׉?ׁB!בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://9uWHX1z9jSZf4V5jllrVdt2S2aSbQkt3DFByn8m6jeo:`׉ 7cassandra://_vw4gmdBkmmuWwSuGlf8ovU5aGcoeg1vOyAru9fPl3E͓`s׉ 7cassandra://VnwrLembA_kH6dYi9KOC_qywqV-j9oeAblcz5Rl40301m`j\^D^-ט(u׈S׈Ej\^D^׉E>Viewpoints MVLA ADULT SCHOOL ESL STUDENT MAGAZINE SPRING 2026 ׉ 7cassandra://VnwrLembA_kH6dYi9KOC_qywqV-j9oeAblcz5Rl40301m`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://8XKSqNYy5d-MqrAeeMYhmeHuddgezf9-qthFVB3UcMQ͂`׉ 7cassandra://91Hy0lZmQVrtcDhvNG0goVRqvMpYUjs1OVSk9J0Qjkww`s׉ 7cassandra://nYFJvx08ewcUSPlPsrBYuuqiczw7E5BAQPdHLC2fwLU`j\^D^0ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://iWM-sbErVFiXl2l3tfivDT_F3XiUqy6WvPbIdBE6h6U(`׉ 7cassandra://xcLMV0NvVsp6IYnZeSohs43mEAlbT67vpnqtzzfxkYE\`s׉ 7cassandra://f74dlv1fXOSHW0HkANKGRc41ZF6t1Ku1nm2QTgEn_24-`j\^D^1׉E׉ 7cassandra://nYFJvx08ewcUSPlPsrBYuuqiczw7E5BAQPdHLC2fwLU`j\^D^׉EQAcknowledgments First, to the students who have shared their work in this magazine: We celebrate YOU, your hard work and your progress in learning English. Through all the challenges of the past several years, 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 with our school to improve their English language skills. This magazine represents just a fraction of them. Next, THANK YOU to the ESL instructors and coordinators in our program for their dedication to our students and their help in gathering these writing samples: Dennis Bacigalupi, Florence BeGole, Jessica Bit, Sarah Dwight-Gilroy, Aysen Gokcen, Natalia Grizan-Evtiutova, Marilen Guilmineau, Michelle Hardcastle, Ruth Kirby, Sarah Krajewski, Kip Mowder, and Susan Silver. Finally, a special thanks goes to MVLA Adult School Director Julie Vo and Assistant Director Jonathan Fu for your support for the ESL program—its goals and objectives, our staff members, and especially our students. Magazine layout by Sandy Cutshall ׉ 7cassandra://f74dlv1fXOSHW0HkANKGRc41ZF6t1Ku1nm2QTgEn_24-`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://8XKSqNYy5d-MqrAeeMYhmeHuddgezf9-qthFVB3UcMQ͂`׉ 7cassandra://91Hy0lZmQVrtcDhvNG0goVRqvMpYUjs1OVSk9J0Qjkww`s׉ 7cassandra://nYFJvx08ewcUSPlPsrBYuuqiczw7E5BAQPdHLC2fwLU`j\^D^4ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://xdGebQ1dv3N7r8HZsVvVV8b52OGjMVms3VL_KIa6V3c`׉ 7cassandra://nJ_IYPNqv3KMK6DAVTkEBiIWOnUG35rJ5GywxQ9QPkAS-`s׉ 7cassandra://zYEQMUTJDOdHge686LOmeTcA-wwCV7UDe5MHaxghqOEU`j\^D^5׉E׉ 7cassandra://nYFJvx08ewcUSPlPsrBYuuqiczw7E5BAQPdHLC2fwLU`j\^D^׉EIntroduction 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 Senior-Focused (Beginning Literacy/Low and Beginning High/Intermediate Low). ESL teachers in our program submitted representative samples of students’ writing and artwork. 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! ׉ 7cassandra://zYEQMUTJDOdHge686LOmeTcA-wwCV7UDe5MHaxghqOEU`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://qsiRkft7_RGmClIKrBkCbA4SaP5rm3vVRQZLsBnNBDEkS`׉ 7cassandra://6zqaiqeQlZvtCDloYmUQyM3qvWwudA-Lp9C59CUit8óp`s׉ 7cassandra://zXM_zwvZQsU-7UnRAwZPWJqep4ESp672gnxa2Qmwde8'`j\^D^8ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://8VIW8g9UqwZSmSjMv_LJO_blaQ0pyRNOeQFP2G2QMq0`׉ 7cassandra://De_vw9KiIGo7qe8YKKGJb4o2KSbOXkpyUp-mZPINM28uO`s׉ 7cassandra://1a6WaPRKDSz8cuCHDJHGyc9NHRrM7HepdwB3RjgCcPs$`j\^D^:׉EIrina is a student in the Intermediate High/ Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon. She painted the cover image of 17-Mile Drive. Music for All People I am a musician. I can play several instruments for example, the guitar, the accordion, the harmonica etc. For me to play music is very nice because the music makes many people happy. Music is my passion. My experience is fifteen years playing music. I learned it in my country El Salvador in the blind school. I studied there for four years. I learned to write braille too. In that school the learning was very good because the teachers were very strict. That was a very good experience for me. Sometimes I play music in restaurants, at schools and birthday parties. Leonel is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://zXM_zwvZQsU-7UnRAwZPWJqep4ESp672gnxa2Qmwde8'`j\^D^׉ETS.V. is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low ESL class in the afternoon ׉ 7cassandra://1a6WaPRKDSz8cuCHDJHGyc9NHRrM7HepdwB3RjgCcPs$`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://hgi9CLMWoZ2DAlNBAamoWtvdssKFzKigNXK7OduDYcs9j`׉ 7cassandra://Lb4etnima5VC4ZSL6cIQJn-0YNZQu4ANqR4dBiFw43Yy`s׉ 7cassandra://bNmiCopksVkbSvdAjvQC1CLs3AH_aW9zLjDExxU1R-A&`j\^D^<ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://J6W1xozROU182WEUWrSuvbEGndKNJi-RWKUAGVjKBt41L`׉ 7cassandra://A4lWCyy2GQNUI4ol-EO5XWBoVD5II7W5AFVdk4SJag8ͅ`s׉ 7cassandra://Z5KfUp6c0aXDhu00IPF82iAahtUjAAQ432XAwqeoY7M+`j\^D^=׉EoMy Short Trip to San Diego In my family we are not big fans of traveling unless it is a short trip. For these short trips we prefer driving trips. I like to spend time with my family in the car and chat while we are driving. Last month we went to San Diego. We stayed there for two days. On the first days we went to the Zoo. I love animals and they even had pandas there. On the second day we went to Sea World and watched a killer whale show. Unfortunately, all the tickets to other shows were sold out. We will definitely go back to see the dolphin show and pet the sloths. My advice for traveling would be, Maria and Celerina are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning do not plan a vacation during the holidays. There was heavy traffic and it took us almost 12 hours to come back home. Inha is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://bNmiCopksVkbSvdAjvQC1CLs3AH_aW9zLjDExxU1R-A&`j\^D^׉EFLarysa is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://Z5KfUp6c0aXDhu00IPF82iAahtUjAAQ432XAwqeoY7M+`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://9AkmfpppREmulHYLhX4yuLQjvv-NrMc2guCzkhX55Jg3`׉ 7cassandra://SVc9e7TnFPxdMwTpYNQiabuYPnWu1O2lxfCUfInPPtg͘~`s׉ 7cassandra://vcqcCrJo7W9YB51WiagAtFeVkqo7PIk8qgBIfjKnyQw'`j\^D^@ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://7hvc1wkrrp4f2GZ4QV35LCleAWmZs_ffreBoS2t_8oY`׉ 7cassandra://yppZXoQoIagnUuFC3zMq0WJnu804SZTJIDBqu-U5YZMW`s׉ 7cassandra://AY8sV87Bjwthb6s_3VXH6sNjftx4Mr2CU_dxyV6XFGU`j\^D^B׉E 3Have you ever thought about why we do our home chores day by day? We do it automatically without a deep understanding “Why do we waste a lot of time doing home chores such as cleaning and tidying up”? Some of us got used to doing it from childhood, others