Central Minnesota Adult Basic Education Student Stories 2016

GROWINGTOGETHER!

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Student Stories | A Photo JournalOpportunities Through Central Minnesota

Adult Basic Education | Next Up

S T O R I E S + L E A R N I N G =

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OURSTORY

Growing Together !

C E N T R A L M I N N E S O T AA D U L T B A S I C E D U C A T I O N

"Hi, my name is Akuay Gilo. Iam from Sudan and I grew up inEthiopia. I have two sisters and Iam the youngest. They areolder. When I was six years old,my mother passed away. Myaunt and uncle took care of meand my sisters. My mother hadtwo sisters and two brothers.They took care of us. My auntand uncle loved us very much,and our family loves each othervery much. This was my lifewhen I was young. After that, Igot married in 1998. Myhusband and I came to the USA.Now I live with my husband andI have four children. Mychildren were all born in theUSA. Now two are in highschool, one is in 5th grade, andthe youngest is in kindergarten. This is my life right now. I havea job and I am going to school,too, to study English and to getmy high school diploma orGED. I want to have my dreamjob of being a teacher. "

"I came from

Kenya

Sept. 11 2007.

I had one child

before America.

I have 4 children. I

like to study

English. I still

have difficulty

speaking but I

understood."

A B E S T U D E N T S T O R I E S2 0 1 6 | 2

My Family

by

Akuay Gilo

My Journey

to the U.S.A.

by

Adhar Dakane

THE NEWNEIGHBORHOOD

By Yann ick

A W E L C O M E T O

"Back in the day, I, a teenager of 19, was in my country in Burkina Faso,where I was raised. My family and I were living in a kind of lovely,amazing and active neighborhood in the middle of Ouagadougou, thecapital of Burkina Faso. My parents decided to move to a quiet side of thetown, a new neighborhood where there were less people. I use to always bearound family members and friends, but when we first moved, I was lost.Our new house was in front a free space I would have to walk through toget to school every morning and afternoon. In the morning, this place soldsand and gravel, but at night this same place was dangerous.

A lot of weird people were in the free place. These sand and gravel sellersbecome drugs sellers at night. They were selling it to people from differentplace. That made me stay in the house every day after school because myparents knew about it and didn’t want me to frequent these people. Gettingbored in the house, I decided one day to go find some friends. I went toclosest neighborhood for a walk. There I found, some classmates from mynew school.

This day, I passed a little bit of time them hanging out and getting to knowthem. Few weeks later, we were studying and doing homework by a schoolnot far from where they live. During our study time, my friends coulddisappear for a couple minutes. Being curious, I tried to find out what theybeen doing. I been shocked when I discovered that they were doing drugs.This day, we almost get into a argument because I refused to try it, so I lefthome.

The next day at school was so long, because I felt lonely. After classes, Idecided to reason with them to stop smoking by showing them someinformation I had read the past night. Most of them said “I will love to stopit, but I have been doing that for so long”. I understood that and triedsomething else to put them out of these bad habits. After classes, I told myfriends that I would like to try it. They took to a quiet place for us tosmoke. A couple months later, I was a frequent smoker but I couldn’t stayfocused in class, so I told them that smoking was an experience for me butit didn’t bring me enough benefits to make me keep doing it. "N O M A D I C | 2 4

A B E S T U D E N T S T O R I E S2 0 1 6

OUR STORYGrow ing Toge the r !

"I’m lying at the edge of the bedWith my hope and desperationonto my knees. I feel like nobodyis there for me Just my bed whodoesn’t let me go, to breathe.

A tear drop on my cheekRemember me how human can Ibe. All my sins, all my wrongsCan dry away Like the hurt in mysoul.

I pull myself from the bed Tryingto kneel and show How bad Ifeel. Confession and repentanceThat’s how it has to be. So I cansee the light Shining onto me.

There is You This is me Forgiveme Father, For what you see."

"I love my mom. My momand I have a greatrelationship. My momalways gives me advice nomatter what age I am. WhenI told her I have dry skin mymom told me, “Stay hydratedand sleep well and then youwill be beautiful inside andout.” She is not the only onewho gives me advice; mydad gives me advice too. Iremember when I was youngI was an impatient person. Isometimes made mistakes.My father said, “Arad, thinkbefore you act.” And he alsosaid, “The sun always risesand sets again tomorrow.”

Snow

by Anab Jibril

"The first time I saw snow,

it was October 2010.

Before that time,

I saw snow only in movies.

Snow is beautiful and shiny.

It looks like sugar.

When you touch it, it is so smooth.

When it is snowing

it is not too cold,

but when it lies on the ground

three or four days it is very cold.

I still remember the first year

I saw snow. I fell four times

because I didn’t

know I should

wear boots in the winter.

Now I don’t care

if it is snowing or not."


I am Happy

in the USA

by Fadumo Ali

"My name is Fadumo.

I want to write about myself.

I was born in Somalia.

I came to the USA in 2001.

I first came to Minneapolis.

After that I lived in St. Cloud.

I am happy with my life."

My Mom’s

Advice

by

Arad Sugule

Repentance

by

Aremi Severson

OUR STORYGrow ing Toge the r !

"My personal experience waswhen I moved to St. Cloud fromKansas to be with my girlfriend.We met on a website. She is fromSt. Cloud and that is whatbrought me here. She has been awonderful person in my life. Shewas there for me through thickand thin. Her family members aregreat loving people. They haveaccepted me even when my ownfamily doesn’t really care aboutme.

I’ve lived in St. Cloud for sixmonths now and started going toschool. I also got a job atWendy’s. I also experiencedgoing to the Mall of America forthe first time. That place is huge.I really hope that I will be able togo back one day. In closing, sofar, my experience here InMinnesota has been great. I’mreally looking forward to startingmy new life here and have moreexperiences that Minnesota has tooffer."

"About three years ago on myway home from my job my carhad a flat tire. I hadjust boughtmy car and the tires lookedgood. Unfortunately it was atnight and I couldn’t figure outhow this happened. It was a coldwinter and it was snowing. Thatwas a bad experience for me. Ididn’t have a jack to change thetire and my cell phone was dead.I felt frustrated.

I stayed on the side of the roadfor a while waiting to see ifsomeone would help me, but Idid not see any cars, so I starteddriving my car slowly all theway home. I had to drive twomiles to get home and when Igot out of my car I saw my car’stire all destroyed. Since thisincident happened I always havethe tools to change a car’s tire."


The Fall Tree

by Basra Hassan

"After three months of summer,

the leaves start to change.

They go from green to colors

like red, orange, and yellow.

The trees start to look

really nice and beautiful.

At this time, the weather

gets colder

and people wear

sweaters and jackets."

Car Problem

by Aldo Carrillo

My Family

by Amina Barre

"I come from Somalia.

I came to America on September 30, 2006.

