y name is Hana Jawad. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq on June 12, 1955. In 1978 I graduated from Almustansira University with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. I worked for the Ministry of Trade from 1979 until 1994. In addition to this job from 1980 to 1981 I was working as apart time teacher in the Central High School for Trade. I was teaching marketing for one year at night from 3 to 7 pm. I left the job when I got married and stayed at home to raise my two daughters.

In 2001 my husband died. After that I replaced him as the head of our advertising agency. Our company produced advertisements for Arabic TV stations such as MBC and LBC. We also broadcast advertisements on radio stations.

We were a small family and had our own house in Adamyia City. It's a large city to the north of Baghdad on the Tigris River. This is the large and main river in Iraq. We called the beach of the river Kornesh. We went on the weekend to walk or to have dinner such as fish in the restaurant. They make fish in the Iraqi way. We call it masqufe and it has a nice taste. There were many restaurants and cafes in this town. I got my daughters interested in boats in the sea. It's a nice sight and we spent a beautiful time. Sometimes we went to the theater near my house to see a nice play or we went to the cinema.

I liked my job because it was movable work...I went to the offices of companies to take the advertisements and went to the broadcasters or newspaper offices or TV stations to get agreements to broadcast the advertisements on the radio or TV. We lived an interesting and peaceful happy life.

In 2003 the ar began. That was the beginning of problems and difficult circumstances. Some people were killed. Others left their towns. In 2006 I went to Syria for about three months to rest. I returned to Iraq but I saw that the situation was worse than before and so I decided to leave Iraq for Egypt after I received much conflict because I was working with a newspaper as a jouranlist and had been writing about many subjects in the chief newspaper in Baghdad.

My daughters were happy in Egypt because they went to school and studied hard. We spent a nice time there. On November 12, 2007 we came to Virginia. Now we are beginning to recreate ourselves to compensate for our last life.

i. My name is Melva Brown. I am from Columbia, South America. I have many goals and dreams. Some have come to reality, and I am thankful for that. I thank God and the USA because everyday I am growing as a person and I feel progress in this country. Before I was afraid about the language -- about everything, but the time was passing and the life is easier now because I am learning more and more English. I can write and speak about my thoughts, and, the more important, help others who, in the same way as me, were afraid. They can't speak English or can't read any phrase.

In my case, this is for the Spanish community, but my goals continue to grow and one day my help will be bigger. When I improve my English, I will help my community in hospitals, jail and court. How? Translator. Because I know now what it is like when you live in USA for the first time, you will want somebody's help.

Now I have this opportunity, I think I need more persistence and dedication. But, this year I will give thanks for Adult Learning Center Jim Gordon who helped me in first step, Leslie Furlong for giving me wings to fly toward a new future full of opportunity, where I will grow my family, friends, and country too.

I'm a winner, but somehow I keep on losin'
Some say it may be the choices I'm choosin'
I'd say the system is designed to fail
Because it takes more than jail to rehabilitate a male.

I feel like my life is moving in slow motion
It just ain't right -- it's more and more commotion
I show no emotions ... my insides are dried up
But on the outside it look smooth like lotion
And looks are deceiving cuz racial profiling
Got a lot of young brothers getting booked for no reason.
Our life's like a book they look but don't read it
Quick to judge the "hood" but shook to come see it.
That's why I get high cuz I'm losin' my mind.
I find myself trying to catch it, like a cab on the Ave. but it keep on cruisin' on by.

While I'm locked in a cell
With no one to talk to, so I sing raps to myself.
They may say I'm crazy but this is what it made me.
They don't understand that I'm the same man as Jay-Z
Minus the money, minus the fame
But at the end of the day our struggle's the same.

Graduated from High School and went to college in Prison.
It's hard for a black man to find knowledge within him.
Learn from our mistakes but who's to judge the punishment?
For God's sakes...our fate is our government.
It's about time that they let us speak our mind
Yet they're chargin' us a fee, I thought this speech wuz for free?
But I'll pay ten dollars to get my point across
If it'll benefit our struggle I'll enjoy the cause.
Whatever it takes to stop these revolving doors...
I bet you would find a solution if it was involving yours.

You've gotta look at what our race has been thru
To get past our past you must erase our mental
And I mean every bit of it's not hard to tell.
Jena six been going on in Charlottesville.
Oops I betta watch what I say
But "hey" who would think I would win anyway?

y life changed when I came to this country. I am now learning the language. Pronunciation is difficult. Writing is hard, too. I learned to eat the food also. Then I got married. That's a life change!

e kind because everything is going to change in this life. I still remember the day when I arrived in Germany and I met some people from different countries. They were all immigrants. The first time I met them, we played football games. At the time, we didn't know each other. Then after we finished playing, we went to eat together and with time we played and shared the food we become friends and we still are friends all the time.

I used to live in Germany. It was a really fun time and after all that, came time to change everything again. After six years of brotherhood we all left because of different reason for all of us. I moved from Germany to USA. Now I live in Charlottesville but I still remember my friends. I still remember the fun times, how we shared together the sad times how we shared together. I still remember them and I don't want to forget them.

Sometimes I ask myself if I used to live in a different country before Germany. When I remember the Germany group then I find the answer. They were kind people, very kind friends. I want say thanks to them more than words! I am going to be a kind human. I know I can't be perfect but I will try to do my best and I'm going to be helpful so that I'm going to be like them, and many friend will still remember me because I learned from this life. Be kind because everything is going to change.

hings were going so well for me, by fifth grade I already had my mind made up on what I wanted to do after highschool. When I got to ninth grade everything was going well until teachers started losing some of my assignments making me receive zeros on assignments and failing classes. I could never receive the help I needed.

I passed ninth grade except for English so I had to take that while in tenth grade, but a friend of my family found a private for me to go that offers the 1 on 1 help. So things were looking better for me.

I went from taking advance classes at CHS to taking Honors and AP and my grades went from F, D, and C's to C, B and A's all the time. Things were going perfect until one of the teachers had to leave because she became very ill. The Dean of the school let all the high school kids know that there wouldn't be a highschool program anymore at Einstein school. I was a junior at the time. I became very frustrated because I know privates school does not like to take in rising seniors.

We went to the Renaissance and they were going to take me in but CHS never transferred all my credits to Einstein so they could put on my transcript, however they said I can come but I would have to do two years to make up my missing credits. I am going to graduate in 08 so I said no thank you. I'm not going to quit school just because things got a little messed up. It's not going to stop me from getting my education. That's why I will get my GED and go to college so I can study forensics.

lived on a farm in the north, only a few miles from Laos. Early morning I'd go to work with my parents, not coming home again until late in the evening. I was too young for school, but not for farm work.

When I was old enough for school I got my first pair of shoes and on weekends I took care of the buffalo. We didn't have electric, telephones, television, or machinery to farm with.

When I grew up I went to Bangkok where there were many things I never saw before. I never knew the world was so big or even that such things existed.

Life in Bangkok was busy, crowded and hard, but I had to work every day to send money home to my parents. My first hob was a t a cannery where we processed tuna fish. I worked there for 2 years, but when my older sister Sonkhan died I had to return home to the farm. Summers were too hot for the crops and I would go back again to Bangkok for better pay.

When I first came here I didn't read, write or understand very much English and knew nothing about American customs. My husband spoke very little Thai, but I loved him and knew I wanted to stay with him.

I called my family and told them about everything I saw and how beautiful America was. They said that many people wnat to come to America. I didn't know how or if I could learn English. I didn't like to visit Americans I didn't know and I was so sad.

But my husband always spoke easy to me. He found me a job at the hospital where he works and introduced me to his friends. When they asked me "How are you doing?" I didn't know what to say. So I told them "I do nothing." It was a good thing nobody card what I said. They saw that I didn't know how to answer them.

It still worried me to think about how little I understood of English and how hard it was to learn. So I got a job at a restaurant where I could get by with the little English I do know, and started going to school to learn more.

Now I think that anyone can do it and I don't have to worry anymore.

o properly illustrate the facts of my offenses, I have to open from the beginning. The year was 2001. I was 16 years old with the world in my palms. In the day, I enjoyed a cusion job as a waiter at a pizzeria. By evening I was suited up and on the football field. My passion in life was my starting position with the Albemarle Patriots. Scouts from VA Tech and Brown University were in discussion with my mother. My future was planned out. I had it made.

Then, similar to numerous heart-wrenching stories of dreams lost in the wind, it came to an end. After an above average season of 9 & 3, we faced EC Glass in a first round playoff match. By the 3rd quarter we were trailing 17 to 20. They were on the drive with home field advantage. On a 2nd and long play the quarterback snapped the ball and launched it down field. Reading the play I stepped up for the interception. After the nab I sprinted toward an opening in the line.

I felt a surge of adrenaline blast through me as I hurled myself through the wall of men. A loud and eerie snap echoed through my temples and a flash of white light ensued. A black curtain fell and I went unconscious. My doctor informed me it was one of the worst knee injuries he had ever witnessed. Every ligament and piece of cartilage were ripped beyond repair. My dreams of a football career had been stolen away.

I spent 6 months in recovery from a risky reconstructive surgery. I had been told I would never walk the same again.

After losing, as I so immaturely presumed, my only calling in life. I gave up hope. I bured my sadness as deep as I could. I dropped out of school and turned to narcotics for comfort. What began as a temporary solution, became a permanent problem. With the growing need for more drogs, the funds accumulated form my day job became insufficient. My troubled path began to develop its course.