do it because they have to do it and feel it’s like a duty. But mostly all of us do it without extra questions. So, why is it so important to keep our houses clean and orderly? As for me, I hate to do some of the home chores, and I need a huge reason to do that. Let's talk about some of them. Washing dishes. What should be worse than washing oily dishes by hand in cold water? I guess nothing. But besides the joy of eating from fresh plates, it is so important to use the cleanest utilities when you eat or cook. Because leftovers of food create a nice habitat for bacterias. I don't want to scare you, but it's definitely unpleasant when your meals include something else. The best way to solve this problem is to use a dishwasher. But don’t give up if you haven't one. Just wash your dishes properly and don’t forget why it is so important. Find a calm and meditation in this chore and take it with joy. Throwing away garbage. I don't know anyone who likes it and I’m one of them. I guess most of us do it before going to bed. Maybe not, but I do. Usually it's going like it was a nice evening, I‘ve just finished watching some movie, felt relaxed and was ready to go to bed and suddenly I realized “Ouch..Garbage..! There is a lot of pretty old trash in my bucket! I have to figure it out!” And then begins a not too long but so unpleasant part of that evening. I hate to go out at night with one or a couple of bags of trash. Oh, if in my way to the trash can happens a hole in one of the bags and some trash drops into the road - it’s terrible! But why did the hole appear? Hm, let me think. I had collected too much garbage before I decided to get rid of them. Also extra garbage in your homes creates a smell and microbes. So, don't repeat my mistakes, throw away your garbage in time and it will be easier to solve them. Making up the toilet. If you like to keep your toilet very clean, I admire you. I do it, but I have to do it more often to have it in its best condition permanently. I have no regrets about the cleanliness of the toilet, but find it a bit boring to do regularly. But we must not forget that the toilet that is not clean enough is the most beautiful garden for terrible microbes. So I hope you understand that a clean toilet every day is more necessary than a nice view. So, sometimes we don't like doing chores. But in case of home chores it helps us to be healthier. If we realize it, some kind of chores begin to make sense. Don't forget, a clean home is your foundation of health and good life. Sergei is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://vcqcCrJo7W9YB51WiagAtFeVkqo7PIk8qgBIfjKnyQw'`j\^D^׉EChun Hong and Xue Yan are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning Yina is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://AY8sV87Bjwthb6s_3VXH6sNjftx4Mr2CU_dxyV6XFGU`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://Tl5WsUcjCgOwz3RB-xOjEmO7kYPqVfP4cvBA5oey7UQ`׉ 7cassandra://Y2m9n0hcrfcz06W_ZgqYaR_Mm33L1pBU6bKnWkSpll0g`s׉ 7cassandra://Pv_GDPoopJ2L0k5F8DPfCyejFizArfU-hGKMRcJ2Op4!`j\^D^Dט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://89cSUg5YmcCs3QFZSADtPPsKFsuNjre7xk_xAVOiHlYc`׉ 7cassandra://AUSiR-x7LHT4obWQvn6DZOYlVKscfeOeeuxEonu_Kzww%`s׉ 7cassandra://8AQzYGXwIuY0lFEvbDRigSshkP6cyAA5M-nzwW09Omg'`j\^D^E׉EZofia is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low Senior ESL class Kalpana is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://Pv_GDPoopJ2L0k5F8DPfCyejFizArfU-hGKMRcJ2Op4!`j\^D^׉E=Sayaka is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://8AQzYGXwIuY0lFEvbDRigSshkP6cyAA5M-nzwW09Omg'`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://c-hS_7xHiQ-_Hf3Ws_LQb4CpqmhilyF9lGaJ0hVbpVYK`׉ 7cassandra://xsLnas2nmYYyGXMdqOWsYW48sbkXEA-qQGzyjQXGWIkN]`s׉ 7cassandra://PTQzy49OZNL3CaSHd5_OIGU30hlhvUK5aKDSeYNGCqY0`j\^D^Iט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://886w15dnvV0w06dowB3nnqrm4mOXy2sve9VhgtSh8Qoa`׉ 7cassandra://CtpzzqhM7u90WpeVhyV6dUpjqq_-805Ra7dG2QiC5ksV`s׉ 7cassandra://ggiMQopIZJYu1j-RHcwvUMW7xtRyOSmpKIvdpvNmq2c`j\^D^J׉ECM.C.K. is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://PTQzy49OZNL3CaSHd5_OIGU30hlhvUK5aKDSeYNGCqY0`j\^D^׉EZahra and Yurii are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the morning N.S. is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://ggiMQopIZJYu1j-RHcwvUMW7xtRyOSmpKIvdpvNmq2c`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://1c0bYoWOJszz0rsklqKwCBE72i88OVr5t9Gn0NwzGCg38`׉ 7cassandra://MMYKaC2ldf0kUSt35RkmYl8f0-jCzlWxK5hwCEmlI2or`s׉ 7cassandra://OTzbg5IqT2uakIKVdulxNj1995ogPbg_DeUZ6J6Zbxk"`j\^D^Mט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://UDdkf5AeiWhEaLIEi5GI_NaehzcimeRLzr_9lcyokEQS`׉ 7cassandra://iZbweNYg-4hQtSyY-O3yZryEmqFucHpY3dugSF10M_Ev8`s׉ 7cassandra://8ZuPKE7REgSadkeAbGMM7TG6xu5iCcRCLjFEAiars3Q%`j\^D^N׉EA Work Trip I still remember this seven hour trip in a truck. It was with my brother, my brother in law, and me. We were on the highway when suddenly a car overtook us. They made us stop, and armed men got out of the car and pointed their weapons at us. They stole our truck with 40 tons of corn. They threw us to the ground and tied our hands and feet. And put us in the trunk of the car. We thought they were going to kill us. But they just left us in some fields far from the towns and the road. They left us there without money, without phones, and without shoes. They untied us and that’s how we were able to reach the village to ask for help. We walked for several hours. We asked the police for help, but instead of helping us, they arrested us until they confirmed that what had happened to us was true. A few days later we found the abandoned truck at a gas station without its body and of course without the corn. To this day we have never found out who robbed us. But the good thing is that we were lucky to get out of that bad moment alive. Traveling on Mexico's highways and roads is becoming more dangerous every day, even for us Mexicans. There’s no security, much less any kind of surveillance. And even though we only work driving trucks, we risk our lives on the job. Humberto is a student in the Intermediate High/ Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon Maria is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://OTzbg5IqT2uakIKVdulxNj1995ogPbg_DeUZ6J6Zbxk"`j\^D^׉ELiming is a student in the Beginning Low ESL class in the morning Victor is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening My Trip