I have 6 children and they all go to school.

My husband works at Gold’n Plump.

I don’t work. I am a house wife.

I go to school 4 days a week.

I take care of my children,

clean house, and cook food.

My family is very good."

My Personal

Experience

by Donald Paylor

My Life and Family

by Zamzam Afrah

"My name is Zamzam.

I was born in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Then I got married.

We had two beautiful daughters.

I am happy and thank God

for my beautiful family.

Now I study English.

I feel much better with the language.

I help my kids with their homework.

My life has been difficult.

It is hard to learn English."

OURSTORYGrow ing Toge the r !

"My name is Fadumo Ali. I wasborn in Bardera Somalia. My dadhad two wives. The other wifehad eight children. I was thesecond oldest, taking care of allmy younger siblings. When I wasseventeen I married my currenthusband, then had my first childtwo years later. There was a civilwar that broke out and it was toodangerous to stay.

We moved to Kenya as refugees.I bore six children, but one hadpassed away. In 2006 we wereselected as refugees to come toAmerica. I had never gone toschool until September 2010.Since then I had to go off and onto school because I have anelderly mother-in-law living withus. I am very happy to attendschool at La Cruz in St. Cloud."

"I come from a traditional Africanfamily. There are seventeen peoplein my family: my parents, two olderbrothers, a younger sister and eightyounger brothers. There are 4 girlsand 7 boys. I’m the third child.

My father had a job. He worked at astore. My mother was a stay athome mom. Four of my brothershave died. One of my brothers livesin Minneapolis. The rest are still inAfrica. My family is very importantto me and I really love my family.

I live in St. Cloud, MN. I am astudent. I have three children. MyOldest daughter’s name isSalma.She is 9 years old. Mysecond child is a son. His name isAmar. He is 8 years old. My thirdchild is also a son. His name isOmar. He is 7 years old. They areall healthy and beautiful. I really,really love them."


I Grew up in Libya

by Hanan Addow

"Libya was my second country.

I spent a lot time of my life in Libya.

The weather is always hot.

I grew up in Libya.

I have a lot of memories in life.

The Libyan Desert is the

biggest in the world.

I came to the United States

in 2012."

Fadumo Ali's

Story

My Family

by Safiya Hussein

Coming To America

by Ladan Omar

"My name is Ladan Omar.

I was born in Somalia.

Then I grew up in Somalia.

Then after that I came to Kenya 1991

I stayed 18 Years I have seven kids.

In 2009 my kids and

I came to the United States

but my husband didn’t come with us,

when I came to America.

My life was hard because

I didn’t speak English."

" I was bo rn i n a sma l lt own ca l l ed Do lceNombre Copan i nHondu ras , Cen t r a lAmer i ca . I have f ou rb ro the r s and t h rees i s t e r s . My f am i l y andI l i v ed t he re a l lt oge the r . The t ownhas beau t i f u lmoun ta ins a l l a roundi t . Nowadays my t ownhas become a c i t y andhas a b igge rpopu la t i on .

The s t r ee t s a re nowpavemen t . I t has abus se r v i ce , Cen t r a lHea l th , a co l l ege , anda l o t o f bus inessesl i ke co f f ee expo r t s ,bas i c gra ins , andcommerce . So nowthe re a re a l o t o fd i f f e r ences and I amve ry proud I can wr i t esome th ing goodabou t my t own . "

'My name is Hayad Jama.I was born in 1969 inMuqdisho, Somali. I havefive brothers and onesister. I went to middleschool at Janal Daauud. Istarted my high school atSheeq Hasan Barsame in1982, where I finishedafter 4 years.

In 1991 the civil warhappened and we movedto Kenya, where I livedfor over 24 years asrefugee. I have twodaughters in Kenya. Ilived with my daughter,my mother and my brotherand his family. We ownedour own business. Wecame to Minnesota onSeptember 15, 2014."


Story About a Tree

by Anab Jibril

"I am going to describe a tree.

The tree has green and yellow leaves.

Some of them are brown and red.

Some leaves are all green.

If you look on the ground,

there are falling leaves.

Some of them are already dry.

Some have mixed colors.

There are tiny leaves on the ground.

Someone left a

bicycle by the tree.

It has three colors:

blue, black, and silver.

I assume it is fall weather,

that is why leaves are falling down.

The tree has a lot of branches."

My Happy Life

by Hayad Jama

My Town

by Lesly Tabora

VACATIONby Yan fang Ren

"I worked at Stone Factory in the city of Fuzhou, China.Every year the company organization made a plan and tookemployees to different places to take a vacation, but it was justfor the supervisors and those in higher positions. It was a giftfrom the company. I had one great vacation in the summer.We went to the beach near the Yellow Sea. The companyrented a hotel near the ocean. In the morning I woke up early.Looking toward the beach, I saw the horizon. The weatherwas sunny. The sun came up; the clouds were forming redlight then pink turn into yellow colors. In a few minutes, therewas a variety of colors. Their shapes sometimes looked like afeather fan, fish scales, flowers or some animals. The skyseemed like a big water color paper with a painting constantlychanging.

The sea sometimes was peaceful like sweethearts whisperingin private. The sea was gently kissing the beach like a mothertouching her children softly. I walked on the beach with barefeet and I saw in the sand a lot of crabs in their holes. Whenthey saw people coming, they scurry away. I felt the wet sandand my bare feet told me it was very fine and soft. I walkedalong the ocean. I left my footprint. I closed my eyes, took adeep breath and inhaled humid and salty air. I felt relaxed. Isaw some birds flying in the sky. They were dancing andsinging. Some waves were bigger than others. They seemedvery angry and cold. I like going swimming in the sea. Thewaves have different heights and gave me unexpected feelingsof joy and sorrow. It relieved my stress. I like to communewith nature and it was a beautiful vacation."

N O M A D I C | 2 4


CHILDHOODMEMORIES

By Ogona Abe la

"My childhood experience in school was bad and good at thesame time. When I was four years old my parents came toAmerica. I was left with my grandparents. After some yearsthey decided to let me go to school in Kenya. I started goingto school there. I studied English and Kiswahili. When I gotto fourth grade, my parents decided that it would be better if Iwent back to Ethiopia.

When I went back to Ethiopia they let me start from firstgrade because I didn’t know the language. I went to class andall I knew was how to read English and speak Kiswahili. Ididn’t know any of the language and that made me sad. Kidslaughed at me. I felt so sad to a point where I wanted to lowermy level of reading English so kids wouldn’t laugh or makefun of me. Months later I started making friends and learnedsome of the language. That made my life easier in school.Years later my parents changed their minds again. Theywanted me to go back to Kenya so they could start doing theprocess of coming to America.