I turned to a, I discovered, dooming and deceptive profession. I began to sell cocaine. After continuously running out of inventory, because I was using more than I was selling, I made the decision I needed another source of income. I was introduced to the idea, by a number of my customers, to stolen merchandise. I began to, as the police identify it, "Fence" a variety of items.

Among the most lucrative and readily available items were firearms. Almost right away, I met an individual who offered to tradedrugs for guns straight off. My addiction grew to an all-time high. At one point I disappeared from home for nearly a month on a binge. My mother reported me missing and everyone assumed I was dead. The life I was leading really began to consume me.

Being greedy, as true addicts tend to be, I wanted more. I learned the method by which these firearms were obtained, and came to the conclusion, by cutting out the middle-man I'd reap all the profits. I was the one cut-off. I was sentenced to a maximum of 36 months, and a minimum of 12 months commitment to the state for my first groups of felonies. Stutory Burglary, 3 Grand Larcenies of firearms and 1 count of loitering at night with intent, were stamped to my juve portfolio.

ife changes happen for a reason. For me to survive for myself and my two brothers, we have come a long way. I had to put my life on hold to provide for them. While doing that, my family barely helped and my friends turned their backs on me. We were looking for a place to stay and getting food to eat.

The pain was unbearable to hold for a young teenager when everybody pushed me away like I was nothing. It really hurt for the world to find out I had no support and to be looked down on. I felt the pressure that had been brought upon me. It's like I've been thrown away to not be seen but to feel all pain and sorrow and to become the shadow of life.

I've grown so much used to this darkness that it is a part of me. Being the only one for them, I push forward to see a new world for my brothers to be in. If the world could see the passion of life through my eyes, then they would understand. That's why I say life changes happened for a reason for me to become the man I am today!

ello. My name is Enrique Angel-Vasquez. I come from El Salvador, C.A. I have been here for about 6 years. OK, I am going to write something about my work.

One day I left my country to come to the U.S. I came to look for a better job. I mean a good life. It was my first time to leave my house, too. I didn't do this for myself. I mean I thought about my family's well being. I just wanted to help my brothers and parents because we were poor. I will not be afraid when I write these words.

So, when I came to this country I saw everything differently. The people were weird. I mean the language was really different and weird. I saw the roads, houses and trees were bigger. But my point was to get a good job and make money to help my family.

Things still look different, but I do not feel weird because now I speak a little English. I love English. That is because I am going to learn English. I want to be a good person and I would like to have a good relationship with everybody. That is not my whole life but it is a piece of my life. Maybe one day I'm going to say it is a piece of cake to speak English because I wish it and when I speak English, I will say, "I did it."

I live in my own little world but it's okay. They know me here.

obody told me twenty years ago that life would be so hard. Everyday for me is a challenge. Since having children and putting on a lot of weight, getting around like I use to doesn't come so easy. I have a lot of knee and feet problems, but somehow I manage to clean my house and take care of my husband and three children.

Life, when I was twenty years younger, seemed so much easier and care-free that growing old never crossed my mind. I don't like growing older, but I would never want to repeat or change the life I've already lived. I don't regret a thing.

Having the life that I'm living now with my wonderful husband and our beautiful growing children is worth growing older for. But, I would like to fix my knee and feet problems. Then life for me would be perfect.

rom my first year to five years old my grandmother took care of me because my mother was too busy. She worked hard to payfor our clothes, food and bills. My mother and my grandmother told me about what happened in my childhood. They told me I started talking too soon. The kindergarten was near my grandmother's home. They said that three year olds could cross the street, but they told me that I couldn't go to the kindergarten. I cried. My grandmother told me that I was too young.

My grandmother asked the teacher if it was okay for her granddaughter to go to class. The teacher told her, "Yes, it's okay. But we had a problem. We don't have enough chairs. You need to pay somebody to make a chair for your granddaughter." My family laughed about me carrying the chair everyday.

I remember the schedule for my school was Monday to Saturday. But I had a small problem. Most of the time I didn't go Saturday. But I didn't understand why my mother or father didn't worry about my homework. My father didn't care what I did, or my two brothers, either. My mother couldn't help me because she only went one year to school. She can't read or write. My mother began to work when she was five years old and helped my grandmom; they were too poor. My grandmom didn't worry either about giving education to my mother.

My teacher told me that I didn't pass my first grade. She gave me a letter instead. I remember my face was hot. I walked fifteen minutes from my school to my grandmother's home. I cried all the way home. I sat down on the stair in the kitchen. My grandmom was making lunch at this moment. She asked, "Why are you crying?" I said, "I'm not good; I'm a bad student." My grandmom said, "It's okay. Maybe next time you'll be better. I remember the second time I reapeated the first grade, I had excellent grades.

My mother had a small restaurant. I knew about accounting when I was eight years old. I love mathematics. I helped my mother on Friday afternoons after school Saturdays and Sundays when I was off I helped my mother. We started for work at five a.m. and we closed at ten p.m. I was sad sometimes that I couldn't play like other children on the weekend. Sometimes I tried to play for a few minutes outside, but my mother got angry and said that I needed to come back to my work. She cooked and I needed to take orders, take money, and make milk shakes, too.

I decided to come to the U.S.A. but I had a problem -- I didn't speak English. I couldn't drive a car either. In my first year in this country I became pregnant with my son. I had in my mind that I had the same problem as my mother. I was illiterate in the language. Sometimes I worked as a housekeeper, and a dishwasher day and night. My ex-mother-in-law helped me to take care of my son. I worked or was a student for three years. Later I changed my job. I started to work in a hotel. I couldn't be a student because the schedule changed every week; I couldn't keep my dream. I was working hard for my goals. My dream is to finish my ESL and help my son.

y nightmare started on Nov. 21, 2006. Well, my family and I woke up that morning and it was just like a normal day. We decided to go to town to get something to eat. We all got dressed and loaded up in the car. Well on the way to town, we decided to stop by the Goodwill Store. Then, we headed to KFC. We ate and we headedhome. Well, we got on the road where we lived and around a curve there was a line of fire trucks and ambulance. We just thought it was a wreck until we got up to our house. There was no more house!

It had caught on fire when we were in town. We were so devastated. I was screaming and crying because I didn't know where my kids and I were going to live. Then all of a sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks, where was my brother? I started to scream because I thought he was in the house. A firefighter told me there was nobody in the house. Then my brother pulled in with my neighbor and all he could say was, "My house caught a little fire." Then he saw it was not a little fire, it was a big fire. Well we lost everything, the only clothes we had were the ones we had on our backs.

We didn't have anywhere to go; so , we moved in with my aunt and uncle. They were the only ones to take us in. I thank them every day. It was so hard not having our own place. A lot of people helped us a lot. Then God blessed -- we were getting a house built by a man named Mr. "X." It wasn't easy getting him to help us, but by God blessing, he helped. Our new house was built by a man named Roger. He was like an angel. He finished it by April 1, 2007 and we moved into it. It's not anything like having a place called home, but we got a new house. However we still can't replace special things we had. But at least we got a place we now call home. So thanks to everyone who helped our family. God Bless.

have had a fairly good life, but it was hard sometimes too. I remember when I was a little girl my mother going to work all the time and for long hours. I had to stay with some of my relatives until I started grade school. My mother was so busy working trying to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table for five children. My mother had no time to help me with my homework. She was so tired when she got home so I hated to ask her for help. I would do my best to figure out how to do my homework myself. Iwas the youngest of the five children and they were busy doing their own things.

My father was a chef on an Amtrak train. He would come home every two weeks for a couple of days and then he was gone again. My daddy did the best he could but he had a hard job and had to put up with a lot back then. This meant he had little time to spend with the family.

When I started going to school I met some friends and we would play together and do our homework, too. Years later I went to high school and made friends with other people and had fun going to all the dances and foot ball games. This is when I met an older man and thought that I had fallen in love. I was fifteen, in love and soon was married and having my first child at the young age of sixteen. We got married and had three beautiful daughters. Their names are Clara, Beverly, and Laverne. It was hard being married and having three children. My husband, Langston and I grew apart and separated and divorced years later. Here I was a young mother and had to raise my daughters by myself It was hard, but I was tough and determined to make it through for my daughters.

My oldest daughter Clara is a health technician that works at a treatment center in Williamsburg, VA. She has worked there for about twenty years. She takes care of patients who are alcoholics, drug users, and have mental problems. Clara is also preparing to go back to school to get more education in the medical field. Clara is married and the mother of five boys.

My middle daughter is Beverly who served in the Air Force for over twenty years. She went back to college and is now a Registered Nurse who works in a military clinic and on a maternity unit. She is married and a mother of two girls and one son.

My youngest Laverne is still in the Air Force and is stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, South Carolina. She also finished a course to become a Paramedic during her off duty time. Laverne is also thinking about going to nursing school.

Now that my daughters are busy with their family and careers I finally decided it was time to take action to finish my goal to finish high school by getting my GED. Like I said my life has had some ups and down sbut like all theother times when the going got rough I was determined to make it through.