to Lake Tahoe I like to travel by car. I like to enjoy nature, swim and spend time with my family. I went to Lake Tahoe last summer for two days. We explored nature and swam in Lake Tahoe. We ate seafood and local tamales. I walked around the Lake and in the Mountains. My advice is that if you’re driving, make sure you have enough gas in the car and plenty of energy to have fun. Do lots of activities and wear a good sunscreen. Catalina is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://8ZuPKE7REgSadkeAbGMM7TG6xu5iCcRCLjFEAiars3Q%`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://m_UopSJwBYTo0-JIq-ZIwC8c3CB5SBMpf04Oq9alWGQb`׉ 7cassandra://2kL4BNwCZYjFTVgSWzpCvdI_vrGflHBeV_aG4HFcha8y`s׉ 7cassandra://63ly0Q1oGUSxNf9S98NAMr9qU7F8NNHpvBd8xm6izPI$ `j\^D^Pט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://AmTnGL3eFNOfr_K0jnUvKPTtXLn3ZS7Vgu2n1tUSmCY`׉ 7cassandra://SuLUvwOZwtayuURly8JOutzVHe1CNhymodKaEdYFeuIQ`s׉ 7cassandra://wgnft3k05LBDDsXNzZGfSwiC2NzbOUdzz-Ca1UZjSEEx`j\^D^Q׉EMy typical day is busy. I always get up at 6:30 am. First, I sometimes take a shower. I always brush my teeth when I eat breakfast. Next, I always go to work with my scooter because I work near my home. I always eat lunch in my home because I have an hour for lunch, Then, I go home and spend time with my dad. We usually watch TV. After that, I go to Adult School in the evening. Later, I always eat my dinner and watch TV. I always wash my face and brush my teeth. Finally I usually go to sleep at 10:30pm. My typical weekend is sometimes not fun because I sometimes work Friday, Saturday or Sunday. When I work on the weekends, I always get up at 10 am. First, I take a shower. I always take my breakfast with my parents. Next I always go to work at 11 am. I usually eat my lunch at 3:20 pm. After that, I usually watch TV. When I finish my work, my sisters and my daughter go shopping. Later we go to eat Peruvian food in Emelinas 2 or Chinese food in Fu La Mun restaurants. There are very delicious foods. My favorite foods are Lomo Saltado, Trio Marino and shao mein. Finally I always spend time with my family and I go to sleep late at 11 pm. Edith is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening S.M. is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://63ly0Q1oGUSxNf9S98NAMr9qU7F8NNHpvBd8xm6izPI$ `j\^D^ ׉ECeleste and Silvia are students in the Beginning Low ESL class in the morning Clariza is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://wgnft3k05LBDDsXNzZGfSwiC2NzbOUdzz-Ca1UZjSEEx`j\^D^ j\^D^ (בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://V0SM5Jhz3WnaVYdgpNu232X3Nyp4oCskVE7FBubjD6I8`׉ 7cassandra://4lu-kBDxRoBEcWbDIQ6FgV9g5EH1sVyDQHo5F_mb4t8͍$`s׉ 7cassandra://OXnMvQhubPakz83NZ7kbvTua3roUDfOvYWx2NjxiENU)`j\^D^Sט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://hN7855OfT8izxbCI24oIsL2enmS7_xyjIpKArjD0EU07`׉ 7cassandra://PZk42zDS76_-N5qsHoYIlYa-vGtIiS8-zt6X0zraqHMͅD`s׉ 7cassandra://7dI2HBsizGnlMiZnzLW8rh8AywCTQabzgzNq_ZrYfZI'h`j\^D^T׉EWHistory about Immigrant Arrived in United States In this opportunity I can share a little bit about one immigrant family who moved to this country. They never imagined how they changed their life when they decided to move to the United States. Around the world, people ask, “Why will you move to another country?” So the first reason is because the kids have other opportunities for study in art, sports or other specialization materials. The second reason is because this country is very safe and the last reason is because it has many job opportunities for all ages with multicultural people. Once upon a time, one family began the adventure with two daughters and six suitcases. They flew for eight hours and arrived in America. The first stop was Orlando, Florida for all the arrival documents. They stayed there for one month in the winter season. Their daughter thought it was time to vacation!! Every day was wonderful because everything was new and they had wonderful memories. They went to many cities but they visited the special city “Celebration”. Celebration is a small city and it has many stores and houses. However, their car got a flat tire, there was a dramatic story, they tried to put air in but it didn't work. At the time, they called the rental car company and they told them where to change the tire. They were scared because it was new and they understood so any problem has any procedure here. Finally, they flew to San Francisco and they established in California. It's wonderful and they have been living in the best suburb since 2022. This story is about learning how life may change between the years. Everything isn’t static, every person changes and never is late to learning new things in this life. Nathaly is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning Dang is a student in the Beginning Literacy/Low Senior ESL class ׉ 7cassandra://OXnMvQhubPakz83NZ7kbvTua3roUDfOvYWx2NjxiENU)`j\^D^ ׉E#Jessica is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning My Best Road Trip in the U.S I went to Grand Circle by car with my friend’s family and my family. The destinations were Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Seligman and Las Vegas. It took about 2,200 miles for 8 days. That’s over with Japan's island length. We need to drive for a long time so we’d rather go with a friend’s family by one car. And it was also more exciting in the car. My best place is “Bryce Canyon”. It looks different in the morning sunset and the evening sunset, and both are beautiful. I could see the views that can be seen only in the U.S. If I don’t live in the U.S, I can’t see that. It’s unbelievable, it’s made by nature for a long time. Finally, I went to Las Vegas. It is also a beautiful place but it is made by people. For example, there is a Sphere and Cirque du Soleil. The Sphere’s outside is covered by electronic lights. I have never been inside but I’d like to go there sometime. We watched “O” by Cirque du Soleil. It can be watched over 5 years old. Our children were 2 years old, so they couldn’t watch it. But we were on a trip with my friend’s family, so we could switch, then we could watch. When our husbands finished watching it, they disappeared into the casino…. :) If I have more time, I’d like to go to the Grand Circle again. And I’d like to go to places I couldn't go to. Shion is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://7dI2HBsizGnlMiZnzLW8rh8AywCTQabzgzNq_ZrYfZI'h`j\^D^ j\^D^ (בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://F-X6O7X_Nnmkw3g2RrYe-XcRziATg-rUVcCGCHmm3o0+`׉ 7cassandra://VXsMgayrlDiogeV0q_J9r35G8uve4wS73lcV4usTNGwo0`s׉ 7cassandra://sPYb2gmpxlR7UX6tWQJvA8pWDVfuRAvXMWJSrjVX-Xg!