When I got back to Kenya everything was easy because Iknew their language. I went to boarding school and continuedwith my education till I came to America in 2010. Lifeamong people who don’t speak don’t speak the samelanguage is very challenging. All I have learned is to bestrong and try to fit in if you can. Life is like wind blowing indifferent directions. You never know where it might take younext."

N O M A D I C | 2 4


My Story

by Hodan Warsame

"My name is Hodan Warsame.

I am writing a story about

when I came from Uganda.

I came to United States

on November 28, 2011.

I have 4 children.

One day I looked for a job.

The next morning I took a bus

to the place where they

wanted me to work.

But I couldn’t find the company.

But later I found a job.

Now I am happy."

The Tree

by Khadra Jama

"The tree nearby our

school looks different.

The last time I looked at it,

the tree

had some leaves,

but today the branches stand up

to the cold wind by themselves.

Without the protection

of the leaves,

the tree looks vulnerable.

Despite the absence of the leaves,

the tree still remains strong and

it will stand alone all winter long.

The tree will remain alive

and fight the cold.

The tree will get back

its leaves

after the winter and

become more vibrant."

My Young Sister Sucaad

by Arad

"In my family

we have seven sisters

and two brothers.

Sucaad is the youngest one of the seven.

Today I would like to

talk about her personality

and her lifestyle.

My sister,

Sucaad, is taller than me.

She always is happy

and an easy going person.

She is active and

if you ask her for

help she gives you a hand,

without a doubt.

I always remember her smile.

Now she lives in Kenya with my family.

I always keep her in

my mind for two things.

She called me while she was laughing

and ended the call

also while laughing."

My Story

by Khadra Yuusuf

"I am from Somalia. I arrived in the

US in 2014.

The first state I arrived in was Texas.

When I came to Texas

I met people in that state,

who were not my relatives.

I did not have anyone who could assist me.

I did not have a car.

I did not have friends.

I met many problems.

When it was daytime

I met many Somali,

people who spoke the

same language as me.

I started to have school

in St. Cloud to learn English."

My family

by Dyna Sok

"I came from a traditional Cambodian family.

There are six people in my family:

my parents, one sister, two brothers, and me.

I am the first child.

My father worked in the animal shelter,

and my mother was a housewife.

My sister worked at Golden Plump.

I have five children and 15 grandchildren.

I worked at Golden Plump for nine years,

and I worked at

Electrolux for 17 years. Now I am retired.

My family is very, very important to me.

They have moved far away from me.

I don’t see them as much as I want.

I miss them."

My School

by Ewel Abdi

"My first school was in Ethiopia.

I remember one day,

I was grade 5, and someone wrote an insult on the

wall of the class that concerned a

girl who was my classmate.

The girl and her friends saw the insult

written on the wall of the class.

Then she complained to the teachers of the school.

Our teacher

asked us who wrote the insult on the wall we said,

“We don’t have any idea.”

Then he went from us and he called all the teachers

of the school and they had sticks,

then they beat us badly. I remember that day."

I Came from Vietnam

by Vinh Truong

"My name is Vinh Truong.

I came from Vietnam.

I came to the USA. I have lived in

St. Cloud for four years

with my son and my wife.

In the USA my son

is a student at Apollo.

I work in the Health Center.

I have worked there

for four years.

This is a good job. "

The Fall is Beautiful

by Samsam Yussuf

"I like the fall.

It is a beautiful season.

I feel so good when

I see the weather

is warm, sunny and

cloudy at the same time.

The leaves on the trees are falling.

They are all piled in the grass.

They cover the ground.

The trees have beautiful colors.

I analyze one leaf!

Its three to four colors like green, yellow,

orange and red blended together.

The leaves and the twigs

are on the ground.

It’s a little windy and sunny too.

It’s amazing,

to grab a chair and

watch that wonderful season."

Untitled A poem

by Maka M. Ali

"As the land became dry,

The wind started making unusual sounds.

The trees realized they were leafless.

The grass looked dull.

Finally, the mountains started singing,

“Summer is turning to fall

Trees are starting to die

Say hello to autumn days

Say good bye to sunny days.”

Memories

by Z.R.A.

"I remember when

I met my dad for the first time,

I was 11 years old.

I remember when my little brother

died at the hospital.

I remember when

I graduated from my high school.

I remember the day that

I had a flight to America, April 30, 2012.

I remember the day that my

brother had heart surgery.

Now he is 4 years old.

I remember when my little sister

broke her arm.

I remember when my mom had a

car accident and

she injured her neck."

Remembering Past

by Arad Sugule

"I remember the last day

I went to school in my country, Somalia.

I remember the first day

the civil war started in my country.

I remember the day I left my lovely country.

I remember the day civil war

separated my Father from my family.

I remember taking care of my

six sisters and two brothers without parents.

I remember the night

when I and my family crossed the border into

Kenya without permission from the country.

It was the scariest night I ever had."

Viet Nam to

St. Cloud by Long Truong

"My name is Long Truong. I come from

Viet Nam. I came to the U.S.A.

I have lived in St. Cloud

for six years with

my family.

I have two sisters, a mother,

and a daughter

who came with me.

I like to study English.

I speak English very well."

My Story

by Hoi Tran

"I came to The United states from Vietnam

four months ago with my family.

My family had four people, my wife and two sons. Now,

I’m studying English at Discovery school, my wife too.

My sons are studying at High school.

Our life was very difficult on the first time

because we didn’t know English.

I could not find work,

I could not go to the market.

I didn’t have friends.

I will try for a better,

good life."

My New Life in Minnesota

by Halima Farah

"I come from Somalia. I am Somali.

My journey in America started

in 2006 December 24th.

Once arriving in Minnesota

I waited 3 months for my documents.

I could not work or go to school until I got them.

Once I got my documents, I worked in Minneapolis.

I also started school to learn English.

In December 2007 I moved to St. Cloud.

I started working at Jennie O turkey factory.

I am still working there

and like my job very much.

I also started at Discovery School

in St. Cloud in 2008.

I am currently a student.

I like all my teachers and classmates.

I like to learn."

Description of my Mother

by James Jarvan

"Rebecca Wondor is my mother’s name.

She was born on March 25th 1955

in Liberia, West Africa.

She is now living in Big Lake, Minnesota.

My mother’s personality is indescribable;

she has all the ingredients that a great mother

is supposed to have toward her children.

Because of her, I am in the United States today,

so I consider her my hero. Mother you are appreciated and

I promise you that one day

you will definitely be proud of me in Jesus name.

My mother is very beautiful and intelligent.

She always advises and motivates me

about making great decisions.

She always says, 'My son, be patient and also

persistent because life is not easy.

You have to be consistent and determined in order

for you to achieve your goal.

Life is all about survival,

so try to meet my

standards and expectations.' ”

My Family

by Maryan Mohamed

"I’m from Somalia,

but I grew up in Kenya.

I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters.

