to the best university that you can. This will open the doors for a great future for your life. Sincerely, T.A. T.A. is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Eduard is in the Beginning Low ESL evening class My Sweet Home We moved into our apartment three months ago. We decided to live here because we like that this apartment has some creeks running through the grounds and a lot of plants. A few days after we started living here, all the grass in the plot of land next door was ripped out. The next day, artificial grass was placed there. The next day after, the horse and cow benches came. Next, a large playground was built. Now my children go out to play in the small park next door when they can see their friends through the windows of our house. We love our apartment even more. Link to pop-up book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlW2_iBDq74 Saori is in the Intermediate High/Advanced Low ESL afternoon class
Pandemic Year I am 75 now, not young any more. Where should I go? As my last home? Under the bright sunshine of Sunnyvale, Watching the mountains in Mountain View. Though covered by the clouds of pandemic, People are still kind to each other. Our beloved teacher, giving all her love and wisdom, We, students come from the world, gathering here, In the classroom of Zoom, absorbing every word we get, like the kids in the fourth grade of primary school. Danping is a student in the Advanced ESL morning class XinWei is in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class
Milan is a student in the Beginning Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
G.Y.L. is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning Chloe is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low class in the afternoon
My Dream in California I have been living in Mountain View, CA for 10 years. I like the mild weather, blue sky and nice beach in California. I have seen various interesting things here. One of them, which made me very curious 10 years ago, was a picture of an upside down room. Now, it isn’t strange at all. There even appeared an exhibition of upside down houses in Los Angeles. Last night, after playing badminton I felt very tired. So, I went to sleep earlier than usual. When I woke up I found I was on the ceiling of an upside down room! Who put me here? That was a trick to play on me! I know it is only an upside down decorated room! What I should do right now is to get out and go to my ESL class at 9 am. I looked around: there wasn’t any window. Fortunately, I found a small door. I opened the door and when I was just stepping out of the door, I was so surprised: I saw the sky is deep under my feet, while all plants, grass, trees…and the earth is up over my head! I suddenly realized that I’m not in an upside down decorated room, I am on the ceiling of a true room. The whole world has become upside down for me! What should I do? Is it the time for me to leave this world? I looked at the sky under my feet again. Should I step out and fall down deep towards the far away sky so that I could get into heaven? Let me think it over as a real scientist! I feel the world upside down. It means gravity doesn’t work for me and there is another attractive force working on me. It’s most likely the sun as we are living in the Solar system. So, if I stepped out and fell down deeply, I would go towards the sun! I would burn up! “No! I won’t go! No! No! No!” I shouted loudly. “What’s the matter?” I heard my husband ask. I’ve woken up from my mysterious dream. Now, I feel so nice lying on my own bed. I can see through the window blue sky, white clouds and green trees. I feel so wonderful living on the earth. I love it. I would neither go to the sun nor heaven. Guanglin K. is a student in the Advanced ESL morning class
Nani is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low class in the afternoon
Maoe is a Literacy student in the Beginning Combo ESL Senior class Patricia is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class
R.B. is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning My husband and I use to walk on the playground of a nearby primary school after dinner every day. One day we saw a beautiful girl playing on the swing. We were surprised by her difficult movements. We clapped for her. Every time she met us since then. She would come and say hello to us and show her talent and skills. Her name is Evelyn, 11 years old. She is very active and lovely. We like her very much. One day I told her that would be hard to meet again because my family moved away from this street. She was very sad and said that she would miss us. I gave her a small gift and said we would miss her too. Li is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class
Kwan is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL morning class
Vu is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class
Li is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class. This flyer was created by Marytza C. in the Advanced ESL morning class
I come from a very beautiful country. I lived with my mother and my grandparents. I come from a very humble family because my family has taught us to value all the things that we have. They also taught us how to be kind and friendly with others. They taught us that friendship is worth more than anything else. They taught us to fight for what we want to be in life and never give up. Well, in my country you can enjoy nature, like mountains, water sources, organic fruits and vegetables, everything we have is organic. We have many traditions, where I come from. We grow corn, beans, corn, etc., especially coffee. I decided to leave my country to help my grandparents and went to California because I also like California. In California I meet many people from anywhere in the world. I also learned many things in the United States, things that I did not know, things that I had not seen, because I enjoy every day that God gives us. I like to live life, like being with my family, with my friends and meeting more people. I like to hear advice from great people that helps me a lot. I also like to learn languages. I like to learn everything. Well now I'm learning English and I like to speak what I know is good because thank God everything looks very good to me and that's my little story about my life. Belkin is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class Chun Chih is a Literacy student in the Beginning Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