Baby so little

Baby so sweet

Hear the pitter patter of tiny feet

As she grows older

She becomes bolder

Making a choice

Using her voice

Slowly cutting the strings

While she's trying her wings

Mom's stepping back

And accepting the fact

y name is Li Zhang. I come from China. I have been in Charlottesville for seven months. This is the first time I left my country, also the first time I realize that nowhere is better than home.

Because this is the first time I came to the U.S., everything is unfamiliar and fresh to me. I feel excited and a little bit nervous. I am not confident to talk with native people although I am eager to do so. I even can't go shopping alone. So I have to spend most of my time staying at home, because I have nowhere to go. In fact, I am not a girl who likes to stay at home all the time. I like to go shopping with my friends in China as long as I have time. You can imagine that this dilemma makes me extremely uncomfortable and gloomy.

My husband is studying for his Ph.D. at UVA> He often tells me that whenever you're in a strange country, you should take the opportunity of learning its language. In order to give me some motivation, we set our first goal to pass the Learner's Permit test at DMV. After two weeks' study, we thought it was the time to take the exam. The first time, I was very lucky. I answered correctly for the first part and finished 15 questions in the second part before I failed. This was a lesson. I reviewed the driver's manual again very carefully. But when I took the test for the second and third times, I failed almost at the same time as I started the test. I lost my confidence completely and felt it was unfair. I thought I will never pass the exam. I planned to give it up. But my husband encouraged me. He said, if you do not continue to take the exam, you will never succeed, you will be destined to be a loser. Finally, I got my learner's permit at the fourth time. This was an important accomplishment for me. I was so happy that my husband said I could not keep my mouth closed. Just like Rachel said to Monica, it was like I slept with a hanger in my mouth.

Then we continued to look for the second goal. We happened to find the Adult Learning Center of Charlottesville City Schools. This is an amazing place. I can make friends with people from different countries. Everyone is active and serious in English study. They are making great efforts to comunicate with each other, even with not yet fluent English. The first friend I made is Suren. She is Mongolian and spent one year in China, so she can speak a little Chinese. She helped me a lot in class. Sometimes she asks me, "Do you understand?" Then she tries to explain it to me if I miss something. I am very grateful for her kindness. Some other classmates are very nice to drive me home. When I go out for shopping, I can meet my classmates from time to time.

Now, English study is one of the most important parts in my life and it enriches my life. I become more and more confident and happy than ever. I will try my best to learn English well.

inding closure to my son's untimely death had been the second most challenging event in my life. His death was premeditated and brutal. My only son was shot several times.

I did not handle this tragic news very well because sixteen years prior to this I lost my only daughter. This was not easy to accept, however, our doctors, clergy and hospital staff had prepared my husband and me. So, when her time came letting go was not as painful.

From the birth of your children, until they are grown a parent feels and does alll he or she can to protect their offspring. You develop an invisible safety net to keep your children safe. Every time you're separated from your child, that invisible safety net travels with each child. At least those are the comforting thoughts we all like to think.

A phone call telling me my only son was shot shattered my safety net and changed my life forever. My first reaction was he's not dead. He's so strong, so healthy. How could this be happening? He's only wounded. I had to hope. The initial details were sketchy but on that September night at 11:00 pm it was confirmed he was dead. He left a wife behind, five children, an adopted minor sister-in-law, his parent, a sister and a half-brother.

I didn't cope very well. I cried for thirty days. I carried my grief inside after putting my son to rest.

The perpetrator of this crime was arrested and a trial began. That experience was like adding salt to an open wound. The case was tossed around in court for two years. Failure of witnesses and legal postponements delayed and hindered the trial. A main witness for us, the defense, had been threatened by a phone call from the jail by the perpetrator. She went into hiding. The detectives working the case were running into dead ends. They needed help to persuade this frightened witnes to testify. She was hiding, fearing for the safety of her own life.

My surviving child, another daughter, was near the scene of the crime the day her brother was shot. Her grief caused her to block out what she witnessed. After her grief subsided, our diligence and talking to epople who would not talk to the police, led us to find our star witness. We convinced her to testify. Her eye-witness account of what happened convinced the courtroom that the perpetrator was guilty and he received a forty-three year sentence.

It was a triumph for our family to put the ordeal to rest. I'm thankful that justice prevailed. Now my greatest challeng in my life is visiting the young man in prison and telling him that I'm no longer angry at him. If God forgives him then so can I.

I am saddened that a twenty year old, young, black male will spend his adult life behind bars. My son had a full life even though it was short. The person that took his life will never know fatherhood. He will never know the joy of having and raising a child. He will never get a phone call that will change his life saying you're a father or your child is gone.

was going to E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia in the 10th grade. I took an overdose and was sent to Petersburg Hospital. I stayed six weeks. I was so doped up I didn't even know my parents when they came to see me. I think that I visited with them about five minutes. I was tired. I wanted to go to bed, but they wouldn't let me, so I went to sleep while I was sitting in a chair.

I kept on going back and forth to different mental hospitals most of my life. Some of the institutions I've been in are: Staunton, Petersburg, Danville, and Virginia Psychiatric Ward. I have cut myself and taken an overdose so many times I wouldn't know how to count them all.

I didn't start smoking until I was on the way back from Petersburg. From then on I've been smoking for about 30 years, two or three packs a day. Now I haven't smoked for five years and I haven't been in an institution for five years.

I am beginning to make a change in my life by studying for my GED certificate, so I can go to college and become a nurse. I am lookig forward to the day in which it hapens. I will be the happiest person in the world.

he joyous bird shrouded in cheerful shade
Their notes unto the voice attempted sweet
The angelical host trembling voices made
To the instruments divine respondence meet
The silver sounding instruments did play
With the base murmurs of a peaceful sleep.

Sleep after toil, port after stormy sea
Ease after war, death after life,
Does greatly ease.

Feelings set south by sight
To sail to a place that feelings will
Return to us with mighty flight
To ease our sorrows, to clear our names
To bring us home, to bring us fame

The lands of romance are the field of gold,
Where the earth we have is the wealth we hold
Greened and watered by each little eddy,
Fruitful each year with seasons steady.

y name is Sawsan Rasheed. I was born on September 19, 1964 in Baghdad, Iraq. I lived with my wonderful family: my father, my mother and two sisters. I loved them so much and I was so happy with them. I taught graphic engineering in high school. I liked teaching. IN the evenings I worked as the manager of a small shop for cosmetics, exercise and sewing materials. I was very happy teaching in the high school. All of the teachers were my friends. I loved them and they loved me. In the small shop I was also happy with the work and with the customers. When I turned forty, I married the man I wanted. I was so happy when we married and my family was also happy for me and comfortable with him. He was a very good man and he became a son to my parents, a brother to my sisters and a lover to me. I loved him so much. We all together were very happy.

But after eight months of marriage, on June 4, 2005, my life changed from happy to sad. Bad people from Iraq killed my husband in front of me. It was difficult and the worst moment of my life. I can never forget that moment. I felt a deep sadness and I became very angry and nervous about everything. Everyday I just cried in the beginning when I slept I had bad dreams. Then I became sick with an infection in my stomach and colon. I had a lot of headaches because I started smoking. My family felt so sad and worried about me. They decided with my psychologist that I should go to another country -- Egypt. Egypt is a beautiful country. I visited many places. I visited a church where I saw the Virgin Mary. I began to cry and said to her, "Please help me. Your son was killed and you know how I feel now."

Then I went to the United Nations to immigrate. They told me, "You will go to America." I felt very sad. I said to myself, "Why America? All American people are bad. But I must go because there are no jobs in Egypt. Then I came to Virginia. In the beginning, when someone asked me, "Where are you from?" I was afraid to tell them that I am from Iraq. But they all said, "Oh, how nice. Welcome to America," and I was glad. Then I met the staff of the International Rescue Committee and Tobin, the American husband of my cousin and Miss Heid, my English teacher, and Cherry, Nicholas and Kate in Dialogue Cafe and Kholia, a student in the university. They all helped me so much and I would like to thank them. I appreciate what they do for me because they changed my thoughts about American people. They are not all bad. They are nice people and I feel at home. Even though I am alone here, I am never afraid. I feel so happy here and so comfortable. I called my family and told them, "We are wrong. Not all American people are bad. They are nice. I hope I never meet bad people and I hope I get a good job and learn English fast. I hope that my country, Iraq, will be peaceful and safe and that all the bad people will be wiped from the earth. I hope that after I get my citizenship, I will return to my country to see my family and friends and that all Iraqis become nice people.

hat do you think a cosmopolitan person looks like? I think the cosmopolitan person might be able to think and judge, get into action by international standards but not speak English very well.

When I met my boyfriend who is present my husband for the first time, he asked me whether I was interested in foreign countries or not. My answer was No. At that point in time, he had plan to go overseas to study in the next year but didn't say anything about that. He was afraid it wouldn't work with me, but we got married. When I was thinking about life in America, I felt very anxious and started studying English.

One day, my husband called me. "There's someone I want you to meet. Please come to the station." I went to the meeting spot and I heard the voice of my husband and he was speaking to someone in English. It was a big surprise! My husband spoke a foreigners and who was Scott. He was minister of Bhutan. Now he quit that job and works in Japan with my husband. He told me about his childhood and dreams. His passion intrigued me. He asked me "Shiho, what do you want to do in America?" I said that I want to study English and support my husband. "No. English is just a tool. What is your dream?" That was a tough question. He advised me that I have to become a cosmopolitan person not just make food for my family. Two years later you will have to grow up and come back to Japan. I think if I always do what I always have done, I'll only have what I have now.