Four of my brothers are older than me,

and one is younger.

My 2 sisters are older than me.

My mom and my

dad still live in Kenya

with the rest of my family.

I’m the only one who’s not with them.

I have lived in America

for almost 11 years.

I hope my mom and

my younger brother

will come to America very soon,

Inshallah."

My Story

by Liin Gure

"I am from Somalia.

I came to the U.S.A. in 2013.

I lived Memphis, TN for two years.

I was very happy because the climate

and people in Memphis was good.

After that, I moved to Arkansas

where the climate and people were good too.

I now live in St. Joseph, MN.

The people are good,

but the climate is cold."

Remembering the

Past by Kiin Farah

"I remember when I was young

the first day

I started school.

I remember when I came to

America and left my family. I remember

when I started my first job.

I remember when I saw the snow.

I remember when the

civil war began in my country.

I remember the days

I prepared to drive a car."

My Family

by Saeedo Mireh

"I came from Somalia.

In my family there are 10 people:

my parents, and my brothers and sister. I am the third.

My siblings are two brothers that are older than me

and 5 younger than me.

My father has had many different jobs.

He has worked as a business man

and as a truck driver.

My mother is a business woman.

She owns a grocery store and is a nurse.

She is very busy and I helped her in the store.

My siblings and uncles did, too.

My family is very nice.

We love each other."

Mirror, Mirror

by Melissa

"I look in the mirror and who do I see,

I see an addict staring back at me,

I don’t like the person I see.

Since I changed my life from recovery

I look in the mirror and who do I see,

I see a person in recovery,

I can make it just for today,

So someday I can love the person

Who looks back at me."

I Remember

by Micaela Cedillo

"I remember when I and my sister

made a swing in the tree.

I remember when I climbed a tree to the very top.

I remember we had a grape tree and ate some grapes.

I remember when I had to walk twenty minutes

through the woods to go to school every day.

I remember when I got up

with the song of the rooster.

I remember when I helped my mother

care for the birds and feed them.

I remember when I went to the woods

and found some nopales (cactus)

to bring home to eat."

Learning English and Spelling

by Nasra Adan

"I have to learn English.

I live in the U.S.A.

I need to know English very well.

I have to take care of myself and family.

When I’m finished learning English maybe

I can get a good job.

After that I will go back

to my country and help students."

My Story in South Africa

by Samsam Mahumud

"My Name is Samsam.

I came from South Africa in December 2013.

South Africa is a beautiful country.

But I used to live in a dangerous

place. I couldn’t afford to live in a safe location.

My mom used to have a small store.

We used to help each other.

I was the cashier of the store.

When the robbers came they used to take the money.

But one night two young men came to the store

and asked me for cigarettes.

After I got the cigarettes for them and was

trying to get my money from them,

one of them tried to grab my hand.

When I ran from him he took out his gun

and tried to shoot me.

But I thank God nothing happened to me.

They only took the money.

Now I am in the United States,

most of the time

I don’t worry about safety."

The Things I Remember

by Bilan Ahmed

I remember when I left my home country,

Somalia, and went to Syria.

I remember when the International Organization

for Migration gave me a visa.

I remember the first time I had a sister.

I remember the last time I talked to my father.

I remember the year I lost my parents.

I remember the first time I came to Minneapolis.

I remember when I started a business in St. Cloud.

I Remember

b y Dol Abdulahi

"I remember the wedding of

my sister in Hargeisa in 2012.

At that time I was happy,

because she was excited

and thrilled about her wedding.

I remember when I had my daughter.

I can’t describe how happy I was.

I was 17 years old and she looked like me. I

remember when my son was born 10 months later.

He looked like his father.

I remember when I came to U.S.A.

in December 2014 with my children.

I remember when my grandfather

died in 2005 in Somaliland,

I was very upset.

I remember when

I started my school in St. Cloud. "

I Remember the Past

by Basra Hassani

"I remember when my sister was born.

I remember when my first baby died.

I remember when I came to the

United States of America.

I remember the first day the

civil war started in my country.

I remember the last day I saw my father. I

remember when my family stayed together.

I remember when my son got a driver license.

I remember when I

started school in St. Cloud."

What I Remember in the Past

by Anab Jibril

I remember my first class.

I remember when my Mother died.

I remember when the civil war started.

I remember when I saw my sister

again after many years.

I remember when I lost my father.

I remember when I was in the camp.

I remember when I came to America.

I remember when I saw the snow.

I remember the way I grew up without parents.

My Childhood in School

by Sika Allou

"When I was a child in my home country

Togo 35 years ago,

I was seven years old.

That school was a Catholic school.

We prayed, we played,

and we studied languages.

At that time I liked candy.

If my classmates gave me candy

I gave my shoes to them.

My mother was not

happy with me because

I gave my shoes away."

My Life in the USA

by Seynaba Hadama

"My name is Seynaba Hadama.

I was born in Ethiopia in a

small town called Negele Bornaa.

I came to the United States in June 2006.

When I come to America,

it was very difficult for me to understand

the language and the culture.

I have four children, three boys and one girl.

I have been in America for almost ten years.

I have not been to my country since then,

and I miss my country.

I am planning to visit my country

in the future.

I became a citizen on April 2, 2012.

As of right now, life is

good in America,

because I understand the language

and the culture, but I

miss my family in Ethiopia."

GROWINGTOGETHER!Our S to ry

"My name is Maryamo Abdi. I am43 years old. I was born in Somalia.I came from Ethiopia in 2015 onJanuary 30th. I have two children:one boy and one girl. I now live inSt. Cloud, Minnesota. I learnEnglish at ESL class at night. Myfamily lives in Africa. I missMogadishu, but I like Minnesota."

"My name is James Othello JarvanJr., commonly known in my familyas J.O. J. My grandparents are fromRiverset County in Liberia, WestAfrica. My grandfather is not livingbut my grandmother is. Both of mygrandparents spoke Bassa as theirfirst language. My mother lives inBig Lake, Minnesota with mystepfather. My father passed awayin 2005 in Liberia because of thecivil war. I have three little brothersand one sister from my mother’sside in Minnesota. On my father’sside I have four little brothers andthree little sisters in Africa. I am theoldest and only child between bothof my parents."

"On September 2005 Icame to America withmy family. Everythingwas new to us. We sawpeople we have neverseen before. We did notknow where to go orhow to do simple things.I could not cook becauseI did not know how toturn on the stove. Wecould not driveanywhere because wedid not have a car. Rightnow I drive my own car.Right now I understandEnglish. I cook for myfamily. Everything isgood now." - DowlyAden

A B E S T U D E N T S T O R I E S2 0 1 6 | 1 6

My Story

by Maryamo Abdi

My Family

by James Jarvan

My Story

by Dowly Aden

OURSTORY

G R OW I N G T O G E T H E R !

