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I fractured my back and broke my left leg. It was terrible and painful too. I couldn’t move my body until the ambulance and paramedics arrived there and gave me first aid. They took me to the hospital. I had x-rays over my whole body. I had to wait for two days to get the results to see if the fracture in my back could get better.
After 2 days my back got better and better, so I didn’t get surgery there, but my leg unfortunately, was totally broken so I needed surgery. After that, It was so difficult to get better because for the first 3 months I couldn’t do anything. I mean, I couldn’t dress myself, I couldn’t take a shower, I couldn't even go to the restroom by myself.
But now it's really different because I can do many things. For example, I can come to school, go to the hospital, I can even do physical therapy, and the doctors say I‘ll be the same person as I was, all I need is time and patience. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to get better and go back to work.
I've been thinking about what kind of job I'm going to do because after this, I won’t work in the same job, definitely not. That’s why I'm coming to school and getting some skills. Well, at least I’m alive. I’m so thankful to God for giving me a second chance.
If you're thinking of doing this kind of job, I want to suggest that you think about this and think twice before applying for this job or trying to get some training, because believe me, we can make a very good money in this job, but money isn’t evething the life. Life is beautiful and we just have one, and if we have a nice family waiting for us at home or in our country like me, you don't want to throw it away in a dangerous job like that.
You know after 8 years living here in San Francisco California, I just want to get better and go back to my country and tell to my family how much I love them, because they are everything to me. I think all you guys know what I mean. The most important thing is your life, not making a lot of money in a dangerous job that could kill you. And by the way, I think the city should do a better job of regulating roofing companies that don't make safe working conditions for their workers.
Ever since I was child I was taught to work hard. My Dad owned a farm, and I was expected to know everything about hard labor. I have incorporated that knowledge of my childhood in my everyday life. On the other hand, I make good use of both my hard work and my time. In these last two years, I have joined the Mary Kay Company. I have been privileged to travel to Dallas, Texas, Ontario, Canada, and Atlanta, Georgia. These were nice vacations. Through Mary Kay I have won the use of a new car for my business, and also my monthly checks are fabulous. Last year I made $ 57,000.00. Wow! that was an impact for me and my kids' lives also.
I can't ask for more in life. I have a beautiful, supportive, and dedicated family that is there with me no matter what. I love my life. If you asked me a questions about what I could change about my past, I would say, well I love school, and in the past, the school was far from where I used to live, so it was impossible for me to be a full time student. That's why right now I am coming back to school to finish something that I did not complete in my past, and I really enjoy being relaxed and enjoying myself.
I thank God for my health and my second opportunity for education in my present life. I love my present class that I have with Mr. John Robinson. I’ve been learning a lot, about writing, especially when I enjoy reading and listening to articles from Voice of America and Edcon Publishing about all the most important people from U. S. A . It is incredible how individuals impact the life-style from any country.
I love also San Francisco. The weather is one of the best on the Country. The the architectural style. It is beautiful and elegant. The economy was terrible for the last past two years, but right now it is getting better and better. I hope better years are coming back. I am really happy now because my next trip that I will have will be on August 1 through 5th in Dallas, Texas. The Mary Kay company will reward again like every year.
The native peoples of Mexico resisted the war of extermination waged by the Spanish invaders who imposed their rule, their culture, religion, and stripped the native peoples of their land. Again and again the Indian rebellions were crushed and their complaints were ignored. However, in forests, mountains ,and deserts, they survive, preserve their culture, and continue to resist.
After 300 years of Spanish domination, a war of independence, and Juarez reform: The Revolution of 1910 changed the situation. However, the native peoples’ rights were not recognized in the Constitution, nor in 1824, nor in 1857, or 1917.
The indigenous peoples’ worldview, their relationship with the land and nature, their forms of community, collectively, their direct democracy and autonomy, have allowed them to hold out for more than 5 centuries.
In the 1980s, survivors of a politico military insurrectionary approach merged with agrarian fighters and the indigenous movement in the forest, giving birth on November 17, 1983 to the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.
The EZLN is not born as a "guerrilla" army, but as a people's army, closely linked to indigenous communities to defend them against the white guards of the farmers and the police-military aggression. Their government, the CCRI-CG, is composed of political leaders who truly represent the people they serve.
