Look Beneath the Surface

Almost a month since last post.....what can I say! The new job and the online courses related to it, plus lesson planning and teacher trainings are keeping me very very busy! 

Not complaining, I'm loving it! 

 But today I want to share this poem with you. It was part of the reading material for a paper I had to write and it really struck a cord with me. 

So, here it goes: 

Look Beneath the Surface 

My voice may sound different than yours, but I speak your language. 

We speak the same language, but we say different things. 

I hear what people say about me and it isn’t pretty. 

Everyday I’m criticized because of my accent. 

I study hard and try to learn all I can about American culture, but that’s not enough.

 My voice holds me back. 

How would you like to hear what I hear? 

My eyes may look different than yours, But I see the same world. 

I see the same things you do, but you see me differently. 

You may see me as grade competition, but I work hard in school because going to college in America is a big deal to me. 

I see the way you treat me and it doesn’t look good. 

How would you like to see what I see? 

My skin may look different than yours, but I feel the same things. 

I have the same feelings you do.

 I laugh and I cry, but I do it for different reasons. 

I never hurt anyone, But I still know what it’s like to be feared. 

I get angry knowing that my hard work in school may not pay off because of my skin color. 

How would you like to feel what I feel? 

By Cynthia Lysen, University of Florida The Network Newsletter of Broward ESOL Council, Winter 1994 

This poem struck a cord with me because unfortunately I encounter this kind of behavior quiet often! 

Do you remember my "You're not American!" post? 

I thought after getting my citizenship one year ago things would get better. 

And many things improved, but many others stayed the same as I encountered the same prejudices and discrimination twice in the last week. 

*SIGH*

Christmas presents.

I'm enjoying watching on Facebook and reading through blog about the wonderful gifts my friends and family got and I think it's time to make my very own post about it.

Telling the truth, there is very little material things that I wanted this Christmas season, which is weird as I'm a person that loves to put my hands on the latest gadget (and if Santa is reading this, a Kindle or better yet an iPad, will come handy in the next months!) 

But right before Christmas I had a job interview and there was NOTHING, nothing I wanted more, than the job! 

I tried to keep my feet on the ground, but I couldn't help thinking how wonderful it would be to have the news about me getting the job?? What better way to celebrate for the holidays?? 

Well, I didn't have to wonder much, because my wish came true! 

A lots of beautiful things will be happening in the next month....I will be going back to school to take some courses. I got my temporary teaching certificate and will take tests to make it a professional certificate. In the meanwhile, I accepted a job as an ESOL teacher to an High School down town. 

Yes, there will be some more driving and some schedule adjustment to go, some running around and some going crazy at times, but I will be finally earn a salary rather than be paid hourly and the salary start at 5 times more what I was making so far! 

What's an ESOL teacher you might ask? ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. I will be teaching basic English skills to students that, like me, came to the States from other countries and have a hard time getting to understand how everything works here in America.

I don't have words to describe how happy excited and a little bit scared I am!
But I'm ready, bring it on!