"My name is MuyehdinMuhumed Ahmed. I came fromSomali Regional State inEthiopia. I arrived in the USAon November 26, 2015 inMinneapolis. Then I came to St.Cloud. I stayed four months.Here is my family. My first goalwas to find a job. I did not get ajob, so I look for a job. Thenmy second goal was to go toschool and learn to speak, writeand read English. I started myfirst class at La Cruz in St.Cloud Adult Basic Education.Now I am better than before."

"My name is Dahabo Abdi. Iwas born in Somalia and raisedin Somalia. Before the war, mylife was normal. I lived with myfamily and I was happy. After Igot married, before there waswar that destroyed Somalia, Iwas happy. As the war stared, Ihad my oldest son. I movedwith my husband and son to thenearest country that was safe.For my family that wasEthiopia. I found a refugeecamp. I lived in Ethiopia for 11years. As a young girl I grew upwith my siblings: 2 sisters and 2brothers. I have 4 daughters andone son of my own."

"First my name is MohamedMahamud Ismail. I am 66 yearsold. I was born in Somalia. When Iwas 7 years old I remember myfirst day of school in my country.Education is very difficult to becleaver in, but when I finished myschool in grade 10, my hope was tobe a doctor. But I am not to be adoctor. Then, I hoped to be ananimal doctor. I remember wantingto be an animal doctor and myparents, there were very happybecause of was the dream of myparents.When I was 25 I marriedmy wife Sahan. After that time, in1991, we were meeting war inSomalia. And my education waslost. Following 1991 I went toEthiopia. Ethiopia was a good lifebecause there was peace. I hadmore children born to me inEthiopia. After Ethiopia I went tothe US. I came from SomaliRegional State in Ethiopia. Iarrived in the USA on December10, 2015 in New York. I arrived atthe airport where I stayed at theregister for one hour. Then I wentto my house. After I stayed 11 daysin the register (on December 23), Ifinally went to St. Cloud,Minnesota. When I came to St.Cloud my children followed. Mychildren get an education for freeand I also get a free and goodeducation. I am very happy to livein the United States."


My Story

by Muyehdin

Muhumed Ahmed

My Story

by Dahabo Abdi

My Story

by Mohamed

Mahamud Ismail

TO THEMARLBORORANCH

By L i sa Ems lande r

M Y A L L - E X C L U S I V E T R I P

"In the spring of 2015 my husband received a certified letter in the mail. Our firstthought was, oh no. What is this? Luckily, it turned out that my husband won an all-exclusive trip for two, to the Marlboro Ranch, in Montana. My husband and I wereasked to send our jacket size and shoe size. We were sent a tape measure to measureour head? We didn’t know why until later. We were given a sheet telling us all theactivities at the ranch and we got to number what we wanted to do. Our trip was theweek of July 23 and it was wonderful that everything was paid for.

The company in charge sent us two airline tickets, a check for $600.00 for taxes, andtwo $50.00 Visa credit cards for baggage fees. One week before our flight, wereceived two large boxes. Inside we found luggage for each of us and two baseballhats that they wanted us to wear so they could recognize us at the airport in Bozeman,Montana.

On the first day of our trip as we sat in the airport in Minneapolis, we started seeingpeople with the same hat we were wearing. When we landed in Bozeman we weregiven five coupons for five, free packs of smokes and then we were taken to a privateroom with tons of food. Next, it was time to take the bus to the ranch. When we got tothe gates at the Marlboro Ranch there were people on horses that rode on both sides ofthe bus like a parade and they played the theme song from the TV show “Bonanza”.

When my husband and I opened the door to our cabin, our bed was piled with gifts.There were cowboy hats, water bottles, and $150 each to spend at the store, little flashlights, a handkerchief, Stormtech jackets and we went to the livery and that’s wherewe received boots, socks, and we got our cowboy hats curled. The food was amazing.One meal was prime rib, the next was Cornish game hen or salmon. The activitieswere a lot of fun too. We participated in zip lining, archery, skeet shooting, side byside ATV’s, and trout fishing. We experienced driving a military Hummer in themountains. At night we enjoyed listening to music, playing in card tournaments andstar gazing.

One of my favorite things to do was go for a hike in the mountains at sunset to takepictures. We would always see deer because they were everywhere. In fact, they evencame to the ranch at night and that is why all the flowers need to be covered when itgets dark. If this was not done the deer would eat all the flowers. As we arrived homewe started to really miss the ranch. We were thankful for the adventurous time and thefriends that we made.

Since our vacation I’ve been hooked on trying everything I can on the Marlborowebsite to win another trip. Just two weeks ago I got a letter and a check from themsaying that a picture that I submitted in a contest won first place and they sent me acheck for $500. I wonder why people say no one ever wins that stuff. I’ve certainlybeen lucky."

N O M A D I C | 2 4


BIRTHLINE

By Yose l i n Cas t i l l o

"When I think about someone that helped me through my pregnancy Ithink about Birthline. In Birthline I met great people, but there is onespecial person that I’m always going to be thankful for and it is Joylene. Birthline also helped me prepare for my baby. At Birthline I learned howto be a good parent and good person. Truly Birthline is a great place;they have great people than can be counted on.

The first person that I met at Birthline was Joylene. She was a greatsupport during my pregnancy, and also was a great support duringdifficult times after my pregnancy. Also Joylene inspired me in manydifferent ways toward my future goals. She is an excellent role model tome on how to be a great mother. I know that whenever I have a questionor a problem I can count on her. She has helped me in many ways, andI’m always going to be thankful to her for all her help and support.

The second thing that Birthline helped me with was the preparation formy baby. At Birthline I learn about the stepping stones of pregnancy.Another thing that I learned is what to expect when I brought my babyhome, and what to do in case of an emergency. The most important thingthat they helped me with was her clothing and diapers, and they taught meFirst Aid in case my baby choked on food or coins. The third and mostimportant thing that Birthline helped me with is how to be a good parentand person. At Birthline I learn how to understand the needs of my baby.I also learned how to be a good parent by listening and teaching goodthings to my baby. I learn that being a parent was not going to be easy, butin the end it would be worth it. Birthline helped me understand theresponsibility that parenting brings, and by becoming a good parent I wasgoing to succeed in parenting my baby. Definitely Birthline helped methrough difficult times during and after my pregnancy. I have to thankBirthline for helping me become a great parent. Birthline has helped me inso many ways that I will definitely recommend it to any person that is inneed of help. Truly Birthline is a great place, and has great personnel thatlisten and understand the needs of clients. In conclusion, Birthline is agreat source for anyone who is in need of parenting education." N O M A D I C | 2 4


Experience in My School

by Dol Abdulahi

"When I was young, I started my school.

This school’s name is 17 May.

Its location is in Hargeisa, Somaliland.

I attended class five days a week.