There is a book people would like to read in travel time, leisure time or bedtime, and bringing warmth to heart. I would like to say that is "All things Wise and Wonderful". The first time I read the title, I knew that’s the book I was looking for and I may love.
It was one of the series of books of stories about animals and their owners written by James Herriot , who was a creative and wonderful veterinarian , and a great pilot who served in the Royal Air Force, and also a famous writer in Britain. The favorite career must be being a veterinarian in country. Mr. Herriot had used his many years of experiences as veterinarian from a young age. He was welcomed and respected by people for his superb medical skills, good personality, and sense of humor.
The book tells stories about things that happened between Mr. Herriot and the animals and also their owners during the early 1900’s in Yorkshire town, North of England. People there were simple and worked hard to their career, even though it was just feeding couples of cows or pigs. They took care of their animals not only they were their livestock but people love them. Life here was simple and peaceful though the war was almost spread all over world. People in Yorkshire still enjoyed lush grass , green trees, blooming flowers, singing birds and blue sky, also the lovely animals. It seemed that war had never happened and life had never been so peaceful.
As a veterinarian in town, Mr. Herriot was a very busy person, every case of emergency of the animals may call in at any moment, a sheep was terrible sick or a cow got big problem giving a baby, though it was in midnight,Mr. Herriot had to get up soon and drove to the farm to see the animals. He aways tried his best to take care of the animals and treat them as human beings . Everytime seeing the animals getting well or a new life was coming to the beautiful world , Mr. Herriot was so glad and would to share things to his sweet wife , an important person who had giving a lot of supports and courages to his whole life. But sometimes things couldn’t work, the animal was too sick to get well, or died lacking needed medicine that was popular right now but hadn’t been invented in that time yet. It made Mr Herriot feel sad and like someone who failed, just like a close friend who was going away. But he had to go out of the sadness as he knew that more animals and the farmers still needed his help.
Mr Herriot was also a nice animal doctor . He understand how important the animals or vets to people in Yorkshire. Some of people were still poor and they couldn’t afford seeing a veterinarian for their animals. Mr. Herriot would see any animal whether their owner were rich or poor or having no money, The important thing for him is the animal getting well and having a healthy body that . He would like to see a happy face of the owner because he thought that it may mean much more to the owners than money can say.
The stories were interesting and fresh and warm . I can feel that how much and how deep Mr. Herriot love the things surrounding by him. I really love the book that I feel I have been there ever.I am planning to read all books of the series “ All things”. The other two are "All thinsg bright and beautiful",and "All Creatures great and small". The attitude to life of Mr.Herriot make me realize that life is what you want to be, just think about it “All things amazing and wonderful."
Tequila is the national drink of excellence, and even though it wasn’t known as a distilled product until the XVIII century, there was an important history of its intake among the prehispanic people who planted the agave, associating it to healing and religious properties.
Even though the fertile soil, climate and altitude of Mexico are proper for the production of different agave types, tequila is only obtained from the Agave Tequilana Weber variety. This plant requires extreme care, reaching its initial maturity stage at eight years of age, which can even be at twelve or sixteen years in the case of plants destined for the production of aged tequila.
This plant has special characteristics that gives it beauty and makes it endure, its blue or green color, is due to waxes for humidity conservation.
The preparation process is a whole ritual that requires experience and specialization. it’s important to know the plants for their maturity stage and to have the skill for precise cuts, which will strip the plant from its leaves and thoms, leaving only the heart, called pina. The agave heart is cut in half and cooked in stainless steel containers. this procedure is of great complexity and importance, submitted to an approximate pressure of 1.2 Kg/cm2 for many hours, up to eighteen hours before it’s taken out of the containers.
It’s shredded after cooking for obtaining the agave’s fiber. Its juice will be extracted later by directly injecting water at a high pressure for greater yield of the plant’s juice. This juice is conducted to vats adding yeast for accelerating the fermentation process, produced in a special room where it’s kept for approximately three days.
Once the agave’s sugars are fermented, they will be transformed into ethyl alcohol during the distillation process, obtaining a 55% alcohol volume in the first stage. This will be stored into the barrels that will ultimately define the type of tequila obtained; white, rested or aged. Also depending on this selection is if the obtained juice is or isn’t mixed with other sugars or colors. When the time programmed for the stored tequila is reached, it’s sent through a process of dissolution with distilled water, reducing the alcohol volume to 38%.
