Portland Community College: Sylvania Campus
The ESOL
Ambassador
Volume 16, No. 1: Fall 2014
The ESOL Ambassador
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
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The ESOL Ambassador
The ESOL Ambassador is a quarterly publication of the Sylvania ESOL Department.
Essays are written by students at all levels of the program and submitted for publication by ESOL instructors.
Subscriptions: The ESOL Ambassador is distributed to various individuals and
departments at PCC. If you wish to receive issues regularly, please contact Sarah
Bailie at CT 219 or by email at [email protected].
Editor: Sarah Bailie
Editorial Board:
Sarah Bailie
John Sparks
Artwork:
Minh Le
Ho Kyung Kwon
Ho Kyung Kwon
Special thanks to all teachers who contributed student work:
John Sparks, Kenya Zappa, Patty Berger
Luciana Diniz, Megan Esler, Patti Schilasky, Linda Boekelheide
Jennifer Snyder, Claudia Nawas, Peggy Attia, Kate Carney,
Jill Nicholson, Kari Easton
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Level 1: Sylvania Campus
I have a bike but I don’t ride every day. I like to cook but I don’t like to wash dishes. I listen to music but I don’t like dancing. I love to watch soccer games but I don’t like
basketball. I have a car but I don’t like to drive every day.
Written by: Luis Ché
I’m Olivia Hernandez Garcia. I have two brothers but I don’t have sisters. I go
to school but I don’t go to school in the morning. I drink coffee in the morning but I don’t
drink coffee at night. I live in an apartment but I don’t live alone. I study at PCC but I don’t
study every day.
Written by: Olivia Hernandez Garcia
Level 1: Newberg Campus
I like to work in my garden. My garden has fruit
trees and flowers. I like roses. My garden has different flowers and different colors. In
my free time I work in my garden. I plant the flowers and vegetables. My garden is small.
My house is old. It has four small bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, a dining
room, and kitchen. My family is happy. I have three children, two boys and one girl. My
sons' names are Brandley and Nigel. My daughter's name is Christine. Brandley is 18
years old. Nigel is 14 years old. Christine is 10 years old. I love my family.
Written by: Cleo Chavez
The ESOL Ambassador
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Level 2: Newberg Campus
A few weekends ago I went fishing at the
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river. My boat is really small, so when the wind
and rain started my happy day ended because the
weather change was very horrible. I lost all my
fish. They jumped out of the boat and I could not do anything about them. I went
home and drank coffee and slept.
Written by: Enrique Vazquez
Level 2 Students answered the question: What did you do
over Halloween weekend?
Busy Time
I went to Washington Square with my family and ate lunch. My mom called me and
we talked together for a few minutes. I washed clothes and ironed them. I visited my sister
and brother-in-law. I bought cowgirl boots and a jacket online. I read a story book about
George Washington. I understood some news about Iran. I was sad because an unknown
person splashed acid on the faces of 4 women. One thousand people came to the street to
protest to police after acid attacks on women. The person who threw the acid on girls has
not been arrested yet.
Written by: Sima Hosseini
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My Weekend
My name is Mohammed. I did homework last weekend. I went to my sister’s house. I helped
my friend on driving test. I called my sister. I cashed my check. I didn’t check my email last weekend. I worked with my friend last weekend. I made my food. I missed my mother last weekend. I
paid for the internet. I paid my rent. I went to WinCo. I didn’t wash my car. I paid for the newspapers.
Written by: Mohammed Saeed
Happy Weekend
Last week I was happy with myself. I went to the bus station and took a bus to PCC. Then I
ate lunch and dinner alone. Then I played bingo with my friends. I went to Costco and I bought
some decorations for Halloween day. I cooked curry for my sister. I did exercise. I mixed some
drinks at home and I drank a lot of beer with my friend.
Written by: Nghia Dao
Halloween Weekend
Last week I went to visit my aunt. I worked every day. Last week I met many people, and
that was good. On the weekend, I went to play soccer with my
friends. Last week I made a pumpkin for Halloween. I put the
pumpkin on my balcony. Last week it began to rain, and
that was new for me. I had to buy other kinds of clothing,
because it is too cold. Some days I helped my aunt with
her restaurant. I didn’t have much free time because I was
busy. I had a lot of things to do.
Written by: Eduardo Lopez
The ESOL Ambassador
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Countries Around the World: These level 3 ESOL students wrote about their native Countries.