`j\^D^Vט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://L_q3OX2eH848ec_lKP1UsjnHBPlaNduttBh6T6j0BkQ`׉ 7cassandra://9kBmjEJ_pcCD9Eas8ooVDBOia-eYb51doPp_Pvo7QF8c`s׉ 7cassandra://qMjETabjyRxSvwmUSGryZ4yCLN5yZiwj-EPQs5QUaqg!9`j\^D^Y׉EJuliana is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening Farieda is a student in the Intermediate High/ Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon ׉ 7cassandra://sPYb2gmpxlR7UX6tWQJvA8pWDVfuRAvXMWJSrjVX-Xg!`j\^D^ ׉ENayeli is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning Yadira is a student in the Beginning Low ESL class in the evening Taira is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://qMjETabjyRxSvwmUSGryZ4yCLN5yZiwj-EPQs5QUaqg!9`j\^D^j\^D^ (בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://UHNH3qRYE0T4m0mU6RhCazskWUCkA6gVp1mcq1Lgup8Pc`׉ 7cassandra://951en3toiTUiS6cHclHgH0K4ihjeA9s4eypL0yXjRrMx`s׉ 7cassandra://sVwnRERb8nGmXTzHJhytY3Y_ueEOeO5cqLLmNGC-erY&`j\^D^[ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://B_Tf72kjZcmrng7bSvP8B5hxNTJOpciqtVxmpm2x3Uw`׉ 7cassandra://3oRkrwirGtwmf4KJyI3gUAccSDWAqhB3ZmnbUv0bgJgS`s׉ 7cassandra://8tkukXtbpeGH505YO1FoBpS9H1WA86NwGHm8gThBo3c`j\^D^\׉ELas Vegas Trip My family and I like to rent a van and drive for many hours. I like to discover new places during driving trips. My family and I went to Las Vegas and also visited our friends who live in Los Angeles . I took a vacation in August, 2025. My family and I stayed for 3 days at a comfortable hotel. My favorite part was visiting my friends and playing at the casino. My advice to everyone is to yourself while taking a trip and always visit new places, not just the same places always. My neighborhood I live in a neighborhood in Sunnyvale, close to the downtown. There are a lot of things I like about my neighborhood. For example, my neighbors are quiet all the time. We have ample parking. Sometimes we can see animals like squirrels, birds and sometimes even a raccoon. I live right next to the Mexican restaurants. There are also some W.E.R. is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the evening things I don’t like about my neighborhood. For instance, when I listen to the train announcements, loudness is a problem - it’s too quiet and I don’t hear it . There aren't many garbage buckles so I have to wait to leave the garbage. There also isn’t A/C inside the apartments. I wish they would not close the gym early. Overall, I’m happy in my neighborhood. It’s a beautiful place to live. Svetlana is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low Senior ESL class Mauro is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://sVwnRERb8nGmXTzHJhytY3Y_ueEOeO5cqLLmNGC-erY&`j\^D^׉EDaniela is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning Binle is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low Senior ESL class ׉ 7cassandra://8tkukXtbpeGH505YO1FoBpS9H1WA86NwGHm8gThBo3c`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://adWavMkB_x4Y4wGyc1CEipy9xJRGFN2fYT7NmJ-JYLM`׉ 7cassandra://HHnunj6d4gX2hS4kWxNuk5mrOp9r4pPBdfljagYaPwIh`s׉ 7cassandra://MA3DREKTby1N1HmQ4B2zJCagZo40uWbon7EtfWY9vSM#`j\^D^_ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://RS7RtOoGFM0GjTwliEI9wbcKuIuusi0amY9-DMabirU`׉ 7cassandra://HkpZBc9-CmcgaFrpFkqBl3TqjDtiT1-hsQFvcAJ7xpov`s׉ 7cassandra://DDArvQzHVsgyTwNF0571pyUt5zhXHgzS0vJfZSS6YZk#`j\^D^`׉EHaiyan is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the evening Nery is a student in the Beginning Low ESL class in the evening Lanliang and Aroldo are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://MA3DREKTby1N1HmQ4B2zJCagZo40uWbon7EtfWY9vSM#`j\^D^׉EuOleksandr is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning My ordinary day and weekend My typical day is often busy. I always wake up at 6:00am. First I brush my teeth and wash my face. Next I make my coffee. I rarely eat breakfast. After that I drive to my work. I teach the alphabet, numbers, shapes and read books to my preschoolers everyday. I love to play with them. I usually eat my lunch at 1:00pm. I finish my work at 4:15pm. Then I go to church and after I go back to my house. I cook quickly. Next I drive to my English class. I always learn something new. Later I go back to my home. I take a shower. I put on my pajamas. Finally I lay down in my bed and sleep. My weekends are usually fun. I wake up late on Saturday mornings. First I eat my breakfast and drink my coffee. Next I take a shower, I do my makeup and put on beautiful clothes. After that my best friend picks me up and we go to some different places. We love to spend time together and eat something delicious. On Sundays, I wake up early. I go to church in the morning. Later I go to the supermarket and buy vegetables, fruit, meat, and some things I need to prepare my food for the week. When I finish my shopping I go back to my home. I cook some food. After, I clean my kitchen. Finally I take a shower and I watch a movie in my bed. Nicole is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://DDArvQzHVsgyTwNF0571pyUt5zhXHgzS0vJfZSS6YZk#`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://xLCbcf5RW3_iisn5B_-o62ewsXG_hgt3unLK6RYApiw`׉ 7cassandra://uNFo2dqFY7SANZRIP6Qa5zDgk81ugYhwXwvj1KeUXK8l`s׉ 7cassandra://1ZbFQI5nir1DBfEmtitfK3UjI89ARcheZ0NX8mz0nvM$_`j\^D^bט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://xArz6sCgu-A999h2PQRSOp2pfyfBQmKTpM4xmbwvRNMh_`׉ 7cassandra://vpSp9qnWwvvrBoD384BqHcO3W3PTMb2G4cHUVoZ6gOY;`s׉ 7cassandra://7veuPVITLqVJOSJtH9nS1b0ldhLNvK9PJErtJ_CA-Ko`j\^D^c׉EMMy Trip to New Jersey I like to drive when the trip is short. When I drive I like to make short stops to eat or shop and I like to listen to music during the trip. I went to New Jersey to visit my family, two years ago. I stayed at my cousin's house. My favorite part was having a beach party with all of my family. My advice is first, buy Luis is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the evening tickets in advance. Second, bring only what is necessary. Third, just do it and go for it. Vugar (left) and Silvia (right) are students in the Beginning Low ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://1ZbFQI5nir1DBfEmtitfK3UjI89ARcheZ0NX8mz0nvM$_`j\^D^׉EDN.N. and I.C. are students in the Advanced ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://7veuPVITLqVJOSJtH9nS1b0ldhLNvK9PJErtJ_CA-Ko`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://r_xZmhY6BmRnMa_9WNAlp4PXtj_br1_FSX0xVH3UgnM=`׉ 7cassandra://fWCkgOeEhYgJ_gKf3WjhB6-iU56ngNT8Ls6HLTOncJ8~5`s׉ 7cassandra://f3HVc3Hw5DSzaRnYRC5O9yKfu12ae8mt992UCxpU3Ic&3`j\^D^eט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://r8NBJM8FPFGo2eLgLAgmcM4RISoN6VGBkYkDPjflzA8~`׉ 7cassandra://Xa3T-EFyIikrUMJRwzyGBymN55PpQ0vKmYmLCg6eKPM_`s׉ 7cassandra://RmIhsspFmbgBSsPpO8qUAf_JpJpVsRKBIk_cRRi5lXY!