It’s important to mention there are hygiene norms determining the time tequila should rest barrels, the barrel’s wood and the alcohol volume each must contain, Labeling, packaging and consumer information is also regulated.
No other place in the world can produce tequila, because it can only be made from the plant produced in Mexico, Agave Tequilana Waber, that grows in the States of Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas, with a process abiding by all the official regulations.
For all of this reasons, tequila is the national beverage, besides its production ritual, it represents festivity, friendship, earth and the field’s value, characterizing Mexican Culture.
Cora Coralina was a Brazilian. She was born in Goias Velho which is the ancient capital of Goias, Brazil. She was Writer and Poetess. She started to write her first texts when she was 14 years old. She was a believer in sweets more than writing. She thought that the sweet candied cashew, pumpkin, figs and oranges which charmed the neighbors and friends worked better than the poems written on sheets of notebook paper. She published her first book after her husband died. Cora continued to produce more books, becoming one of the most important Brazilian writers of her time. She wrote a lot of books and poems. Her house inspired some of the beautiful poems written by her. There is a small museum in the house to honor her.
This is one of her best Poems!
(Translated by Leonara Soares)
I do not know if life is short
I do not know
I do not know
If life is short or too long for us.
But I know nothing of what we make sense of,
If not touching people’s hearts.
Many times we simply are.
The lap that welcomes.
The arm which involves.
Words that comfort.
Silent respect.
Joy that is contagious
Tears flowing.
Look at what satisfies.
Love what it promotes.
Authoress - Cora Coralina
I made this poem when I was 13 years old.
Cora Coralina
Warrior woman
Woman on earth
Enchants with her poetry
Until the poet Drummond.
Today I want to tell you something that happened to me when I was living in Mexico many years ago. It was a normal day. That’s what I thought. It was Saturday morning and my family and I were planning a barbecue in the park. Suddenly, when all my cousins nephews and nieces were talking outside of my house, a big car came in our direction really fast. Everybody shouted. Nobody could see one another because there was a lot of dust.
When I tried to see and stand up , all my family were on the ground some with broken legs, arms , neck etc. and I tried to help buy my mind was in shock. I saw something far away. It was my nephew only five years old. His entire body was completely beaten. He died instantly. After this many volunteers helped us. The paramedics were there, and the police started look for the drunk driver but before they got him, he decided to kill himself by hanging.
People choose to drink and drive to have a good time. After they have drunk alcohol, their ability to make smart decisions is not the best. Drinking and driving is a crime that has consequences that affect both driver and others.Some drunks can’t live thinking that they’ve killed someone. All the problems and consequences. There is no excuse for making unintelligent decisions to drink alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a car.
When I was a child I was an athletic girl. I used to play some sports at school. I played soccer, softball, and volleyball. I won many competitions and I got some trophies and some medals. I remember those days when I didn’t have anything to be worried about, even though I came from a very poor family.
I didn’t know how much my father and my mother had to work for my sisters my brother and me. My grand parents took care of us while my mother was working. That’s why I called my grand parents "mother and father". My grandmother died when I was fifteen, and my grand father is still alive. My grand father is the most generous person I know. He likes to help his family as much as his friends. My family didn’t have enough money to buy us clothes, shoes, or toys. Instead we used to find old toys in the garbage, or we transformed things to pretend they were toys. But I remember I was the happiest girl in the world.
jocotes
In those days my country was safer than now. I used to play hide and seek with my friends at night or go to the forest and pick up fruits such as mangoes, jocotes(Spanish word), guavas, and other fruits. These days, however, my country El Salvador is dangerous and children can’t do the same things as before.
Now I’m here in the US and I see how children grow up. They spend too much time playing video games, on the internet, or listening to music. But children are not happy. Sometimes they say "I’m bored". Maybe that's because they don’t have the same feeling as if they were playing outside or in the park.
"Chico", my Guacamaya
My story is about the pets I used to have in Mexico. When I came to the USA, I left all my pets in Mexico because my grandparents don't like animals too much.