Once we Japanese live in America several months, we speak rudimentary English and gradually understand the American mentality. Also in Japan, we can do that because there are a lot of English schools, English textbooks and many references about the differences between the U.S. and Japanese ways of doing things all over Japan. If I want to study English I can do that in Japan. I have no reason to come to America.

I participate in volunteer work at the Japanese language school in Charlottesville. And I have listened to a parent of children's problems and hopes, and I have realized that it is tough for Japanese children living abroad to learn Japanese. They have both Japanese and U.S. citizenship and are feeling concerns about "who am I." In my childhood I have thought they have enviable experience but I didn't know they have many difficulties. From my experience, I see what I can do for them. To this end, I have to get a better grasp of Japan and America.

My grandmother was a good woman, she always did for others. She made sure we were always in Sunday school and church, every Sunday that they had service. My grandmother passed away in June 1999 at 58 years old from a car accident. Every time someone asks me what happened to your grandma, I reply and tell them the story. I also say that she knew it was her time to go and I knew from the way she acted. She was leaving when I got off the school bus and I ran up to her and said, "Grandma, can I go?" She used to let us go everywhere she went and so I knew something was strange about that. I didn't argue or cry about it, I just let her go on because she was going to visit the sick in the hospital. About an hour and a half later, my cousin pulled in the yard and said Blanche just had an accident and she doesn't have a pulse. Right there it hit me and I knew that I had lost everything, I cried for a whole week. It was the first time God whispered in my ear and told me that it was now that he carried me through my times of sorrow and kept me going.

In December 2007, my dad suffered from another stroke. He is paralyzed in his left arm and his left leg is weakened. I told him if he exercises and if he gets me and others to help him do therapy steps, he'll get through and make it. If he does daily activities with his hand, he'll be able to use his hand and move his arm again. He always talks about the doctor cutting off his arm because I think he doesn't have confidence in himself or about his arm being useful again. I told him if I give him therapy and he works with me, we'll get through because then we're at a point where Jesus once again carried us and will see us through. I have a number of beliefs that he'll be able to walk again on his own without having to lean on someone and drag his foot. This is when I prayed and believed and know that prayer is in effect. My dad is forty-four years old and has three children, two girls and one boy. If I lost my dad, what would be the point of still living? I'm living because everyday that I wake up, God is telling me that I still have a ways to go. IN the long run, everyone tells me that I will be blessed for doing what I'm doing and I just smile.

nderstanding the elements of life can be very confusing, not wanting to underestimate the strength of Mother Nature and the difficulties we so often face. Sometimes we may be scared to move forward into our future due to the unknown and uncertainties that we have so deep within our hearts. The feelings are so deep and strong, that we shield up and prepare ourselves for a journey that may be more like a mental and emotional war that we have within us. We so often find ourselves searching for answers and hope. We look for someone who cares and loves us enough to reach out a hand and be willing to helkp and guide us onto the right path. So we may not end up on a path of self destruction.

Nevertheless, sad but true, many people will turn their hearts and keep moving without looking back, leaving us stranded and alone. Leaving us to fight the war wtihin us on our own. Who then can we turn to and trust enough to be there for us when we need them the most? With the pain so strong we feel like our hearts are about to erupt, with anger so vicious we start to feel like our whole body is about to explode, and with the feeling of hopelessness overtaking both our mind and soul, we stop searching for love and go down the road that we know the best. In spite of the emptiness and fear inside our hearts, we go down that road like a soldier that goes to war with confidence and determination, even if it is just that one little desire that means so much to us and won't let us lose ourselves, that keeps us moving down that cold, dark road.

As we proceed down the many difficult paths and through the journey of life, we may stop and take a break and ask ourselves, Will we ever find what we are looking for in life and find someone who loves us for who we are?" A question often asked from an imprisoned spirit within one's soul. With the desire and determination to get free within oneself and realizing that all we got is the shadow at our right hand, we bow down and drop to our knees as our elbows pierce into our stomach, as a child in the womb of her mother. Knowing that we have nowhere else to turn and with the knowledge of God's existence within our minds, we take a step of faith and pour our hearts out unto the Lord through prayer, weeping as like an infant just being born. In spite of the sharp pain deep inside our stomach, we yell out and ask God to help us and to give us understanding of why we have to bear such a heavy cross, and how are we supposed to learn from what we encounter. With a sudden calmness and sense of relief, we pick ourselves back up, with a new found strength. As we continue to move forward, we soon discover that the time we spent looking for love and guidance, we were losing sight of where we were supposed to be looking...

We forgot to look deep within ourselves.

merican life is exactly what I have been waiting to do because American life is a whole new world to discover and it is a good opportunity to broaden my horizon.

However, I started thinking only recently that English is important.

I thought about English that I don't need it as long as I live in Japan. Therefore, I didn't study English hard. But, I changed my mind.

English is a global common language! I can have a conversation with people from all over the world! And I began to feel the need to study in English.

Now more than 7 months after I moved to the U.S. I still can't speak English very well. But I met different country people when I went to ESL class. In addition, I have come in contact with kind Americans and I can learn American culture.

have faced a lot of life challenges. As humans we all face difficult challenges. It is up to us to overcome them.

I had to be faced with a challenge that I did not think I would be able to survive -- imprisonment. I am a 21-year-old, young, lady and a mother of a very young child. Also a mentor to my younger siblings. I was faced with a prison sentence of three years. This is the first time I've been locked up and I was scared when I came into the system. I came to terms to realize that God has bigger and better plans for me.

Due to my incarceration, I have gone back to school to get my GED. That was a challenge by itself. I'm making a way to change for the better. Due to me being locked up, I have made a positive change for my child, and also for my brother and sister. I know you are wondering how that is possible. Let me explain.

The positive I see in myself is that I am willing to better myself from the person I was before March 26, 2007. I had let the things that happened to me in the past lead me up to where am in the present. I refuse to let it stop me from being a successful woman.

The way my son has been affected is that he does not have a mother for the next two years, but his mother is on the road to recovery. When his mother steps out of this prison, I will be able to offer him a life that I could not offer before I got locked up.

Since my incarceration my brother stopped smoking marijuana and has returned to school. My sister has stopped shoplifting. It was very hard to turn my back on them, but it was best for my entire family.

At first it was very hard, but now I see that it was best for me on the same note. I believe that if it was not for my incarceration I would have been doing the same things before I got locked up, getting high and chasing money. If I hadn't gotten locked up my brother and sister would have continued down the same road. They thought it was cool that their older sister was doing it. I came to terms to understand that my imprisonment was a blessing within itself.

So I can actualy say that I handled all of it for the best. I changed my life and the life of others that look up to me. Because of that I know I amblessed today, tomorrow and always and something good always comes out of the bad. Today I can stop and think before I react and make good choices. I know now I am abetter person. I now realize if I continue to go in the same circles, I'll be getting the same results. Thank you God for the blessings.

ou can speak English very well, can't you? Please teach me how to speak after you come back to Japan." Some of my friends in Japan often ask me that. ACtually I had thought the same thing before I came to the United States. If I live there for two years, I could speak English spontaneously.

Now, I have been here more than one and a half years. Time goes fast. My husband will graduate from Darden this coming May and we have to return to Japan after that. As time gets shorter, I have been thinking about my Enlgish skill. Am I able to speak English spontaneously? I didn't think so...

When I start to speak English with someone, I get tense, especially in a big class. My face sometimes might stiffen and my voice might be smaller and smaller. Although I attempt to think about what I want ot say, or how I can say it before speaking, I can't communicate as well as I expected. I always wish I can talk more about my feelings or opinions. I'm not satisfied with my English skill, and it disappointed me. I am afraid of speaking Enlgish, because everybody can speak well, even though they are in the same situation as me. My husband often tells me that I'm getting better the hearing skill compared with when I came here. The reason why is there is a lot of opportunity to listen to English instead of Japanese. For example, I go to several English classes, supermarkets, restaurants, and so on. TV and the radio are also helpful to improve listening skill. I can't watch Japanese programs and listen in Japanese. But, hearing and speaking are totally different for me. So, I asked my husband how I can speak well. His answer was, "If you want to speak well, you should memorize more new words, because your vocabulary is limited."

One day, I had a chance to tell my problem about English to one of my tutors. I said, "My vocabulary is poor. So, I can't speak well." She answered, "Don't say it like that. It is much better to say, 'I haven't learned enough vocabulary yet!' It sounds more positive." That night, she also sent me a message. "I believe that 'thinking positively' helps when I am setting goals or reflecting on the progress ia am making toward my goals." What a wonderful and kind message! I was very impressed by the phrase of "thinking positively." Recently, I have been getting nervous when I think about my English skill, and I tend to think negatively about everything. Her message made me smile with happiness.