My school had expectations;

one expectation was to

respect older people.

I had so much respect

towards one teacher

for being a great role model.

I remember that teacher saying to me

“Be patient, you will succeed in life”.

I had a lot of teachers.

They were good.

I was interested in going

to school because

my friends shared with me about

exercise and communication

with other people."

I Remember

by Ogona Abela

"I remember playing with my friends

in the neighborhood in Ethiopia.

I remember when my friend died in the river.

She was bitten by a snake in the village.

I remember the sounds of early birds in the morning.

That tells me it is morning and time to wake up.

I remember when I went to school for the first time.

I remember when I got sick at the border of Kenya and Ethiopia.

I couldn’t eat for days and almost died. I remember the day

I received my visa at the American Embassy in Kenya.

I remember coming to America in the summer of 2010.

I remember reuniting with my parents after many years at the

Kansas City airport.

I remember having a C-Section

when my daughter was born.

I remember my daughter’s first word

“mama” and second word 'No'."

How I learned What School Is

by Bilan Ahmed

"When I was young, I asked my father.

“Father, are the children learning

how to wrestle in school?”

He decided to let me go to school.

Girls wore short blue skirts and white blouses,

but the older girls wore long skirts

and they sat away from the younger girls.

They acted like they were better than us.

I remember one day a

girl who was in the oldest group was fighting with me.

She told me,

“when class is finished, I will be waiting for you outside,

so if you aren’t afraid of me, come to me.

” If I didn’t go there, all the students would bully me and

maybe every one of them would try to fight me.

But if I attended the challenge and defended myself,

nobody would bother me after that.

When I went to the place, she was ready for me

and the fighting began.

She put her hand on her

waist, then she tried to kick

her leg into my stomach,

but I caught her leg

and she fell down.

I sat on her stomach.

I won that fight. After that day,

I became the hero of my class."

My Journey to America

by Zeynab Abdi

"I came from Ethiopia, but

my nationality is Somali.

My family and I came to America on

May 29th in 2012.

I have 5 siblings.

We traveled from Ethiopia to Germany,

then to New York.

After four hours, we got to Richmond, Virginia.

Finally we landed in Roanoke, Virginia.

After 16 days my mom had a baby boy.

He had a problem with his heart.

He had surgery 2 times.

he first day that I saw my little brother

he was 5 months old.

When my mom was in the hospital,

a tornado passed by our house.

We weren’t hurt, but all the power was out.

It was summer and it was so hot.

We didn’t know where to go to get food

and I didn’t know how to drive.

I was 19 years old and

I had to take care of my siblings.

And then after 5 days the

power came back on and

my mom and dad came back."

Senses

by Reyna Mata

"Through the eyes of my son

Bright colors are intense

Like needles inside his head.

Through the ears of my son

Loud songs are scary

Bouncing in his brain.

Through the skin of my son

Itchy, rough clothes

Assault him like switch blades.

Through the mouth of my son

Spicy and sour flavors

Offend his palate.

Through the nose of my son

Odors are unbearable

Strong and revolting.

His autistic song

Runs through my senses

And I accept this fragile miracle,

My son."

I Remember

by Ewel Abdi

"I remember when I was young

I remember my elementary school

I remember my first teacher

I remember my first soccer team

I remember my best friend of my childhood

I remember when I graduated from high school in Ethiopia

I remember Kebribeyah city in Ethiopia because I grew up there

I remember my parents and my sister, also my sister’s kids

I remember the day I came to United States

I remember the state of North Carolina;

it’s the first state I lived in

I remember my first school in United States

I remember my first teacher in United States."

School in My Childhood

by Lesly Tabora

"I started my school in a small town in Honduras

where I lived.

I remember my first teacher in first grade.

She was nice but very strict.

The school name is John F. Kennedy to honor

President Kennedy

because it was built with funds from U.S.A.

I remember the school was located one block

from my house.

My time in school was not easy because

I had to help my mom first and then do my home work.

I always complained about that.

Furthermore, sometimes in the town we were short of

pencils or notebooks.

Getting a dictionary was really a challenge

because people didn’t want to borrow books.

I am happy things nowadays are better for

kids to get a basic education."

Coming Back to Minnesota

by Triston Mooney

"In November I moved here to St. Cloud, Minnesota.

I was unfortunately without friends and resources.

I was being driven over thirty miles per day

to get to Adult Education at Hillside for my GED.

This made finding work very difficult.

After three months many things in my life have changed.

Now I am friends with many people from many

backgrounds such as Asia, Mexico, and East Africa.

Now I am stayingwith a friend at their place and

I am starting out as a cashier

and cook at a food place in a mall.

Since I have started work, I’ve begun some

self teaching language courses in Chinese, Japanese,

Latin Spanish, and other languages.

Now I can greet my friends and

customers who have those as their main language or have a

hard time communicating in English.

Life here in the

St. Cloud area has been hard but

has taught me many life lessons. “

What we call magic is nothing more than

hope crystallized into a destination.”

~ Perisophia the philosopher

Can You See The Title?

by Juana Perez-Botello

Justice is what he brings to the world

Even though not everyone believes in him,

He loves us all.

So no matter what he always has our back and

is always there when we need him.

Universal peace is what he wants.

Savior of humanity is he!

A Place That Doesn’t Exist

by Dovie Tholl

"Lonely and broken

Shattered and misunderstood

Like a river

So calm on the top

but so wild and flowing

She wants to run away

maybe not too far from

here but so far away

in her mind.

Not many places to run

Reality becoming Hell

Nothing but sorrow and

Frustration

Finding darkness in every light

Death vs. Life

How much waiting

is there left?"

To A Princess

by Laura Cadena

"Doesn’t matter how old you are.

You are a beautiful princess.

And all princesses have crown.

Be the Princess of your castle.

The crown is on your heart."

Summertime by George

by Sahane Awrashid

"In the summer time the

St. Cloud community visits Lake George every

Wednesday evening

for an outdoor festival.

There are a lot of fun things to do:

music, dance, food, and

playground activities.

So there is something for everyone at

Summertime by George.

Last summer was first time

visiting the event.

You should visit it too

if you are interested in fun things!"

Lake Superior

by Liandi Swiers

"Lake Superior is the biggest freshwater lake in the world.

It is located next to Duluth, Minnesota.

It is very different from other lakes.

It looks as large as an ocean, and the scenery is very beautiful.

For example, there are a lot of boats all around the lake,

the Split Rock Lighthouse, and waterfalls.

The North Shore drive is special.

Another interesting place is the town of Grand Marais.

In the early morning, you can see the sun rising in the

sky almost indistinguishable

from the water of Lake Superior. The serene water combined

with the e green trees and

flowers together make it really interesting in summer.

We drove slowly and stopped often to walk, l

ooking with excitement at the natural scenery

and beauty that Lake Superior offers."