In Mexico, I have three dogs, three rabbits, one guacamaya, two parrots, one turtle, like ten hamsters, and eight parakeets. Now that I'm here I miss them so much. I was used to all their noises in the mornings; the dogs barking, the rabbits jumping all around, the guacamaya, and the parrots screaming because they wanted to eat, the hamsters with all those little noises when they were playing or sometimes fighting, and the parrakeets singing.
I miss my oldest dog the most. Her name is Mimi. She was always playing with me and following me all around. Also when I was sad, she was always there as though she knew I needed someone with me. Sometimes she started to lick me so she could make me laugh and be happy. That’s why she’s one of my pets I miss the most.
Another one is my rabbit, Konan. He was so funny because he acted like he was another dog. He was always following my mother because he wanted to eat. My mom gave him lettuce, carrots and celery. He always ate everything, but when my mom went upstairs to feed the dogs, Konan followed her and then she started to eat the dog's food. So because of that, now my mom gives him a little of the food of the dogs on another plate so the dogs don't bite him. And when you call him by his name he understands and comes to you the fastest he can because he thinks you are going to give him food.
At night my Mom puts all the rabbits in cages, because if she leaves the rabbits out, they would eat all her plants and she would get mad. And in the morning, my brothers let them out with the dogs and sometimes they start playing. Sometimes, the rabbits hide from the dogs and the dogs look for them. They look so funny when they play "Hide and Seek".
The guacamaya named “Chico” always tries to get my mothers attention. He starts to scream “mama” so my mother goes where he is and start talking with him. Also he is always mad with all of us. He always tries to bite us when we want to fed him, but when my mother goes he doesn’t do anything to her, he always moves over so my mother can get his plate.
Our teacher asked me if I could tell about the development in Europe in the last sixty years. What about the time after world war II, from 1945 until now? The question is: why is the European, especially the German economy better, than the American economy? To begin with, I have to say that I'm not an economist, but our family is very interested in politics and economics.
I want to start by talking about education. I think a quality education is a "treasure" for every nation. In Germany there are two branches of education. The first branch is for very smart students. They go 12 years to school. After the exam, the special name is "Abitur", these students usually enroll for a study at a university. A few years ago a uniform exam was introduced, the "Central-Abitur" for all students in entire Germany.
The second branch is for most of the students. They go 10 years to school, and they have to pass an exam as though for a high-school-diploma. After that school program, almost all young people in Germany get job training. It takes 2-3 years. The job training is specialized. It depends on the profession the students want to follow in the future. The pupils become qualified in companies, factories, restaurants, hospitals, etcetera, and in addition they get theoretical instruction in special schools for plumbers, electricians, or in special schools for nurses, etcetera. That is very important. It is like a school program. After 2 or 3 years the students have to pass an assessment test, and then it is possible for them to apply for a position in their field.
In fact almost all students learn a specialized profession. Now I try to explain the different economies in Europe as a whole. In Europe there is a single (internal) market, with a standardized system of law for example: no taxes between the European countries. Since we have established the uniform European currency, the import and export is much easier. Almost all European states are united to the "European Union". It is an economic and political union or confederation of 27 member states.
The EU (European Union) works though a system of special institutions and intern-governmental negotiated decisions by the member states. The foundation of EU was already created 1958 with 6 states. After world war II our country got a huge support from the USA through the "Marshall plan". In the present day in Germany the social partnership exists. That means employees and employer work together as co-managers or workers' participation. We work in a social market economy, that is balancing the interests between enterprise and employees. Our small and medium sized companies are very important. They are named the "Backbone of German economy". These companies get financial support from the government because it is harder for small concerns to exist than a huge company like "Volkswagen" or "Siemens" or "Bayer" (pharmaceutical c.).
The small and medium sized companies are family owned and they are especially closely related to their employees. These companies have a high flexibility. This means for example if there are not enough contracts or work the employees don't get laid off immediately. In that case, the working-hours will be reduced for less money. Germany organizes special programs for women. The small companies are very creative and innovative thus stimulating jobs. They have a lot of interesting ideas. In times of crises, these companies try to survive in this manner, which is explained above.
The EU produces a lot of high quality products. Our opinion is that with these products it is much better and easier to react to problems of the world (global) market than strictly financial companies can react. You can see it is a very complex, difficult, and interesting topic.
