Christian Reyes, Winter Celebration 2015

I Did Not Know How to Start

This my second time in U.S., and right now I can understand that I was a shadow.

When I say shadow, it means being a person that don’t understand what somebody else says, or that can’t ask something because doesn’t know how to do a question.

In my first time here -when I was a child-, I had somebody that translated my words, doing my stay easier.

Now, I live in U.S. but nobody that talk to me.

As you can imagine, the good manners did not exist.

Christian Reyes speaking a the 2015 Winter Celebration

As I said before, I was a shadow.

Fortunately, one day I heard about the Orange County Literacy Council, I went over the place, and asked shyly: am I eligible to be in this organization?

At that time, it seemed that the clock had stopped and the miss who was in front of me looked at me skeptically and said nothing. The time passed slowly and the idea for getting out running it seemed the best. After five seconds -it was the period I waited- the miss said: I don’t know what do you want to say, but if you are looking for a place for learning English then you are in the correct place.

Everything seemed to be perfect until I arrived to class and heard my classmates talking in English. The problem was that I did not understand the talk. At that moment I thought: perhaps I need to get out of here, perhaps it isn’t the correct place, “perhaps”, “perhaps” and in the last “perhaps”, a voice addressed me and explained the talk.

Don’t worry Christian, we are here for learning.

After that sentence, the tutor began to read a story stopping at each paragraph to clarify doubts, and I liked it.

I love the stories for two reasons, first because I feel as a child walking for the imagination path, and second because I learn words I do not know.

The class was excellent, but with the time it turned more excited because I had two tutors in class, Why? I don’t know.

The only thing that I knew was that I had two tutors to invite me for writing and being better.

I don’t know if this story is sad or exciting -maybe a little boring- but the true is that without the sentences in class, readings or grammar exercises; I would still be a shadow.

Thanks, Miss Kate for being my conscience voice in the ignorance valley.

Thanks, Miss Shannon for being the light that helped me to face the doubt and disbelief.

Finally, thanks OCL for giving me these skills.