Lake George

by Sahro Elmi

"Lake George is across from the library.

Lake George is a beautiful place.

In summer time you can

catch fish and rent boats.

There are many ways to have fun there.

The children can play on the playground.

In the wintertime you can go skating.

I like it and think you will too!"

The Mississippi River

by Muna Hassan

"The Mississippi River passes through St. Cloud.

The Mississippi River is big and beautiful.

When summer comes people go to the river.

They can fish. They can walk along the river.

The Mississippi River has many trees alongside it.

It’s beautiful when the water is flowing.

The Mississippi River is a beautiful place."

The Garden of Love

by Kowsar Mohamed

"The Garden of Love is beautiful and unique.

I like the Gar5den of Love and it’s a lot of fun.

There are many different colors of flowers.

A lot of people visit, including couples and wedding parties.

It’s on the Mississippi River.

Everybody likes to take pictures and people watch.

When I go to The Garden of Love I

feel comfortable and I really love it,

like many people do. In the winter nobody goes to the

Garden of Love,

but in the summer it’s wonderful!"

33rd Street in St. Cloud

by Sahan Ali

"33rd Street in St. Cloud has restaurants and some shops.

You can buy food, and you can buy clothes.

You can also send money anyplace around the world,

includingAfrica.

Many people visit 33rd St. to buy food, clothes,

or send money to their country.

Many people go to 33rd St. every day."

Chuck E. Cheese

by Rukya Jama

"Chuck E. Cheese is a pizza restaurant in St. Cloud.

It also has many games for children to play.

I like Chuck E. Cheese because it is so much fun.

I want to go every two weeks even though

my kids like to go every day.

I tell them that if they are nice

and do their homework then

they can go every day and they say “Thanks Mom!”

When we go there then they, “

Mom, Mom, can we come every day?”

because it’s so fund and I say that it

depends on their behavior!"

The Mall of America

by Mabsud Ahmed

"The Mall of America is beautiful place.

It’s interesting and so much fun.

I love it and my kids also love it. The first time I

went there I was so scared of the rollercoasters

and some of the rides!

But the next time I was so happy.

It’s a beautiful place to visit,

and you can have lots of fun.

When we visited we enjoyed it very much.

It’s great place to visit,

you should visit the

Mall of America!

It’s fun and interesting."

My Favorite Holiday

by Akuay Gillo

"My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!

I love everything about

Thanksgiving but especially the food!

The food people prepare for it is so delicious!

That is why I like the holiday so much. Someday I

hope people in Africa can celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

It is a good holiday that makes

people come together as a family.

Furthermore, people are so happy to have a

holiday like that every year."

What I like about St. Cloud

by Rukia Aden

"I like St. Cloud because it is a quiet city

and people work together.

I have a lot of friends too.

Everything is cheap

and the city is safe.

Applying for a job is easy.

I am happy because

I have a job to provide

for my family.

My first job I worked at

Golden Plump with lots of people.

They would say

“Welcome to work!”

That is why I like St. Cloud!

Now I work at

Cambridge Transportation."

Paying Your Bills

By Abdinour Reshid

"I came to American

on September 5, 2014,

arriving at

Washington Airport.

I thought that

everything was

available here in the US,

but the truth is

just the opposite!

The most difficult

thing for me

is paying the bills.

Getting my driver’s license

and adapting

to my new life

are other things

that interest me."

Becoming A Citizen

by Sahro Elmi

"When I filled out the application I knew a little English.

After I went to school and took a citizenship class,

I learned all the questions and

how to write, read, and say them.

Then they sent me the fingerprinting form.

I did the fingerprinting and paid $75.

Then they sent me to do the interview.

I passed the interview – it was a really nice day!

In 2008

I voted for the first time!

I am very happy to be a US citizen! "

Coming to America

by Farhiya

"When I came to America,

it was wintertime and it was cold.

The country I came from was a hot place.

Before I came to America,

I believed that America was where

people made a lot of money.

I was so happy to come here, but when I

first came life was so difficult for me!

We were a big family, no one had work

and no one knew how to look for a job.

We also did not know English.

After a few months

I got a job and so did my father!"

Checking the Weather

by Sahane Awrashid

"I came to St. Cloud on 11.10.14.

That day was the first snowfall of the year.

I came from Grand Island, Nebraska.

I called my supervisor to explain why I wasn’t

coming to work that day

or the day after because the weather in St. Cloud was so bad.

When I woke up Monday morning I

looked out the window

and saw a lot of snow. That’s how I spent my first

week in St. Cloud.

I’ll never forget that!

I learned from that and now

Iplan ahead before making plans

by checking the winter weather forecast."

Winter Time

by Abdulaziz Hussen

"I am from Ethiopia but I was born in Somalia.

When I came to the USA my life was so hard!

When I first came I was excited about winter!

Some people told me that

Minnesota was a good place

and also that winter was nice.

I had never experienced

such a cold winter before and because

it’s so cold outside I hate winter!

It’s too chilly for being outdoors.

I prefer summer time."

Going to School

by Muna Hassan

"When I came to the US I began to go to school.

I didn’t know where the school was located.

I didn’t know how to take the bus.

On the first day of school,

my brother gave me a ride. I was no nervous!

When I got to school, I saw lots of people.

They spoke a different language

but English was the most important.

They helped me with the classes,

and they also told me how to take the bus."

ShoppingBy Ubah Sheikhadan

"I like to take my kids shopping. Webuy clothes for school. I buy food atSam’s Club because the prices arecheap! I also like shopping at theSomali mall. I buy dresses and hijabsthere. St. Cloud has many good placesto shop."

Going to the DoctorBy Sahra Warsame

"The first day I went to the doctor Iwas very happy! It was February 14,2012. I was pregnant with my firstbaby boy. He was born October 19,2013. He is an amazing baby – he isso cute! I go to CentraCare clinicevery month for a check-up for thebaby. I speak to my doctor who verynice. She talks to me and helps me if Ihave any questions."

Winter in MinnesotaBy Hawa Issa

"When I came to Minnesota the winterweather bothered me! I couldn’t seeliving in such a cold climate! One day,I went to my job and when I lookedoutside the building I saw snowcoming down and ice on the ground. It was so scary and I couldn’t seewhere my car was. Finally, I figuredout where I had parked my car. Ididn’t understand how to clean off theice so I put hot water on thewindshield!"

Taking the BusBy Sahan Ali

"I take the bus everywhere because Idon’t have a car. If you ask someoneto help you, they say they don’t havetime so I take the bus. It takes 30minutes in wintertime. If I stay athome I forget about the time, so Istand at the bus stop ahead of time. But with the snow I cannot stayoutside because it is very, very cold! So that is why I sometimes arrivelate."