Why did I come here? It was not only to be able to speak English fluently but also to enjoy life with my husband. Since that night, I have tried to change my mind to "thinking positively." I want to enjoy my life more than before, and spend valuable time with my husband. Of course, I want to improve my speaking skill, too. I won't give up learning, but now I am not afriad of speaking English to someone. I'm sure that I will continue to learn English after I go back to Japan.

isnomer
My mahogany runs deep,
Mildly and meek.
The mirror reflected.
Through the beauty, I at one time could not see.
From a youth harrassed and tormented,
Children...So cruel.
Still they don't phantom their mindless acts.
Despite the fact I'd go on
Sub-consciously feeling,
at times knowing.
Unsightly I am.
Growing up wishing that I could be a little brighter,
a tone not so dark and find a place amongst the gorgeous.
The ones who shun me.
Then, as if all things and surroundings had no meaning,
I touched!
I breathe!
I saw me!
Going in slow motion,
I lay fetal,
As if I had just come into.
My skin I felt deep within.
All my memories that kept me from being one
banished!
The little girl
became woman,
no longer needing approval.
I stood.
I smiled.
Carlessly having certainty,
lovingly
Entirely happy.
I faltered, in front of the new.
Impressed.
Walking tall,
swaying.
No second thoughts to whom or what I was.
Beautiful Dark and Lovely!

am Peruvian. I speak Spanish, and I am learning English. I came to the United States, leaving my country, my wonderful mother and my little brother. It was really hard for me. I miss them and I want to be with them. I need to be strong and ready for all the changes that are happening in my life.

The first time I came here, I could not understand what people were trying to tell me. It made me think to myself, "It will be hard." I know thing is easy in life, but brave people who want to reach their goals keep going on without being scared. I have left the most important thing for me, my family, and now I can't lose this. I can only give the best that I can to give to this country.

I've had to change my language, my life, my country and all about me. It was very hard, but I think of my mom's precious smile, telling me, "Honey, you can get whatever you want, just put in the effort, give the best from yourself and never look back. Just keep on going and keep in your mind this, God is helping you all the time." Also my mom told me, "You will never be alone because whereever you are we are always with you, even if you are in different countries far or close, our hearts are always together. We are very hapy with each triumph that you get."

It is all that which makes me keep going and makes me think sometimes, some changes make us better and make us ready for life.

eing a human anywhere in the world, we are surrounded by all kinds of people. White, Caucasian, Hispanic, the world always gives us a lot of adjectives to fill out forms, to stereotype certain people or just to try to describe who we are, intending that that would be easier to distinguish one from the other. I've always wondered, myself, if anyone would actually like to be what the world determines us to be.

There is always a word to describe what we are, and it seems to me that is extremely true when it comes to foreign people.

While you are out of your country, no matter wher you are, no matter if you don't know anymore who you are, everybody else knows that you are a "foreigner." You need a vista, you need a passport, you have a hard time communicating with other people, your skin color is different. Even if you simply try to say "Good Morning" in the local language, you would still have an accent that usually would bring the question, "Where are you from?" You would feel red on your face, your legs would shake and in your brain you would instantaneously open a double language dictionary trying to answer back.

I could share my embarrasing experiences trying to speak the local language without any success, not knowing what to buy at the grocery store or missing the plane because I didn't understand the airport announcements ... but, no, I won't do that.

Every foreigner has this kind of story to tell people. I want to write this story encouraging foreigners to write their own story.

Not long ago I wished I had been born here. Being a foreigner in the U.S. was not so easy. I thought, "I need to lose my accent, I need to learn English, it would be so much easier to do everything if I knew it perfectly." But now, I regret my thought.

I've been taking English as a Second Language for a long time, and I've learned so much with the other foreigners that, if I were American, I would never have had that experience. I wouldn't say that becoming a foreigner in the U.S. is a "Life Change: because that would be a small term to represent what it feels to leave everything behind. I would say that to be a foreigner in America is almost like getting a new identity, a new character acting on the stage of life.

English as a Second Language classes were part of this new life for me. They were classes of history, of respect, of compassion and support for the other ones who have just moved to America and are so afraid like I was when I came to learn English.

The classmates that I met who came from other countries to America for several different reasons, they do not fight only against the prejudice of having an accent. They fight against their own limits trying to prove that they can start their lives all over again, in a different land, speaking a different language, eating different food which for them are all foreign and after all will become familiar no matter whether or not they like it.

There is so much to tell the world about these people, but I would prefer to reach each one's story.

I hope the internationals keep publishing lots of stories about their people, their hometowns, and how they came to America because, whenever I grab a paper that tells me something about a foreigner I will remember this story that I am telling you now, and I'll remember that somehow I contributed to encourage them to do that, to write their own story not about a "Life Change," but in fact about the Change of their Lives, their New Life in America.

ell, I am going to talk a little bit of my life. My dad came to America when we were only children. My siblings and I had to stay in my country with my mom and after a year, my mom came with my dad to America. So we had to stay with our grandparents. So my dad worked hard. So we could come here too and one by one they brought us here. They sent us to school. Fifteen years later, we decided to go back to El Salvador. So we went back in November because we wanted to be there at Christmas time. We were happy because we were together with our family.

Fifteen days passed. Then the robber people cut my father. When we heard that, we couldn't believe what was happening. They cut him with a machete. My mom took him to the hospital. They told us he was fine when they called, but I did not believe that because my aunts and my grandpa did not stop crying. So an hour later I saw a funeral car. I asked my aunt why that car was coming to our house. She said they couldn't do anything. He died. I started crying and I felt so bad that I was not gointg to have a dad any more. The day passed and we all came back because we were scared to go back. Not because we wanted to be here, but it was going to be hard for us to work there with no money because there are no jobs. So anyway, we have to work here to get money in the USA.

once held an opinion on God. When people asked me did I believe in God, I said sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't. When I was little and young, nobody taught me about him. Now that I am older and have learned about him, I believe in him.

One way God has changed my life is by working in mysterious ways. My Mommy was blind in both eyes and he restored her sight. She can see now, but very little. God will make her see even better.

God has changed my attitude. He made me a better person now than I was long time ago. He helped me change my ways toward people. People have seen a very big change in me and they are proud of me.

I used to believe that there was no God. Today I believe God can do all things for those who believe in him. I believe there is a God now.

ou know my beautiful country? It's next to a clear stream, between the trees. It looks like the nest of a bird.

My house in the leaves has fresh air. Every new morning the songs of the birds wake me up. Every day the people are running from the right to the left. The women went to the fountain with their jars on their heads. The men went to work. The fisherman with his fishing rods went to the lake. Some of the fishermen come back from the lake with just their fishing rods. The children went to school with the school bags on their backs. At the market the farmers came with their produce, some with their chickens, eggs and the goats. They came from neighboring country on the train to the market every Tuesday.

I love my country. I miss the people in my Country.

"Great is my sorrow, without limits. None knows of it except God in heaven, and he cannot have pity..." -- Sören Kierkegaard

In these idle times it matters not;
within these walls, these steel cages
made more secure by indolence, my secret life,
lived long ago -- caring only now in propitious phases;
uneven laws unto savage races.
I cannot resist vain glory
nor miss a life of crime,
what I caught I kept the same
as if it were rightfully mine.
I have won much, lost more
suffered my will -- my only want,
and worse, to those who once loved me most,
whom I'd cast aside --
Myself, honored least
Myself, with pride a fall Myself, myself have not at all.
These interminable days of impenitent ways
of taken trust, of dust --
are far on the winding fields of play,
of where we wept...from there and silence
I regret the singular peace that quiet gets.
Yet running down the days
and the immutable ways, obliquely guessed --
I will rise again and go,
labor not lost, fair we rode once,
there to roam or rest.
To cry out is to live! To bleed, concede --
breath is shock, is laughter, love
it is to be lived if you wish it! V We are too lsight, too few believed,
each hour lost, imprisoned --
outside, suns return to skies,
tides return to shore...
There does, at last, lie a port
where hope waits, even smiles --
where morning memories are,
to be held mild through soft degree...
None doomed or dark, not stone or steel,
where each vanquished souls a star --
Our own boats will take us down
to seas and suns that go so far,
To dawn-lit islands, gardens God forgave...
One part heroic,
one part afraid.

ast year I decided to chnage my life. Something was lacking. I had a good job, a perfect boyfriend, and good friends and frequently visited my family.

How about to be an au pair? I find a family, spend my day taking care of kids, have home, car, food...perfect!

Moreover, the machines, the food, the cars, the weather, everything, all the things are different. Where is the "globalization" when I need it?

The police stop me all the time in traffic, the clubs only work until 2 am (yes, I have days off.) The Americans have schedule for all the activities...is one minute for this...five minutes for that.

I miss my country. I wish to spend 2 hours to be ready. I want to arrive at home and see my clothes clean and hung. I want my rice with bean, my sun, my carnival...

But now I really want a perfect "American" that has appeared in my life.

his is a story about when I came to the USA. May 25, 2000 was my first day in the USA and I was so happy. I came to a country which gives me a chance to have a nice and normal life. My trip started on May 23 from Belgrade to Timosoara (Romania), then JFK Airport, New York. I came to Charlottesville. First impression was nice and amazing. I was so happy. The organization which helped me a lot is IRC. They helping first steps, finding a job. They gave me instruction on where to go if I want to buy some products. In that moment I think they were great help. Now I have same opinion.

hen Chip asked us to write something, a bunch of stories popped into my head. But the most things I want to say are life's changes.