`j \^D^f׉EMarly is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening My typical day is very busy. Usually I get up at 7:00 am. First, I brush my teeth. Next I make coffee and pancakes for breakfast. Then I get dressed in comfortable clothes. I help my baby to brush his teeth, and we have breakfast. After that I go to work at house cleaning with my aunt. In my work I clean bathrooms, kitchens and sometimes I vacuum and mop, I rarely dust. Sometimes I finish work early. I go home and eat lunch. I bathe my baby. If I have time I cook something for dinner. I go to the ESL class. I go home and eat dinner. Finally I go to bed around 10:00 pm. My weekends are boring. On Saturday, I usually wake up at 8:00 am. First, I brush my teeth and wash my face. Next, I wash my clothes. Then I make my breakfast. I rarely work on Saturdays. After that, my son and I have breakfast. I always cook Mexican food on Saturdays for dinner. When my husband arrives home, we eat with the family. I don’t work on Sundays, so we get up late. I always cook for breakfast. After that, we always watch some movies in English to learn English. Usually my husband and I go out for lunch or dinner with our son. We try food in different restaurants for Italian and Mexican taste. Sometimes we go out to the park to play and walk. Sometimes we go to visit my husband's family. Finally, we usually watch some movies and get to bed around 10 pm. The best part of the weekend is when I go out to the park to play in the playground. Last Saturday I went to a birthday party close to home. Last Sunday we stayed at home cleaning my house. Priscila is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://f3HVc3Hw5DSzaRnYRC5O9yKfu12ae8mt992UCxpU3Ic&3`j\^D^׉EMisa is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning Halime and Juan Diego are students in the Beginning Low ESL class in the evening This self-portrait is by Miki, a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://RmIhsspFmbgBSsPpO8qUAf_JpJpVsRKBIk_cRRi5lXY!`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://eF-64aNrIN-Yai_HGZE_-ybpOV-Ry99GWk1_FTqrZg8`׉ 7cassandra://falF1W2jHbDu2cQJiO3wljgT8VUPFLi0TXsqGPSJ9VM}`s׉ 7cassandra://FPG9QOQhmjwXMX_pewooRswd7IXF1S069iuwh4KLMVc"P`j \^D^hט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://idJ9Ar2QdKNbS2ukngfuaM5mQKz-KYdca7dxLtnqvBUA`׉ 7cassandra://yMD_TYWhhaqsGKzLVr5OZPYLPrcAMsmWtJYQ05dbmkÁQ`s׉ 7cassandra://Er7VL00PAACm5YBHgAabJBU29wxfLyrhE6EE6cWpY7Y%`j \^D^k׉E Traditional Armenian barbecue, known as Khorovats, is usually prepared when people come together to celebrate some special family event or just going to have a rest out of the city. I have many sweet memories connected with this dish from my childhood. When I was a child, I spent my summer vacations at my grandparents. And every weekend, my grandparents took us out of the city to the nature. I remember a beautiful place in the forest next to a creek, with a small mountain river flowing through it. We were lighting a fire to prepare our traditional barbecue, grilling different types of meat—pork, beef, and lamb—as well as vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, and spicy peppers. Now that we have grown up and our grandparents are no longer with us, we often go to this place with our friends. The sound of burning charcoal and the smell of grilled meat remind me of all the happy times we spent with my grandparents. I also remember the words of my grandpa: “Life is like a barbecue—you have to keep an eye on it and find the right balance.” The main secret of Armenian barbecue is doing everything at the right time to avoid overgrilling or undergrilling the meat. Makes Serving for four people and a small dog. Total time Time for marinade the meat before cooking - 24 hours. Time for cooking - approximately 45 minutes. Ingredients 1 pound of beef, 1 pound of pork, 1 pound of lamb, 1 pound of chicken 3 large onions, 1 tbs of large salt, 1 tbs red paper, 1 bunch of dry thyme 4 big tomatoes, 4 middle size eggplants, 4 bell papers, 4 spicy peppers 2 lavashes Directions Marinate 1. Slice one and a half onion, 2. Marinate each type of meat in a separate mixing bowl, adding salt and pepper, and sliced onions, 3. put dry thyme on one palm and grate till powder by another and add on meat, 4. Mix all ingredients well by hands, 5. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator Cooking 6. Put each kind of meat and vegetables on skewers, 7. Grill vegetables gently in open flame, 8. Take them off, put on a metal tray, and let it cool a little, then peel out. 9. Chop them and a half of onion in a bowl, mix well adding a bunch of salt. 10. Put each kind of meat on skewers, 11. Grill it gently in open charcoals by rotating periodically 12. Put one of lavashes in a middle size pan and take off meat from skewers in it. Cover with another lavash. Food is ready to enjoy. Vardan is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://FPG9QOQhmjwXMX_pewooRswd7IXF1S069iuwh4KLMVc"P`j\^D^׉ELupita (left) and Johanna (right) are students in the Beginning Low ESL class in the evening My Typical Day and Weekend My day always starts at 4:30 a.m. First I wake up. Next I drink a glass of water. Usually I take a shower. After that I dress for work. I arrive at work at 6:00 a.m. I always do my assignments before I take a break at 10:00 am. Then I resume my last task which includes washing the dishes. Finally, my work ends at 2:30 pm. I go back to my apartment and eat something. Later, I prepare for my English class. I enjoy my class because I learn new things and to be a better person. After my class I walk to my apartment and say hello to my parents and then I go to bed at 11:00 pm. I prepare to have a sweet dream. My weekend is very sad. Why is it sad? Because I would like to do many things with my family but at the moment I need to work on Saturday and Sunday. My routine these days is: I work in the Mountain View Library for 8 hours in the