"Junk Food Aisle"
The way you live effects the way you eat. Sometimes when people change their lifestyle, they change their eating habits too. For many years, people don’t worry about themselves. They don’t pay attention to the fact that junk food is not healthy. Long time ago people from Greece used to say “healthy mind and a healthy body.”
This is expression has become a true reality in nowadays. For instance , our children are suffering in many ways. First, every time they eat candies, sodas and many kinds of chips, they are hurting their body. For a while they don’t like those things, but then they love them too much and they become addicted. Their addiction sometimes leads to serious illnes. For example, my daughter used to trick me. She does well in her studying and then orders me to reward her work. I asked her what she wanted. She responded by saying she wanted me to buy some candies for her. During past years, I always wondered what little details through time will affect my daughter. One night, she woke up with a lot pain. She was suffering. She felt something in her stomach that was bothering her. When I saw her face , she was panicked. “Please, Dad, would you take me to the hospital?” Right away I got dressed, and drove my car little faster than I used to . I took her to the emergency room then the doctor told me that she needs surgery right away. He said that she had a stone, something that required immediate attention. The injury in her stomach can affect the entire body and brain. I remembered when the nurse came with a bunches of paper work that I need to signed in order the hospital policy the doctor can do his duties. It was a risk. I never thought that my daughter’s life can be in dangerous situation only because I couldn’t advise her before and I felt guilty about that.
Another example, bad habits can take a life away. My uncle Luis who died 3 years ago also, he paid the price. I used to eat any kind of food out. I used to go with him to some different restaurants. He bought food outside on the street. He rarely ate at home. He didn’t like to do exercises. He liked to watch to TV a lot. He didn’t smoke but he loved to eat. He never visited a doctor, but one day he started to feel pain By the time that happened he couldn’ t get up from bed. Finally, a doctor checked on him and told us that my uncle had a cancer, and he had only few days to live. The news impacted our life forever. It was terrible, I still remember my uncle face before he died.
In conclusion, it is good to eat good vegetables and different kind of minerals and proteins for our body. We should practice exercise like yoga, run in the park or just go to the gym. We should have a balanced diet. We need to be careful about what we give to our children. The education and habits must start in our home. We should get information from magazines, internet, libraries, or any other resources. If we practice good habits we may live longer and be healthy.
Today, I want to tell you about my life as a Travel Agent. When I was in high school I wanted to travel around the world. So, I started to study Airlines and Travel Agencies Administration.
After I finished the practice hours, I began to work in the most important travel Agency in Colombia called Aviatur. It has more than two hundred agencies within Colombia.
At the beginning was a little difficult because I was studying and working at the same time. But, after two years I had more experience, and my work was more relaxing. The first job I had to do was to help one hundred people who were traveling to Jamaica for a Sales Convention. It was very hard because I had to resolve every problem with the logistics of the event. Then, I got my American visa and went to Miami for a hotels inspection. Little by little, I got to know Europe, the Caribbean Islands, as well as many countries in South America and North America.
Every time I took vacation, I choose a different place for research. I’ve enjoyed their cultures and gastronomy. The most beautiful place that I’ve known is Greece. It is really fascinating. I think it’s the best place for honeymoon, but, I went for work.
Finally, three years ago, an important airline invited me to Mexico for “Fiestas Patrias “ and there I met my husband. We started to chat and speak every day. Two months later he came to Colombia to visit me. Then I went to Sacramento to visit him, and after two years, he moved to San Francisco for his job, and we decided to get married. I am really happy. I think San Francisco is the best city in the United States. Now I hope to learn English quickly because I’ve realized it is very important to know English well for life and work in the United States.
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I am a city girl. My childhood was around a collective houses in Peru where mostly everybody knows each other. In the mornings, I usually attended school classes from 8 am. to 2 pm. I enjoyed being at school every morning because my classmates and teachers were very friendly. I remember taking classes in cooking, sewing, dancing besides the academic classes. But, I can say, the school was a religious one, so every Friday we went to the chapel to pray for a short time. During vacations when the classes were over, we would travel to visit my grandparents. They lived in a rural area, far away from my city, so we traveled there by plane. That was really fantastic! My whole family traveled to the Valley of Huancaray where we saw rivers, and crops of different plants that looked like a lively mosaic on the ground. I had the chance to ride horses, feed ducks and chickens, as well as climb the trees to catch the best and sweetest fruits. The lakes and rivers were clear as a mirror and I was able to catch delicious varieties of fish. I think this experience with nature made me have a great sense of caring of our environment.