What makes you proud to be an American?By Leila Hassan"There are several things that make me proud tobe an American. The first thing is being acitizen is very important to me. I love to visitseveral countries like Africa and the MiddleEast, and to travel I need a passport. Thesecond thing is freedom of living in American. It is a great country and freed freedom ofspeech and freedom of religion. America isdifferent of other countries. The third thing isAmerican is a beautiful country and it has betterlife. Also I belief America is the safest countryof the world and I am very proud to be anAmerican."

The Best Advice I Ever HadBy Hinda Barud"The best advice that I ever received was frommy mother. First of all, my mother pushed meto go to school. Secondly, she always told methat I should never give up and keep going, andalso to be someone who has a good future inher life. Equally important, I accepted mymother’s advice and I’m happy for that becauseI can read and write although it’s not my nativelanguage. Hopefully, I can understand most ofthe English language. On the other hand, I willkeep going to get my best education. Inconclusion, my mother gave me the best advicein my life and now I’m very happy because heradvice leads me to where I am now."

Cinquains"Mahamed Ahmed Abdihappy, funnyplay, sport, readgood friend, good helperJaani

Amadouhappy, busysports, walking, readingwork, help, good friend, listensAmbi

Danielhappy, athleteclean, play, talkgood friend, good helper, sharingDanny

Mariahappy, momplay, clean, cook,sharing, talking, listens to my friendsEly"


T I M E L I N E S T O R I E S , M E T A P H O R S A N DW H A T I WO U L D D O I F I W E R E P R E S I D E N T !Abduljabbar

"I was born in Iraq, Mosul in 1962. I hada big family. My dad Younus and mymom Samera and 3 brothers and 3 sisters. My mom is dead in 2001 and my dad isdead in 2010. I am very sad for that. Igot to school in 1968. I got my first jobdriver truck in 1982. I moved to USA in2012. I moved to St. cloud in 2014. I amstudying English in Mary School now."

Fatuma Issa

"I was born in Somalia in 1975. I learnedschool to grade six. I fled from Somaliafor Civil War. I came to Kenya countryand stayed there many years. Then I gotmarried in 2008. Then I came to USA,North Carolina. I moved to St. Cloud. Now I am a student."

Ruun

"I was born in Ethiopia in 1989. I amclass 6. I got married in Kenya. I havetwo girls. I lived in Kenya for ten years. I moved to USA in 2014."

Veronique

"I was born in Boma, Africa in NtobiMeta. I go married to Amos. We lived inAngola. We had 5 children. Me and myfamily got to America, my husband andmy 5 children. Now I practice English.Thanks for my teacher. She teaches meEnglish."

Yussuf

"I was born in Kenya in 1980. Igraduated from secondary school. I got ataxis driver and I got married to hinda. We lived in Nairobi. We had twochildren. I moved to America. Now I ama student."

Nitna

"I was born in Laos in 1976. I graduatedfrom college. In 199 I get a job. I gotmarried in 2003 in the USA. We had 3children. We moved to St. cloud in 2003. Now I learn English."

Muhumed Yusuf"I would help people in America. I am make hospitals and makeeconomy great."

Daniel"I would help my family. I wouldlike to do positive things to helpabused people. I would help poorpeople in Puerto Rico andelsewhere."

Maria"I would like to help poor peopleand children of America andAfrica. I would create more jobsin america. I would put peace sothat there were no more wars."

Yussuf Sharey"I will lead and others follow. Iwill make the country the firstcountry in the world."

Sabah"I help people in the world. Imake the develop. I build thehospital. I show strong powermilitary. Clean world.

Amos"I would help people and showstrong power. Peace, lead, fair,hospitals, no war."

METAPHORS

"Learning English is like breakingrocks."

"My country looks like manycolors."

"Love is like feeling the people."


Cleopatra

by Lorraine Hipp

NEVER TOOOLD

By Arv i l l a Sund

"My name is Arvilla Sund and I am 69 years old. I go toAdult Education class at Hillside to learn how to read, domath, and write sentences.

I couldn’t go to school when I was young. I had to watch mybrothers and sisters. I was the oldest one. We lived on afarm in Cambridge. I had to do a lot of work. I missedschool. My grandma and my uncle (a coach at Patrick HenrySchool) wanted me to go to school, but my dad said “no, weneed her out in the country.” I had to quit when I was ineighth grade. That’s young. My sister and brother –Arleneand Fred Jr. – got to go to school. I was very jealous of them. I would like to go to school to learn how to do stuff. I wasmad at my dad for two months because I couldn’t go toschool.

I came to school to learn how to read and how to do math. Igot a good reading teacher and the teachers are so nice here. They don’t push you around. I think people who want tolearn how to read, they should go to adult education class tolearn. You will get lots of things out of it. I never readbefore to my grandchildren.

Now I’m reading books to my grandchildren before they goto bed. I sit in my chair, put the baby on my lap, and Rileyand Aurie sit in little chairs and listen. I’m very proud ofmyself. My daughter and my teacher are very proud of me. Ifyou want to learn to read and do math and do stuff foryourself, come to adult education. Do it for yourself. Don’tdo it for anybody else."

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"The Turtle"

by Marshaun Martin

OURSTORY

G R OW I N G T O G E T H E R !

"First of all it was Monday,April 30, 2012.We arrived atNew York International Airportfrom Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But first the airplane stopped atthe New York InternationalAirport as a transit for onehour. After that I flew toMinnesota. Then my friendcame to take me to St. Cloud inhis car. Then I started to studyEnglish. I have a goodteacher."

"I come from a big family. There are eleven people in myfamily: my parents, six girls,and three boys. I am blessed tohave a big family. My fatherused to be a doctor in Africa. When we came to America myfather still wanted to be adoctor. They wouldn’t let myfather go to work in a hospital.They told him to go back toschool. He is still in schoolnow. My family is veryimportant to me because theyhave always been there for me.Even though I live far awayfrom them, we talk on thephone every day."

"I’m from China. My parentsmet in Qingdao. Qingdao is abeautiful city. They marriedhere. I like Qingdao, but now Ilive Minnesota. I have a family.It’s not big, it’s a small family.My mother, father, me, andmom’s other son is a dog,Peewee. My father is a quietman, but he is very stubborn. Mymom loves to laugh. Me? I don’tknow. I am I.

Peewee is a Chihuahua. He’s adog, but has the highest position.He eats the best food. He likesplush toys very much. In themorning there is often cotton onthe floor-a lot of cotton! He isvery timid, and he often barks.And recently he is afraid ofthunder and trembles in a storm.He’s just a dog. But he is myfamily. I love my family."


My Trip to

Addis Ababa

by Khalif Abdi

My Family

by Ngap Abella

My Family

by Junjie Mao

Discover

your

future!

Central Minnesota Adult Basic Education Student Stories 2016

Documents

Transcript of Central Minnesota Adult Basic Education Student Stories 2016