position of custodian. I like to do it. When I finish my work at 4:30 pm. I walk to my apartment because it is good for me and my heart. I talk with my parents about my day and next I prepare dinner for all. At 9:30 pm I prepare my clothing for the next day, wash my teeth and prepare my bed for sleep. My weekend is very short but I enjoy every moment in my life because it is my life and no matter how difficult it is, it is beautiful. Evelin is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://Er7VL00PAACm5YBHgAabJBU29wxfLyrhE6EE6cWpY7Y%`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://vZZ9M-pg4FcSvC-B6nXxGoPmpWCaFUVeq460DDOH_8kc`׉ 7cassandra://x5OHfHld3IZxG42J7tSWckMa2ZpvItATicHFKsuDLmIW`s׉ 7cassandra://0mqErI-EYAeY44DSb0oQ9gkkw6TJ2yd9HkNT_CDcZqU`j \^D^mט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://qKH-nple-N85v94LTJb0R7sM4d7DlUETC8ZHQ5Ya6kAD`׉ 7cassandra://DDjE7e4C9Gnh67Z4ykgaN_mk4mW0kD1xtO5BGd3onF0~`s׉ 7cassandra://Y39rxqomva2JKz_0_BFWalU6TOxfTq2uoMefDNEa6HQ%`j \^D^o׉EYoshiko is a student in the Intermediate High/ Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon Takahide is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://0mqErI-EYAeY44DSb0oQ9gkkw6TJ2yd9HkNT_CDcZqU`j\^D^׉E^Guoyuan is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low Senior ESL class Driving in Wonderland I had an unforgettable driving trip. In July 2011, our family of four rented a minivan and started a tour of the western United States. We drove from Los Angeles to Wyoming. That was a long journey. My husband and my son took turns driving. We drove through Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and Salt Lake City. We saw many beautiful scenery along the way. We visited several national parks. But the place we wanted to go most was Yellowstone National Park. Driving into the Teton Park Road, the vast grasslands and mountains came into view. The scenery was so beautiful that my husband drove slowly so that everyone in the car could see the natural beauty like a fairyland. We stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge, which is a kind of family hotel. It is very warm and comfortable. In the next few days, we took a boat to visit Jenny Lake, which is the famous scenic spot of Grand Teton National Park. We stayed on the boardwalks to watch the Old Faithful Geyser and the Grand Prismatic Spring. These are the highlights of Yellowstone National Park. The most interesting thing was that when we drove into the park, all cars suddenly stopped and people got out of the car and took pictures. It turned out that there was a grizzly bear playing on the grass with her three babies. We also saw a lot of wild animals like bison and wolves in the park. The driving trip lasted for about 15 days. Our whole family had a wonderful time together and we had a magical experience. Yunsu is in the Intermediate High/Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon ׉ 7cassandra://Y39rxqomva2JKz_0_BFWalU6TOxfTq2uoMefDNEa6HQ%`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://CD2L7KmLdeFhefs_2wM2Mrxe6GMTgiz6Pc0fDZtcEOk`׉ 7cassandra://JMqWhInmj6v34ZSb5-7a-YCgWZ3kUgaaMaHTiiTpUFsdY`s׉ 7cassandra://S-yoqeRdZ_bBGIr5bgmeQ5f_yCAHYn2sr2xffn_rbp4`j \^D^rט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://vXxsXxGricKYI0fcSAud7IVvJ4pROvAKOMvWzq14TMU`׉ 7cassandra://JUSnppJ0pjSX11GXrq1t3ZW-C2qhjesMFDeMCj3xB5cv`s׉ 7cassandra://MjWQ5LRZp3PYCFrWBAZM5VQ5zbtHJe_MpPDbh1ZZxJo!K`j \^D^s׉EVNgang and Yarong are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the evening Mexican Traditions I come from a state in Mexico called Michoacan. My small town is El Paracho. It's a small community with few people but is full of traditions and colors. Today I want to talk about one of our most important traditions. “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the dead). This celebration happens on November 2nd. On this day our cemeteries are full of colors, smells and traditional food. In November first families prepare to celebrate the lives of their loved ones who passed away. My family goes to the cemetery to decorate the graves with flowers of cempasuchil, colorful paper cut and the favorite food of our loved ones. We also make altars with food, water, salt and candles. We believe that during the early morning of November 2nd our loved ones come back to visit us and enjoy these offerings. On this day the cemeteries in my community are full of families. We remember that death is not the end but the continuation of something beyond. Maria is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://S-yoqeRdZ_bBGIr5bgmeQ5f_yCAHYn2sr2xffn_rbp4`j\^D^׉EMy Hometown My Hometown is Seoul, Korea. Seoul is the largest city and the capital of Korea. Many people work and live here. Many companies, government offices, universities and other huge businesses are located in Seoul so there are many job opportunities. That is why the younger generation wants to live in Seoul nowadays. Actually, this has created a problem in Korea because there are no young people living in the countryside anymore. I was born in another town far from Seoul but my family moved to Seoul because of my father’s job opportunity. I lived in Seoul from age 2 to 26 years old. Now I live in the US, so I can realize more how important my hometown is to me. When I think about my hometown, I feel happy. It’s interesting for me because when I lived in Seoul, I didn’t have these kinds of feelings. Remembering my hometown makes my life enriched. I have some places I love but still Seoul is my best place in the world. I can enjoy a lively and peaceful mood near my neighborhood. There are lots of neighborhood events like music performances, arts and crafts, and global food festivals. My neighborhood is very safe so it is a good place for families with children. There are lots of peaceful walking roads too which are very good for baby strollers and baby bicycles. I recommend places in Seoul. I especially recommend to travelers who visit for the first time the following places: Gyeongbokgung is the largest and most iconic royal palace. N Seoul Tower offers panoramic city views. Bukchon Hanok Village is a traditional Korean house (hanok). Myeong-dong is a popular shopping & street food area. Dongdaemun Design Plaza has futuristic architecture and there are a lot of galleries. My favorite places in Seoul are historic buildings like Gyeongbokgung, Changgyeongguung, and Jongmyo. I like to walk around these historic buildings. When