The vacation also had a touch of craziness when the Carnivals were celebrated with music and dances all day for three consecutive days. At that time we played, throwing water balloons at each other or painting faces with talc. Food and beverages were offered during the carnivals at no cost because the community celebrated together and ate together. After returning from vacations, we came back home with loads of presents from our relatives and the remarkable experience carved in my memory.
OTHER ARTICLES BY FLOR MONTEZA:
"Loving Science and My Family", by Flor Monteza
"What Impresses Me About Martin Luther King Jr." by Flor Monteza
It was 11 years ago. Do you know of a country in which women don’t love? I arrived in the USA from Russia 11 years ago. This is my story about how dogs don’t bite, and women don’t love.
It happened one morning after one week living in America. I've liked to run all my life, and it’s very good for your health. I put on my running suit and left from my apartment. During this time, we lived 2 blocks from Golden Gate Park. The weather was so beautiful because, as I know now, we have spring all the time in the city.
After running for fifteen minutes, I was in the field which is very close to the Polo Stadium. I could see many people that liked to run like me but also people with many dogs. They walk dogs and play with them. Now I know that they were not only owners, but also people who walk dogs as a job.
In one moment I saw that maybe 7 dogs ran up to me. I have experience in my country. These dogs want to bite me. I know precisely that I shouldn't run. I need to stand straight and look as large as possible. I did that and began to look at dogs tremblingly. The largest dog ran up to me first and began to lick my hands, and everybody around smiled. At that time I didn't know how to say “Hi” and “Thanks” all the time; however, I was not bitten.
I remember only that after that I was back home and called my friend. He listened to me and then told to me a phrase which I have remembered ever since, "Igor, America it is the country where dogs don't bite, flowers don't smell, women don't love".
Now I know more and more about this great country and can answer him. It’s not true. In this county dogs bite, flowers smell, women love but they do that differently.
Au Pair Logo
My name is Ewelina, and I come from Poland. I am 19 years old. I used to live in a village in the southern part of Poland. I love my country and the people there. I am proud that I am Polish. I guess that my childhood was nice but a little bit difficult. Before I came to the U.S, I lived with my family of five: My Mom, Dad, brother, my grandma, and I. When I was a kid, I always wanted to do everything by myself. My mom told me many times that I was really a stubborn person, and she did not have any of her strength to change it. I was a quiet but a difficult kid. My brother used to experience the consequences instead of me, although I should have had them.
A view of Krakow Castle, Krakow, Southern Poland
This photo of Southern Poland is courtesy of TripAdvisor.
At school the teachers gave me a lot of time out. In primary school, I made a friendship with a girl who was born in New York. Her parents were Polish. She was bi-lingual. She spoke English and Polish fluently. She was great. We sat at the same desk for 6 years! When some of these years went by, I told her I noticed that sometimes I do something in exactly the same way she does and vice versa. I loved to observe her ‘American style’. I have always loved the American accent and sometimes when she spoke in English, I listened to her carefully. I know that America has so many accents that for me it is interesting. Today my friend Jessica and I do not keep in touch. That makes me a little bit sad, but I hope that we'll meet somewhere in U.S or where I am living now.
I know that just after being a student in high school, I have to come to California. Through those three years I just was thinking about California and how much I could do there. At that time, I did not have any idea how to come to America. I did not have money. Luckily one day when I had an English class at my friend’s place, she told me about program called Au Pair. I could live with an American family, take of her kids, and study English in an American college. This was good option for me. Now I am happy because I am in California and I live with a wonderful family. I am taking care of one kid, Sydney. I am lucky that I can live in San Francisco and see so many subcultures that for me is amazing as I am involved in one of them. Now I am making so many plans for the future.