This was my first time to come here. When I got off the plane, I was very excited. It was very funny my life flipped 180 in just 13 hours. Everything is new, everything is beautiful. Everybody is friendly and kind. If you have any trouble, just go to ask them, they will give your satisfied answer patiently. Nice people, comfortable environment. The sky is always clear and blue. If the weather is good, I can see clearly the many shining stars in the night. It is beautiful. If in China, it is very rare to see that because many clouds are floating in the sky. I love it here very much.

But after several months, fresh feelings disappeared, and then I started to feel frustrated. I don't know who I am and where I am. I lost myself totally. I don't know what things I can do. I can't merge into American life. Everyone speaks English very fast, I can't understand what they said and understand America culture, and I am not used to their warm words and big hug, which make me feel embarrassed and uneasy. It seems that I was from another Earth. When I speak to them, I always feel nervous and my head is blank. I can't find proper words to express my thoughts. What is worse is that my tongue isn't so flexible that many pronunciations sound very strange. They can't follow what I say, which makes me very distressed.

In China, I was PhD student; I quit my school and came here in order to be with my husband. When I was going to leave my country, my classmates all came to congratulate me and said that I would have a whole new life and I would speak fluent English in three months. At that time I thought so, because I have learned English over the years. Although I can't speak English, I can read and write something. But that is not the case. I have been here for ten months; I still can't express what I thought. How embarrassed I am! I still clearly remember when I took the assessment last month; Leslie asked me find $2.67 from piles of money. It took me a long time to do that. How funny and stupid I was. I can't believe my eyes I can't count money.

I feel just like a new baby. Many things I need to learn. I really feel I am useless, I don't know who I am, what things I can do. Sometimes I think I should go back to China. At least I can speak Chinese. But here I am worse than a little child, because they can communicate with people smoothly.

Based on the above reasons, English has been my obstacle to living a better life. So this is why I came to the ALC to learn English.

I have a dream that one day I can speak English fluently and stand in the front to say what I want in the public just like speaking my mother language. I can understand American culture and get used to American life and talk with people easily.

I have a dream that one day I can write something to share my Chinese culture with America and write something about my experience in the U.S.

I have a dream that one day I can get my M.S. degree here and find a good job and settle down here.

For my self-confidence, for the times I cried, I will study hard and survive everything. I do believe I can conquer my crazy English someday and all of my dreams will come true.

y name is Kassim Hassan. I am from Somalia. I was born in Somalia in 1985. AFter that I went to Kenya. I was a refugee. When I went to Kenya I was 13 years old. I went to school. My school is named Iftin Primary School. We took 8 subjects. I had a lot of friends. In the morning I went to the Madrassa at 6:00 am. Then at 9:30 am I went to school. After school I went to see my friends to play soccer.

When I was a refugee, we were given food by IRC and UNHCR. I was 19 years old when I left Kenya. I left Africa on July 13, 2004. We took 3 airplanes to get to Charlottesville.

The first night in Charlottesville I ate spaghetti and took a shower. I did not sleep well the first night. I dreamed I was still on the airplane. When I woke up in the morning, my friend said to me "The IRC wants to see you at 8:30 in the morning." When I went to the IRC, my family and I showed we were healthy.

The IRC found me a job at UVA. I still have that job. When I got my job, all the people in the job, they were very happy to me. Every day I was thinking about my job.

After that I see two of my friends..married, and I think, "Kassim, you need to marry." I have a fiance. She was living in Baltimore and I asked her, "Would you like to marry to me on November 25, 2006?" And she said, "Yes, if all the families happy." After that I married on November 25, 2006. And she had a baby on September 2, 2007. They are twins, a boy and a girl. That's my life changing.

Another life change -- I learned how to drive a car -- before I never knew how to start car.

Now I was thinking how gto speak good English and writing English. I am happy here. I am glad to be in America. I want to thank all Americans and the IRC and all my teachers.

ometimes, if you want to succeed in life, you have to get away from it all. The world revolves around negativity and the only waythat I know to overcome this negative world is to know your priorities in life. I've seen friends succumb to temptations that destroy lives. People become obsessed with money and others losing everything because they no longer have any. This was my life.

It all started long ago, at the tender age of four. My parents had just split up for reasons unknown to me at the time. I hadn't realized how that would affect me until about ten years later, when I started smoking pot. Now I'm not blaming this on my parents. I just think that if I had a positive male role model in my life, things might have been different. Marijuana was the only "drug" I cared for, but my friends got into harder things like cocaine and heroin. I knew that Baltimore wasn't the place for me after that.

After being caught ditching school way too many times, I was sent to live with my father in North Carolina. I knew that he wouldn't take that nonsense, so I straightened my act up. I was in school for a good two years after that but problems occurred. My father and I were bouncing from house to house because of rent issues, so I decided to get a job and try to help him out. During this time, I noticed my friends in Carolina struggling with drugs and never trying to make something of themselves. I was back in the same situation.

While watching my friends use and sell drugs, and my dad losing money trying to support us, I decided to get out on my own and get my priorities intact. I knew I had to get my G.E.D. and my driver's license. I knew there was only one person left who could help me: my brother. I packed all my stuff and was off to Virginia. Within two weeks of living with him, he helpedme obtain my learner's permit and registered me for the G.E.D. exam. I'm currently living with him, his wife, and children. I'm in a much better environment.

I've learned that saying you're going to do something and actually doing it are two completely different things. I learned this from my brother. I also know now that a change of environment is sometimes the best option for keeping your life straight and knowing what is important. Seeing a homeless man on the side of the road doesn't make him a bad person, it just means he didn't have his priorities in order, and some of us can learn from others' mistakes.

e, as many youngs, have my dreams and my wishes to go on. I would like to tell you about the changes that my life has had in this country. I came here one year and six months ago. It was really hard for me to leave my mother, my siblings, all my family, all my friends and my country.

At first I was scared because I thought it was going to be impossible for me to get a job because I didn't know any English. Eight days after I got a job as a waitress at a Mexican Restaurant, it was funny and easy when I served to Hispanic people, but it was really hard when I had to serve American people, because I didn't understand a lot of English. When that happened I got very sad and thought it was going to be very difficult for me to go on in this country. I just worked five months at that restaurant. AFter that I went to El Salvador to see my family and my friends. It was really nice to see them again. I felt very excited to be in my country again with my lovely family and with the people who speak the same language as me. I talked to my mother a lot and she made me to see the things from another viewpoint. She told me, "Maybe right now it's difficult for you that language, but if you study English, in a few months you'll be speaking it and so that is going to be easier for you to reach your goals and I'll be happy about that, but you have to work on it." Those words were very helpful for me. When I came back to the U.S. I started to study English at Adult Learning Center. It was very hard the first months. I was a little scared, but that was normal. Many people say English is one of the hardest languages to learn, because it's written in a different way than it's pronounced and it is, but if we put all our efforts on it we can learn it.

When I knew more English I got a job as a cashier at a fast food restaurant. That was another hard experience for me, almost everything about American food was new for me. I am still working at that restaurant and I am still studying English, both things are helping me to improve my English everyday. Now it's easier for me to go to a restaurant and order my food, to go to a store to buy something and many other things I can do by reading, writing, speaking, and understanding English better. I am happy to be learning more about this language and I hope to reach my goals and to get a better future."

"WE NEVER STOP LEARNING, EVERY DAY THERE IS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN."

n January 2007, my family (myself, my husband and our son) had planned to leave the Ukraine and fly to the USA. We had to do it separately before my husband left. He took us to his parents. His parents were so worried about my trip. Of course, I was nervous but not as much as they were. The time came so fast my mother-in-law couldn't sleep for worrying. My father-in-law said, "I cannot imagine that she is flying with a baby in a stroller, and around 100 pounds in her luggage, and she has booked through Kiev to New York to Washington. She only knows a little English." I said to them, "I can do it. Don't worry." Our son was 9 months old.

I studied English a little in the school and then I took two English courses. I thought my English was good enough for simple questions which would be all that's needed during the trip.

On the day of our departure, when our car was near the airport, I was nervous about leaving my own country, relatives, friends and going to somewhere strange. Soon I saw, on the flight board, the number of my flight was cancelled. I didn't believe it. I asked someone from the airport about that but it was the truth. I was really disappointed because I was ready for the trip. Three days later we left the Ukraine.

In New York, we couldn't take the next plane to Washington as we arrived there too late. I had to change my ticket. The attendant said to me, "Your flight will be tomorrow." My thought was "Is tomorrow the day before or the day after today?" I was glad it was the next day.

In a hotel I spoke with many passengers from my flgiht, but nobody else was flying to Washington. Lucky for me, the next morning I met two men who were from the Ukraine and were going to Washington and we had the same flight.

After a few hours, I and our son saw my husband at the airport. We were very happy to see him because the whole trip was too much for us. I would have been in big trouble if I hadn't met many helpful persons, who every time helped me with my little boy, my luggage, and my English! Now I recognize that my English was like a drop in the ocean.

s we know, everything will be changed whether for good or bad. Due to this, let me explain how my life really changed.

The story was started in 1991 when I became a refugee in Somalia. My home country is Ethiopia. I lived in Somalia as a refugee for 12 years with no hope of exit to a better life. Somalia also has problems. Every day I heard sounds of guns or bombs. The people killed each other and raped the properties. It was not only a civil war, but they killed and raped people from other countries like me ride bus was forced tow ear the Islamic dress and forced to speak religious Islamic language. Whatever I did to do my best to look like them, they always knew who I was.