I feel bad, I always go there and walk. That gives me energy and I feel better. The moods of the northern and southern parts of the city are very different. The northern part is peaceful and has many parks, whereas the southern part is lively, modern and crowded. I recommend going to both areas. Like I mentioned before, I love my hometown. Yebin is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://MjWQ5LRZp3PYCFrWBAZM5VQ5zbtHJe_MpPDbh1ZZxJo!K`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://OutagTNnE_PZRSDb5CR_AIPviF0f4h-U1KVmd2Zv400V`׉ 7cassandra://Tmf_Te9eHY4-rg1wyIsUIazDwKlZ242i61Iwr5xd7MY͜`s׉ 7cassandra://VVVPIHgkb9QesMHFUJ5v0Ze5gmrl4BcQn3yUQgFO52M,`j\^D^uט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://U95bkX8F7iYIZMF2u0VQjT7iOeV4OhicRYHCI0J5faIܴ`׉ 7cassandra://42znDOfdNIUZKox0WLIBNvV7w32N7CkizTvN30Ayz6sd`s׉ 7cassandra://88HRzBoFvhE-7q3UgxjHKGnr-Bq0XfyiKezc2ntjclY`j\^D^v׉E SCHOOL CULTURE DIFFERENCES I remember my first day attending the advanced ESL class. At that time, I had been in the US for only two months. I was very nervous, but I was also excited about learning English. I was quiet and unable to speak at all on my first day because I was surprised by the differences between Japanese and American learning styles. First, students are expected to raise their hands and speak actively in class. On the other hand, when I was a student in Japan, being quiet and listening carefully was valued. It was frightening for me when teachers called on students who didn’t raise their hands and made them speak. Second, there is a lot of group work. In Japan, the traditional lecture style is that the teacher talks and the students listen, whereas in the US, classes often involve group work and active discussions. Since I am not confident in my English speaking skills, I still struggle to join discussions, and it often leaves me feeling frustrated. In addition, the class includes students from many different countries. This is very interesting to me, and I am happy to learn about their cultures. It is a very special experience. I enjoy talking with my classmates, and it motivates me to come to school. Although I was initially confused by the differences, I enjoy this new style of learning now. Besides enjoying learning English, I can also understand how my daughter feels at her elementary school. It feels as if we are walking on the same path, step by step, learning side by side. One of my resolutions for 2026 is to raise my hand in class at least once a day. My daughter has the same goal. We cheer for each other quietly, like two small birds trying to fly a little higher each day. Because of that, we have become closer, and our daily life feels peaceful and warm—like gentle sunlight coming through the window in the morning. The teachers are wonderful, and the lessons are thoughtfully designed to support our growth. Each new activity brings a mix of nervousness and excitement. I have come to appreciate that feeling. In Japan, there is a saying that you can begin learning even at sixty. I feel this is absolutely true because learning has no age limit. My heart feels lighter now, and I am genuinely enjoying studying. I am grateful for the chance to meet such excellent teachers and classmates from many different countries. Being in this class is like being in a colorful garden where every flower has a different story. Tomoko is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://VVVPIHgkb9QesMHFUJ5v0Ze5gmrl4BcQn3yUQgFO52M,`j\^D^׉EMy Trip to Universal Studios Hollywood I like to take driving trips. I like to discover others places along the way, and I like listening to music while driving I went to Universal Studios Hollywood with my best friend last year for New Year. We stayed three days, in a hotel near Universal Studios. My favorite part was going with my friend. The best part of Universal Studios was Mario Bross restaurant. My advice is enjoy your trip and if you're driving a long distance make sure your car is in good condition. Mercy is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL class in the evening Liubov is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low Senior ESL class ׉ 7cassandra://88HRzBoFvhE-7q3UgxjHKGnr-Bq0XfyiKezc2ntjclY`j\^D^j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://M5B0eqIld12nYK6ZQOArQlZHXZ5Jv_aDJGxWcDthEIQ`׉ 7cassandra://xhv_j6qlVW0VxM6K1Bu5uAT89R73rZuSl9GLf00GsHAu`s׉ 7cassandra://1DRaxctjaAnVlBr-d_jufzC4hL8spBnal_7koTWMyXM#z`j\^D^xט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://1UNqIApagkEdbQNqTqCvnYH7s6BomVna3vlb6mB_zQA`׉ 7cassandra://taom9FII0cAdilHk_N6EYTYGg_0yx6wcZTLYIsGVPi8c`s׉ 7cassandra://ztdHMJX1Llhx6HZH7CiYp4Vlo--XaI3AVOicfjpnnyM`j\^D^y׉E |My Active Life I was a bit of a naughty child who liked to exercise with my sister: swimming, roller skating, biking, and running. We went swimming and skating every weekend. We loved to find steep hills and ride fast and furiously. We fell down on the street and broke our bikes a couple times, even breaking the brakes. At that time we were very afraid of being blamed by our dad, so we used tape to fix the bike brakes and to our surprise we mended them. So we kept riding dangerously, of course. I even broke my roller skates. I convinced my sister to let me borrow hers—and I broke those, too. After that, she refused to lend me anything at all, and she still reminds me about it to this day! I liked reading a wide range of books: social sciences, biographies, mysteries, sci-fi, kong fu and romance. I used to read novels all the time, even during class. Once, I was so absorbed in a book on the bus that I didn't even notice my mother was sitting right there! My parents thought I read too many non-textbooks as a child instead of studying, so I hid in the restroom to read, and I hid a lot of books in there, too. When I graduated from middle school I rode my bike halfway around my hometown—Taiwan with a lot of friends for 5 days. Now that I'm an adult, I like to travel and do adventure things. When I graduated from university I walked around the entire island by myself for 30 days and I even got 2 new friends—stray dogs who kept accompanying me on different days. My friends and I have all grown up, but I am the only one who is still "crazy." During my master’s degree, I had enough flexibility to ride a bike or walk to another city without any plan. I just woke up on a sunny morning and decided that today was the day for walking or biking. Sometimes I went