Sunny is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
I am going to tell you about Christmas holiday when I was a child. This holiday was different from today. So, we lived in a small town - cozy, calm and beautiful place, but my father , who was a writer , wanted to live in a smaller and calmer place. So we had a nice house in one village, near the town. This house was in the end of the village and behind the house started a deep, beautiful and pristine forest. The perfect place for a writer. All the holidays we were there. My father lived in the house all the time. We didn't have a TV there and also we had a donkey, a cow, a sheep, and a lot of hens and a very proud rooster. Also we had a big garden, where we had planted all we needed - vegetables and fruits. We had everything for eating all year. I remembered that the only things that we had bought from the grocery were salt and rice. What's the deal about Christmas after this big overture? In my country we have a snowy winter. A very, very snowy winter. So imagine - a beautiful house, embrasing one family, the fire in the stove making that magic noise - hissing and outside is a white fairy tale - especially, when the moon is full - the snow is glittering and the moon has a moon path, like in a lake. And when my mom and my sister prepared all the dishes for Christmas Eve - the house smelt with that aroma that you feel safe, happy and strong, because you are not alone, you have a roof and a people that you love, and they love in return. Everything is completed. And before gathering around the rich table, we had going to the animals - this is an old tradition. We gave them some carrots, apples to say to them "Thank you". After dinner, my father loved to go for a little hike in the forest. And this hike for me was like magic. I remember the snow and the moon, and very often there were footprints from different animals and my dad has taught me how to recognize them . So, I clearly could see in my head, how the fox went for a walk and the rabbit hid from her behind the trees. After the hike we went to bed, read some books and slept very well. The next day we celebrated Christmas and we had some modest gifts under the Christmas tree. And it was more exciting than waiting for Christmas. And I was a little bit sad on Christmas day, because I didn't have a reason for waiting. My memories are rich and even today they give me that unique feeling. Slavi is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Farzaneh and Hussein are students in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior Class in the morning
Sandra is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
Helena is in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior class in the morning
Silvia is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
Swimming is a healthy, low-cost activity that you can continue throughout your life. Swimming is a low-impact activity that has many physical and mental health benefits. Swimming is a great whole-body workout because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. Swimming can prevent drowning. However, I prefer the reason that it can offer a relatively injury free exercise in comparison to other competition activities. At first, I had my right knee pain ten years ago. Then I had to visit an orthopedist. Then I had been asked to replaced my knee by my two orthopedists in China. But my Chinese medicine doctor said “No”. Afterwards, I enjoyed two years swimming in the United States. My knee pain was gone and proved by my two years practice. The soft tissue injury can be restored by swimming. So, swimming is my best and right choice. Hong is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class Qichun is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning
Galya is in the Intermediate Combo ESL Senior morning class
Amazing European Cities I Visited on My Honeymoon I had such an unforgettable time visiting European cities with my husband. I visited Vienna in Austria, Prague in the Czech Republic, and Roma in Italy. All of them had such beautiful buildings or rich cultural heritage that they took my breath away. I was so crazy to take pictures of them that I lost sight of my husband carelessly many times. And I also went to a classical concert held in Vienna by a famous orchestra. I was so impressed that I thought I may never hear anything better than this for the rest of my life. I have so many places where I haven’t visited yet but I can’t wait to go there one day. I have so many lovely memories of our visit. Natsumi is in the Intermediate High/Advanced Low afternoon class
Sevim is in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low ESL class in the afternoon Tatiana is in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning
How have we adapted to this new lifestyle with our communities during the pandemic? Nowadays, communities around the world have developed newly creative ways for people to socialise safely. We all know completely being such a member of a community is vital to the success of our world. Communities are an essential part of human existence that impact our world view. The purpose of this paragraph is to examine what it means to be a part of a community during a pandemic. I will focus on my experience with my daughter during the 2020/2021 pandemic. We are from Mexico. Mexico is such a welcoming country with very beautiful and kind people. All my friends, father, mother, sister, nephews, nieces, in general all our relatives are there. When we moved to the USA four years ago, we arrived for the first time in Ohio, a beautiful state with so many cold days. Sometimes we had to stay at home for many weeks because of the snow storms, and we learned how we could do activities with others when we are locked up. For me, it was and is still very complicated to interact with my community in the USA because of the language barrier. However, now I am taking amazing zoom English classes. Also I have always maintained communication with my friends and relatives in Mexico with video calls or messaging, but because of the shut down with this pandemic, more than before. However, my daughter found so many different ways to play and interact with her new friends in Ohio. She played virtual Xbox with them, talked with them using video calls and messaging, went on virtual sleepovers, participated in so many different activities with her new friends, laughed and had fun with them before pandemic and continues even during the pandemic. For me, this is very funny to see her so happy. We arrived in California almost a year and three months ago and we lived first in Fremont for a year and now in Mountain View, California. My daughter met her new classmates only for a short time in Fremont. She didn’t generate any ties because she attended two different schools within a short span of time, and now she hasn’t met any of her classmates from Mountain View in person. That may complicate things for her, but I hope she will find creative ways again to establish friendships just like what she did in Ohio because we really want to belong to this beautiful community in Mountain View, California. Shelia is in the Intermediate High/ Advanced Low ESL afternoon class
Xuesha F. is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class
My Favorite Season In Guatemala we have only two seasons, Winter and Summer. In Winter we have a lot of water, this time the smell of the wet land is very nice, and the sound of drops of the rain on the roof of the houses is very relaxing. I knew snow only in pictures and movies. My family had a trip to the snow place for the first time four years ago. Seeing and touching the snow was magic, incredible. I have never seen snow. I had a good feeling. We played and walked on the snow for a lot of time, the weather was very nice and seeing the snow fall too was exciting. The summer is cooler in Guatemala because the beaches are very hot and I like to feel the sun on my skin. I have a lot of hours in front of the ocean, eating sea foods, and a good cold beer. On the coast of the U.S.A. is the opposite of Guatemala, I visited the Pismo Beach in California and I needed a big coat, hat, warm gloves, a scarf because the weather is very cold and the water of the ocean too. I love any Season, it’s a good time for sharing time and activities with my family and friends. Orom is in the Advanced ESL evening class A.M.R. is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning
People Who Deserve Admiration Anoushe Raisian is a person who I admire. Anoushe is the name of a Persian woman. She was born in Mashhad, which is a city of Iran, in 1966. When she was a child, she used to look at the stars, and her dream was to fly into the sky. Her childhood was spent in Iran. She moved with her family to the U.S. when she was 17 years old. When she came to the U.S., she enrolled in highschool, and got her diploma. After graduating from highschool, she registered at George Washington University. She got her bachelor degree in electronic engineering. She worked for some big companies, such as Comsat and MCI. While she was an employee of these companies, she did some profitable and successful projects. When she was working for MCI company, she met Hamid Ansari, who was her colleague. After one year, they got married and she changed her family name to Ansari. They founded a company in Texas. Quickly, the company became a valuable company. She received the award for the best entrepreneur of the United States in 2000. There were many companies which wanted to buy their company’s shares. Finally, they sold that, and founded a new and more advanced company. Anousheh had many successes, but her goal was to fly to the stars. Finally, in 2005, she traveled to space as the first woman in space. She says watching stars and walking outside are her favorite activities. Basketball is her favorite sport. After returning from space, she founded a charity with her brother-in-law. It was called Ahura Foundation, which is a Persian name. Anousheh received many awards in her life. I admire her, but not for her awards. I admire her hard work to achieve her goal. Traveling to space is a hardship job, but she did that to achieve her goal. She is a woman who thinks about people's lives, so she founded a charity. I admire her because she is a hard worker, and a smart and determined woman. Arezoo is in the Advanced ESL evening class
B.A. is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning Carlos is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class
Yang X. is in the Beginning Low ESL morning class
Lisa is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class I like California. I moved here in November 2019. I found a job in April 2020. I am learning English at MVLA Adult School. In my free time I go hiking. There is a good climate, beautiful views. I love that there is no winter here. And if you want snow, you can go to Tahoe or fly to Alaska. In California, I saw many different animals: fox, squirrels, hares, rabbits, deers, etc. I also like to drive because the roads are good. I am happy that I live in such a beautiful place. Faya is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class Lillian is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Mountain View Los Altos Adult School 333 Moffett Boulevard Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 940-1333 www.mvla.net/as/esl
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