I was dreaming something that was in 2002. The dream came true. When I came to America, Charlottesville. Within a few weeks after I started to live in the U.S., I realized that humans are equal under the U.S. law and I started to meet good people. I met good, smiling, friendly people.

In this moment, I started to test the value of freedom and now my day-to-day America life teaches me a lot. Not only have I learned the value of human rights since being in America. Change my life much; especially I have gotten back my natural human right. Believe it or not, I have little in my bank account. I am poor for the money that many people dream of, but my heart is richer in joy and mental freedom in America that it was my homeland.

he fell asleep. I put her down on the bed and put some pillows around her. I heard her cry. I went to check on her and she wasn't where I left her. I didn't see her. She had wiggled her little body off the bed. She had fallen on the floor.

The space heater was too close to the bed. I picked her up. Her foot had rubbed on the heater. I wa so scared. I didn't know what to do. I took her to my mother and she told me not to take her to the hospital because they would take her. I was only 17, so I did what my mom told me to do. After 2 days I called my cousin for a ride to the hospital.

She had third degree burns. I had to talk to a social worker. I didn't know what to do. I felt ashamed. She had to have skin grafts and stayed about a month in the hospital.

I was able to take my baby home. I thanked God every day for a long time because my baby was able to come home with me. I became a better mother.

believe that everyone has a dream. I have one too. My dream is being a good writer in English, but the problem is my English skill was very bad. That's why I came here.

Beginning au pair is the best choice for me to learn English. I thought that if I take care of as many kids as I can I'm going to learn more English from them. So I decided to match with the big family. They have four kids: 11, 9, 4 and 1 year old. But I forgot to think about how hard I have to work to handle them.

Except the real parent, I know that anyone can take care of kids, but not everyone takes care with love. I can watch them but I don't do it with love. You know it's not easy to control them, because they never listen to you. It will give you a headache.

They're not my children. Why do I have to clean up when they poop or they finish playing with the toys? Why do I have to wash their clothes. Why do I hae to tolerate when they scream at me or throw something at me and push me away? Why I have to work a routine job like this? Is it the way to achieve my dream? Do I go to the wrong way? I had a lot of questions in my head and never found the answer.

But one day, while I was taking my two week vacation, I didn't know why I missed them so much. I just knew they had become a part of my life, even if I did not realize taht before. I think my problem was in my thinking.

If I have a positive attitude in this situation, I will be happy everyday. One day on my vacation I sat down and tried to answer a lot of questions in my head. And I found it.

I know I'm not spending a really long time with them. It's just only one year. Why do I have to think about the bad things so much. It's a loss of my beautiful time.

I decided to change my mind, and stared to think about how wonderful my American family is. It's work. It's made me have a new question.

How wonderful when the kid can call your name before his mom and dad's name? How wonderful when you are the first one who sees a new teeth in his mouth? How wonderful when they draw their family's picture and your picture is there? How wonderful when you sa a wrong word and they are someone to edit the right word for you?

Now I'm very happy to stay with them, and I apparently sure that they're a part of my life. They are my second family.

It's so cool! I wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't become an au pair.

am from Tibet. When I was a small child, the Chinese government took my father and put him in jail more than 14 years. Also they beat up my mother every evening. And they tortured my father different ways because he did not like the Chinese government and because of his religion. The Chinese destroyed six thousand monasteries and they killed one and a half million Tibetans. They killed all the animals and they took everything from us. Also they stole our treasures: gold, silver, salt, trees, land, etc. and we didn't get any education. That's why my mom took care of her children and she didn't get that much food for us. She worked all day. When Mao died things were a little better in the political situation.

My family wanted me to become a Buddhist monk and so I did. I studied religion and meditation and helped to rebuild the monastery. I was also the head chanter. In 1992 I went to see the teachings of a high lama named Jigme Phuntsok. Forty-five thousand Tibetan people came to his teaching. I thought this was a good chance to explain to Tibetans what the Chinese did to us. So I wrote a paper explaining and put copies on the walls and everywhere. AFter a couple months the Chinese police found out that I did this and they wanted to catch me and take me to jail or kill me. They came to my house and my monastery seven times. They asked the monks wehre I was. The police said I was a very good friend of theirs. I knew why they were looking for me, so I escaped to a different nomadic area and hid for one year. The police department also offered money for any information about me.

In 1994 I escaped for India and I walked with my guide for twnety-some days. I hid at day and walked at night because of the Chinese army. So I walked across the mountains. When I got to Nepal, the Nepalese police cuaght me and my guide. They took all my money and beat us up. Then they let us go. After I got to Kathmandu Tibetan refugee reception center, they helped me to go to India. In India, I didn't have any legal paper or ID. I lived there for six years. During that time I had lots of western friends. One of my American friends helped me to get here. After that the human rights lawyers community helped me to get legal papers so I could stay and get a job. I got married and have two children. I am really appreciative to America for giving me legal papers and citizenship for my children. When I was in Tibet, I was treated like an animal, not a human. Whatever we wanted to do, we could not do. Now I have a real human life.

All those things that happened in my life were for freedom and human rights and religion in Tibet, not only for myself. I hope one day I will go back to my country and see my family.

y name is Lailuma Khair Ishawa. I am from Afghanistan. Today I will talk about Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a country with lots of kind and respected people before all this war and things going on. Right now the people in AFghanistan had lots of freedom, especially the women. AFter the Taliban came to AFghanista, women lost their freedom. They had to wear something called shadari, which covered their whole body, but it had little small holes so they could see. They couldn't be outside without a man from their family. This changed lots of people's lives. Like me, most people. moved from AFghanistan to Pakistan from the Taliban. That might have been the only thing the people could have done to escape from Taliban and have more rights. Right now there isn't a lot of Taliban left there, but there is still war. I really hope there will be no more war and I hope Afghanistan would be a peceful country someday soon because I really want to go and visit.

hen the world is asleep, I lay awake and I think, alone in this thing called life. Play the cards that I'm dealt without complaining. My life is great compared to some cause I could be laying somewhere brainless. Timeless moments in my life when I think of those I've loved and lost. I'm different from others cause I don't reminisce on slow songs, only things that put a smile on their long lost faces. Born to accomplish, make a difference, and then die. Live each day as a queen because tomorrow is not promised. Greet each day with a smile even when my insides are gray clouds with rain. Humble myself to those that smile in my face but really are against me. When my body and mind becomes restless, I sent a prayer up for my soul. Every day is a lesson, everything we do has a consequence. Be that thing good or bad we all reap when we sow. Money makes the world go round also a form of self-destruction, though we can't take it to grave. What makes you can somehow break you. Love is a wonderful thing, though many people endure much pain. Pain is a part of life. I just try not to make the same mistakes twice. Only one life to live, so don't dwell on the past. Life is what we make it. I believe that with no doubt in my mind. Even as I sit here with time, I know there's a reason for my life. With dry eyes I still cry searching for understanding. I keep my head held high with a smile on my face, knowing deep down in my heart I will be released from this place.

ello! I am from Costa Rica. I came to the United States four years ago.

My first day, December 11, 2003, something special happened. For the first time in my life I saw snow. After that everything was so difficult -- new language, new customs, new everything. This was a big change for me. I didn't know how to speak English.

In Costa Rica the weather is warm so the cool weather here made me sicki. I had pneumonia. I stayed in the hospital for 7 days. My husband from Colombia stayed with me in the hospital. I couldn't tell my doctor I was hungry so I made sign language. They didn't understand what I said and 4 hours later, they finally understood what I said. My husband didn't know where the bus station was so he slept with me and ate my food and the doctor said she eats very well, but I was starving. Everyt Everything is so difficult, but every beginning is hard and my beginning was hard, too.

Not even knowing how to speak English very well, we bought a house, cars and motorcycle. We have two dogs and everything got better. My husband and I are still learning English because it's hard for us to learn and work at the same time. Now everything is better than before.

I pray to God for everything he gives me. Thank you, God, because you never forgot me.

am a Tibetan. I was born and raised in Tibet. I came to American four years ago as a Tibetan refugee.

I live in Charlottesville, Virginia and I work at UVA in the landscape department. I love my job.

Since coming to America, the biggest problem I faced was the language, as I have no English language background. With my limited English speaking ability, finding job was hard, but the University of Virginia was very understanding of my situation and offered me a position in their Facility Management Department as a landscaper. I would like to thank them for giving me this wonderful opportunity. In order to improve my language skill, I decided to tkae the language class in the evening.

Coming to America, I found what FREEDOM means! Having lived under opression by the Chinese for many years, my life went through a big change. I feel very lucky to be living in this land of opportunity and would liek to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of America.

I am especially amazed how this country's laws are structured. I admire people like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington for building this strong nation.

We should never forget what these people have given us.

GOD BLESSES AMERICA1

t's evening. I sit on my sofa and browse through the pages of The Voices of Adult Learners book. Sad letters round down from frosty white paper just liie tears from my eyes. Stories written by people who were so close to war, guns, death sorrow, hunger and tragedy are beside me instanteously.

I am very surprised how hard these people's lives were. People who are living around me now. Refugees who had to run away from their homes and go across many obstacles on their way before they were to start again here in the U.S. Many of these people left behind their relatives, alive or dead and came here, usually with few members of their families.