back home at midnight because I wandered so far. I feel very fortunate to live in a very safe country; I never worried about my safety or money while traveling alone, though I did get a bit scared when I passed by cemeteries or temples! I have grown more comfortable traveling solo as an adult. I am glad I explored the oceans and mountains of my hometown with my own 2 feet, because I never imagined that I would live my life in another country someday. Right now in the US, I have some new friends. We play pickle ball one or two times a week, hang out together, and have parties. Jill is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://1DRaxctjaAnVlBr-d_jufzC4hL8spBnal_7koTWMyXM#z`j\^D^׉EThe Travels of my Youth I went to Naju. This place is South of S.Korea. This is where the drama “Jumong” was filmed. So I went there on purpose. Back then it was a very popular drama. My husband and I didn’t have children yet and were very much younger so it was possible! Naju and nearby places are famous for the bamboo forest. We walked and took pictures in the bamboo forest. And we bought bamboo products for my father. Koreans say “Jook Buin” translated into English “bamboo wife”. The reason it is called that is when people sleep hugging in hotter summer, the bamboo has a cooling property. Jiyon is a student in the Intermediate High ESL class in the morning Yajuan is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low Senior ESL class ׉ 7cassandra://ztdHMJX1Llhx6HZH7CiYp4Vlo--XaI3AVOicfjpnnyM`j\^D^ j\^D^(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://lBrwgsfflS1cksambJzhdMLX-EIgGk7psDEjb05EXHQ `׉ 7cassandra://Lprbx9ETzIIWjXrJo5f5Q9G4OxMiYlDfuMeNQurCLgA͂A`s׉ 7cassandra://5tsLLFmTP59ZmHP25k6PT-yvkTnCn413UJlRvR5Z5tU%`j\^D^{ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://eHqfxC2fSNQ1-v5utvO9aY1toPXogT2O1Zj6tPui2MI`׉ 7cassandra://GTX-uq4k-F3uijkxTDesnXOdIdmX7IY7yMwI-zBPkS4̀7`s׉ 7cassandra://Yohdhon_T9-4_KIkoQq1Auw45zdPpz4a6A0zBmt63EE&`j\^D^|׉ECMy home-town My home-town is Osaka, Japan. It is in the middle of Japan and is the second largest city. The center of the city is dense with businesses and the subway is always crowded. However, out of the city, we can see nature. The most famous tourist spot is Osaka castle which is surrounded by cherry blossom trees. It was built in the year 1580. I also suggest a visit to another unique spot called the Minoh waterfall, which has beautiful views of the mountain. In urban areas, there are big buildings, such as the 300m- tall Abeno Harucas skyscraper. We have four seasons. Spring and fall are the best times to travel and be active in Osaka. However, summer is too hot, and the temperature is over 100F. Winter is too cold and sometimes it snows, so tourists would not enjoy themselves. My favorite famous foods in Osaka are Okonomiyaki, which has meat and vegetables baked together and Takoyaki, which is made of octopus and egg. My neighborhood is quiet and safe. It is in the northern part of Osaka. We enjoy seeing rice terraces and vegetable gardens. We can also enjoy walking in the park and playing with children. It is a nice place to live and raise children. My neighbors are very kind and friendly. I miss my family and friends. I sometimes remember spending time with them in Osaka. We used to walk around the park and enjoy lunch. It was a very fun time. I would like to see them again. Keiko is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning Lucas is a student in the Beginning Literacy/Low Senior ESL class Yulma is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the evening ׉ 7cassandra://5tsLLFmTP59ZmHP25k6PT-yvkTnCn413UJlRvR5Z5tU%`j\^D^!׉E My American dream I was born in Russia in a small, poor family. All my childhood I was watching American movies where people lived in their own big houses and all the members of their families had their own cars. At the same time, I lived with my mom in one room because we didn’t have another one, and of course we didn’t have a car. Only rich families had cars in the USSR (Russia). When I was 12, my best friend Sonya left me and moved to the US. I was very upset about our separation, but happy for her better life. We continued to write letters to each other and made a promise to meet one day. Unfortunately, I realized that I would never be able to fly to America because it was too expensive. But I didn’t lose hope that my friend would return to her homeland one day. Time passed. I met a man who had the same American dream. We started to travel a lot all over the world. We were still not rich. We didn’t have our own home or a car, but we shared one dream: the American dream. We saved money, found cheaper tickets and finally flew to America! My friend and I met in Las Vegas after 20 years. It was my birthday — the most incredible birthday. She flew from New York. She was pregnant and she left her 1 year old daughter at home with her husband. I met her with my family; my younger daughter was 8 months old. We hadn’t seen each other for such a long time, but our friendship continues. We sent letters, packages and messages when the internet appeared. And one day we finally met — we kept our childhood promise! Now my family has been living in the US for 2.5 years. But life here isn’t the same as I watched in American movies. Immigrant life is difficult and full of unexpected challenges. We all need to start our lives from the beginning: learn to speak, make friends, learn new skills to survive in a different culture. But I’m happy for this opportunity and I don’t want to give up. My American dream hasn’t happened yet, so I continue walking toward it. Ksenia is a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://Yohdhon_T9-4_KIkoQq1Auw45zdPpz4a6A0zBmt63EE&`j\^D^"j\^D^!(בCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://tQ5xhrM3BxJmHaRQqblhfU5DKlnBNba0ZH0rcoYpmiw`׉ 7cassandra://i5ZvAMrfqd8L1beue29fcqwI66adZVXKx7qK9OudOAoZ`s׉ 7cassandra://PrlTi3kM8ZMtxboZizmafSdjiQyX55htBWQfVU6ZPmA`j\^D^~ט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://-mJ2waVwqDNHe9EEAKQlJDhHp51kUEwIEN8TyNVJUY4=`׉ 7cassandra://QIxDeh-OUiiVZYAeyC7JAYk9hK78iylyMVLEBpdXNvwo`s׉ 7cassandra://Os9B9_VbMjJQkfeIim_RdiUaCFz9d5qBFj1NZDI6Iyg#+`j\^D^׉ERicardo is a student in the Beginning High ESL class in the evening Ling is a student in the Beginning Literacy/Low Senior ESL class Gulsen is a student in the Beginning Low ESL class in the morning ׉ 7cassandra://PrlTi3kM8ZMtxboZizmafSdjiQyX55htBWQfVU6ZPmA`j\^D^#׉E