A Village in Southern Poland
Pine Trees and Banana Trees in Honduras
My name is Carolina Velasquez. I was born in Honduras,and I grew up in small urban town that was beautiful, with hot weather and a lot of pine trees. The biggest town just has a small elementary school, and one preschool, a middle school, a high school, and a health center. I remember playing with my relatives and friends in the evening. They were great moments. I have seven siblings. When I had to move to the capital,I was sad at first, but later I felt comfortable, and I enjoyed the city. I lived in my aunt's house. I went to college and got my GED. After that, I got a job in a bank as a teller. I worked there for eight months and then decided to come to the U.S.A. I ended up in San Francisco. I have lived here seven years and now I can come to school to improve my English. Every day I come to school to learn and practice. I would like to speak clearly and correct my mistakes, but it is taking me a lot of time. I wish some day my dream will come true, and I will feel confident in my ability to speak English.
"Junk Food Aisle"
The way you live effects the way you eat. Sometimes when people change their lifestyle, they change their eating habits too. For many years, people don’t worry about themselves. They don’t pay attention to the fact that junk food is not healthy. Long time ago people from Greece used to say “healthy mind and a healthy body.”
This is expression has become a true reality in nowadays. For instance , our children are suffering in many ways. First, every time they eat candies, sodas and many kinds of chips, they are hurting their body. For a while they don’t like those things, but then they love them too much and they become addicted. Their addiction sometimes leads to serious illnes. For example, my daughter used to trick me. She does well in her studying and then orders me to reward her work. I asked her what she wanted. She responded by saying she wanted me to buy some candies for her. During past years, I always wondered what little details through time will affect my daughter. One night, she woke up with a lot pain. She was suffering. She felt something in her stomach that was bothering her. When I saw her face , she was panicked. “Please, Dad, would you take me to the hospital?” Right away I got dressed, and drove my car little faster than I used to . I took her to the emergency room then the doctor told me that she needs surgery right away. He said that she had a stone, something that required immediate attention. The injury in her stomach can affect the entire body and brain. I remembered when the nurse came with a bunches of paper work that I need to signed in order the hospital policy the doctor can do his duties. It was a risk. I never thought that my daughter’s life can be in dangerous situation only because I couldn’t advise her before and I felt guilty about that.
Another example, bad habits can take a life away. My uncle Luis who died 3 years ago also, he paid the price. I used to eat any kind of food out. I used to go with him to some different restaurants. He bought food outside on the street. He rarely ate at home. He didn’t like to do exercises. He liked to watch to TV a lot. He didn’t smoke but he loved to eat. He never visited a doctor, but one day he started to feel pain By the time that happened he couldn’ t get up from bed. Finally, a doctor checked on him and told us that my uncle had a cancer, and he had only few days to live. The news impacted our life forever. It was terrible, I still remember my uncle face before he died.
In conclusion, it is good to eat good vegetables and different kind of minerals and proteins for our body. We should practice exercise like yoga, run in the park or just go to the gym. We should have a balanced diet. We need to be careful about what we give to our children. The education and habits must start in our home. We should get information from magazines, internet, libraries, or any other resources. If we practice good habits we may live longer and be healthy.
My name is Irene Clark. I would like to tell you something that happened to me when I started to work in this country. My cousin's husband was a hostess at a restaurant and he found a job for me in the morning, cleaning the bar. He was working at night so we didn't see each other. My cousin showed me where to take the bus to go to work and where to get off and also how to get back home. The first day I went to work, my aunt gave me 50 cents: one quarter to go to work, and one quarter to come back home. When I got off the bus, I was tossing a quarter in my hand and I dropped my quarter in the sewer, but I wasn't paying much attention to it. After I finished working, I went out to the street and that was when I remembered I didn't have the quarter to get back home. So I kept looking at the street and asking myself how I was going to get back home. I didn't know my way home except by taking the bus. For a little while, I was thinking and I thought if I followed the bus, I would be able to get back home. I waited for the bus to see the way the bus was going and how I could follow it. So, I started to walk behind the bus until I couldn't see it anymore. Then, I waited for another one and did the same. By the time I got home, it was very late and my family was very worried because they had been looking for me without knowing where I had been. They called my work and my boss told them I had left at 4:00 pm. It was 7:00 pm when I finally got home. They were mad at me because they couldn't understand why I hadn't called home or asked somebody for a quarter. But I was embarrassed to ask for a quarter or tell them what had happened. The next day, when I came to work, my boss knew what had happened to me, and he was laughing. I didn't like it, but I couldn't do anything about it because it was my fault.