My grandma has many stories from the Second World War which I always listened with great interest. It seemed to be so far back in history but I sere history repeats itself. In TV, newspapers and magazines, we can see every day lots of news fom all around the world. But these individuals' tragic histories are very close, and I feel it very personally.

It's evening, I'm still sitting on my sofa, and I am thinking about my life. I'm thinking about my beautiful childhood, about my two little happy children who my husband and I are trying to prepare nice memories for. I'm thinking about my family members at home, who are living their own lives. We love each other, and we are still in touch. I think about people who die but are still in my memory.

And now I know how fortunate I am.

y name is Supaporn. I came from Thailand an stayed here about 5 months ago with host family. My host dad is orthopedist and host mom is physician assistant of urology in UVA. I'm au pair of Au Pair in America's agency. In America there are girls as same working my job. These family have 2 children (girl, boy) so cute very much. Hehehe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My job want to take care children about 45 hour per week and going to studies 6 credit by au pair's rules. I have duties each day is to feed milk, feed cereal, change diaper, change clothes, child's laundry, child's rooms and play with them. Some week children sick. I feel tired and sad because he cries and sleeps few hours.

My job in Thailand is researcher assistant in Khonkaean field crop research center. Oh!!!!!#A*%@ new chance in my life. I did for gel electrophoresis, DNA extract from crop. Example: Cassava, Corn, Sugarcane, and Yam. Which want DNA the leaf's by DNA extract and gel electrophoresis. In research paper would like development for commercial, support agriculturist and world competition. Therefore English language to be important in myself. Then I'm quit a job for take dream come true. Improve my English. Let's go!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

This job can change everythings in my life: food, place, people and most things is language. First month I can't speak simple word (drop off, pick up, push on, take off.) I don't know. However, don't pick up I just do it very hard anytimes. One day I felt weak, tired and unhappy when I must speak "English" but my mom said "many people in Thailand don't have good luck in life never go abroad. We have brain, idea, EQ, IQ these is as same as someone only have good opportunity in life if you have you can do it. Wow!!!!!! Good idea for me then. Now I feel better than and comfortable when I speaking good, bad correct and incorrect. I can improve and soon. I hope can speak very well. How about you?

Love is moving continuously. Love is like a shark. If it is not moving, it is dead. -- Woody Allen

Who gives it? Who takes it?

How did it come to be? Why do we fall in love? Why this expression? All the songs in the world talk about love.

Thirty years ago, in Brittany, France. I went with a friend to paint the kitchen in his father's house. The first day we went to the beach. I heard a child's joyful cries and I turned around.

I saw the child and next to him was something magical, a wonderful creature. I was attracted to her and I seemed to fall into her presence.

I saw eternity. The earth stopped turning, waves stopped dancing and looked curiously at us. The fish wrote her name in the sea: ALEXIS. I would have stayed in this state all my life, but love this strong can't stay immobile. The joyful cries of the child carried me back to reality. This woman, without saying it, felt the same way.

Was it love at first sight?

We spoke in an unknown language. She spoke a little French and a lot of English and the language of love. Me, French and...I don't know what.

But love speaks every language, even silence. However, "love at first sight" happened; it was about youth and innocence. We enjoyed being together through much of that summer and decided to live together.

As in all countries, holidays come to an end, unfortunately! We planned to travel to Australia and marry there. The idea was beautiful but without money we had to stay home and we only dreamed. Holidays and daily life are different. I had a job back-stage in Paris at the "Folies Bergeres" and my life began to be tumultuous.

During this time, Alexis' life grew a bit chaotic as well. Each of us seemed to live in our own jail. Our dreams were gone and then Alexis' visa expired, and her family in America missed her. We lived four months in hell but with a lot of love.

She decided to leave without telling me. I never heard from her and my pain was infinite. My life drifted for many years. Much later I finally found myself but apart from her.

Thirty years later the magician of life had a plan for us. He seemed to have a sense of humor. Three years ago his magic wand took effect and passed through the telephone. Alexis called me for my birthday. What a surprise!

During these conversations we talked about everything: plans, travel, food, money, leisure, spirituality...everything that you can imagine! Both of us discovered that we had a lot in common: we don't eat meat or drink alcohol. We like animals, all human beings, travel, reading, art movies, theater, meditation...and everything else you can imagine. We both had matured; sculpted like a work of art. Perhaps one day we will finish in a museum!

I don't know if the kitchen in Brittany was finally painted but I know that love transformed our life.

We aren't the owners of love, only its tools. Everywhere love is present, the world gets better. When babies are born, the mother's first wors are "I love you." When love flows well relationships are good.

Today we live the reward of love. We got married almost three years ago in the great country very near all of you and happiness is often our guest.

was born in Colombia, South America.

I lived part of my childhood between the mountains, fields, rivers and flowers of my country.

Sometimes life gives us sudden surprises, sometimes happy, sometimes sad. In my case, when I was a girl, my mother died.

After that I moved to the city. There I began to study in the high school and I got a job as a saleswoman in a big store. I worked there for almost six years.

Then I went to the University, but I couldn't finish. AFter that I got a new job in the City Hall. One day there were changes, and I lost my job.

Then I decided to go to the Colombian embassy to try to get a visa to the U.S. It was so difficult to get a visa in those times, but to my surprise, I got it at once.

So I traveled to United States six years ago. When I arrived at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia I felt strange.

This country is bigger than my country. I didn't know anyone here and everybody was speaking English to me, but I couldn't understand any word.

I was afraid in that moment. Immediately I wanted and I needed to learn English. I lived in Atlanta for three and a half years, but during this time I couldn't get English classes. Also I made a lot of Hispianic friends who spoke only Spanish all the time. That time was not easy for me. I missed my family and my country all the time.

Two years ago I decided to move to Charlottesville for a job. At first it wasn't easy, because I didn't know anybody here.

But now it's different, because I go to school and I am learning English. I have a job. I am so happy and grateful to God, becuase He has given me good friends who help me all the time.

For this reason I think that everything that comes is for the better.

Thank you God, thank you United States for giving me the opportunity to come to this nice and wonderful country.

n Burma, my family had six members. My father was a very happy man. My mother was often irritated. My father was a gazette officer. My family had enough money and had a comfortable life. My family was very happy before 1989. My father was very angry with me because I was in my third year at University and my boyfriend was a politician. My family cut me off from them. I missed my family.

My father passed away on May 3, 1990. At that time my husband was in jail. I had my daughter on June 28, 1991. My husband was arrested by the government before my daughter was 6 months old. I returned to my family. My husband stayed thirteen years and six months in prison because he wanted democracy in Burma and was a student leader.

I will never forget that I was so tired with many jobs to help my family. I had lots of pressure and many worries. My family didn't have enough money because I was a teacher. My husband left jail on March 6, 2006.

I liked teaching because everybody trusted me. I taught 4th grade. My pupils loved me. I could tach all subjects because I know the Burmese language.

Now my job is housekeeping. I clean bathrooms. I wash clothes. I sweep floors. I vacuum the rooms. Sometimes I have lots of stress. This job is very hard.

came to Charlottesville to be with my husband because he lived eight years in Charlottesville.

I was not happy, because I do not like the food and the language is different than in my country.

I miss my parents, brothers, and friends. Now I am happy because I want to learn English. I plan for the future to speak, listen, read, and write English.

an I fall in love with you
... for a little while
... for a long while
... who knows?
Can I fall in love with you
... for good and for worse?
I didn't ask you
...and I fell in love with you
for all days
... the warm ones
... the cold ones
... the joyful ones
... the quiet ones
for all this year and the next
... love me.

don't like being locked up, but I will share with you that I thank God for my many blessings, even though I am incaracerated. I am changing for myself. I am not where I used to be; I am not where I want to be, but I am where God needs me to be for Him, first and foremost so that more changes can take place within myself.

The solution for me to want to change, change brings structure and consistency...Change requires that I give my life all of who I am and less of whom I wasn't. I change from my past to my present to let God mold me and bring me the future that he wants me to have. Change came hard and took a lot of hard work.

I have chaged and I am still changing. God has a lot more changing to do in me, through me and for me. I don't count myself more highly than anyone; I'm just trying like everyone else. I'm striving to be and do my best to change myself. It's hard; but the reality is I must just be myself.

I'm looking out for myself; protecting my change, not letting what I'm trying to do , striving for, and doing for myself be compromised by people, friends, family nor enemies.

If I do something I shouldn't have done, I repent and move on; and try again tomorrow, OK. The next day I try not to do the same again. I give myself a chance each day to change myself. I have to answer to my daddy whom is my heavenly father whom can only judge me.

Solutions depend on what you're dealing with within yourself, what you're facing, what issues you are carrying. I was emotionally dperessed and I wasn't used to feelings. When I was coming off drugs -- withdrawing -- I couldn't or didn't have any drugs to numb my feeling and emotions. That's the real reason why I did drugs, to cover up -- numb -- not feel at all. But then it was suggested to me to try writing. I took that as the best advice ever and that's how God brought me out of that emotional depression and showed me how to feel comfortable in what or how I was feeling.

It's not about what you know, but doing what you know and applying what you know to stay out of jail or your own imprisonment. Reach out to others and make up in your mind, "I'm going to change." No one is perfect, but if you want to change like I do, then stick with it and you will change sooner or later. You will start living and seeing it and today that's what I see, CHANGE...and I Love It!!! I Love Me!!!