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Iraq
Iraq is an Arab state in West Asia. It is bordered on the North by Turkey and Iran, on the
west by Syria and Jordan, and on the south by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It has a single port on
the Persian Gulf. The capital of Iraq is Baghdad. Major cities are Basra, Mosul, Najaf, Kirkuk,
Karbala, Samarra, Hilla, Serbil and Sulaymaniyah. Iraq’s population is 24 million people. The official Iraq language is Arabic. The currency is the Iraqi dinar.
There are many marshes in the south. There are mountains in the northeast. Mount Sinjar has a height of 1543 meters, and Mount Rowanduz in the northeast is 3460 meters at the
peak. Iraq rivers are the Tigris and Euphrates.
Iraq is a land rich in oil. It is in the north and south of the country. The most important
natural resources are oil and natural gas. Iraq is second in the world in oil.
Written by: Hibatallah Hussein
Syria
Syria is a country located in West Asia. It’s not a big country, but it’s very nice. Its borders are Palestine, Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Turkey is to the north and
Iraq to the east. An estimated area of Syria is 185,180 square km . Damascus is the capital. It’s
the oldest Arab capital. The population is over 2.2 million. Syria is a beautiful country. There
are a good number of rivers. The most important are Alphurat River, Alasy River and Dajla River. There are many mountains. The most important mountains are Mt. Alzawya, Mount Al Shikh
and Mount Kasyou.
There are 14 cities. The most important cities in Syria are Alatakia, Tartous, Aleppo, Idlib, Homs
Homa, Dair Al-Zowr and many others. The most famous thing in Syria is jasmine Alshami. Jasmine Alshami is a kind of very beautiful flower and has a very nice smell.
Written by: Sola Babous
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My Country
My country is a very beautiful place to live in. The people are very polite and friendly. Kurdistan
is located in North Iraq. Kurdistan has a border with Syria to the west, Iran to the east, and Turkey to
the north. Kurdistan has a lot of oil fields. Kurdistan has many companies from all over the
world. Kurdistan now is a place to consider by people who look for opportunity and peace.
Written by: Farsat Aziz
My Country
Ethiopia is on the east coast of Africa, and it’s a peaceful country. It borders Kenya, Somalia,
Eritria in the north and Sudan in the south. There are 14 states in the country. The capital
city is Addis Ababa. According to the 2014 census, the population of Addis Ababa is 3,
384,596 people. When people go to visit Ethiopia, they really like it because Ethiopian
people welcome everyone with a different type of culture. The weather is the thing most
people love because there are 9 months of summer and only 3 months of winter.
Written by: Zenebech Amde
Libya
Libya’s region is North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the
east, Chad and Niger to the south, Sudan to the southeast, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. With an
area of almost 1.8 million square kilometers, Libya is the fourt largest country in Africa and 17th largest in
the world. The largest city and capital is Tripoli. It has over 1 million people. Libya has 6 million people.
Libya has oil reserves. There are many palm trees in Libya. There are several types of dates. In conclusion, I love Libya, but now it’s not safe.
Written by Haithem Eltaef
Iran
Hey guys! How are you today? I want to talk about my country, Iran, the old Persia. Iran is in
Western Asia (The Middle East), and the size is about 636,400 square miles. To the north of iran are Armenia and Azerbaijan, and on the north is the Caspian Sea. To the northeast is Turkmenistan, to the
east is Afghanistan and Pakistan. To the south are the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and to the
west are Turkey and Iraq. Iran is the second largest nation in the middle East and the 18th in the world.
The capital of my country is Tehran. The official language is Persian, but also Turkmen, Arabic, Babch,
Azmanian, Azeri, Kurdish, Rurish, Giluki, Persinan, Mazandarani. The official religion is Shia Islam. Other
religions are Sunni Islam, Zororastrianism, Christianity, Judaism and Bahayi. We have 4 seasons, and the
north and northeast are humid. The central and northwest are dry, and the south is the same, too. We
have two mountain ranges, the Alhorz and the Zagros. We have the best of the best pistachios in the
world and caviar and saffron. Iran’s population is almost 80 million.
Written by Armin Bahmanyar
The ESOL Ambassador
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Stories from Level 3 Students
Scary Story
My mother loves to tell me the story of a frightening experience she had when she was
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just five years old. I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard that story, and every time it is exciting.
She describes how she was riding her bike out on the driveway when a car pulled up and the
driver whisked her into the front seat of the car and drove away. Then she explains how she
calmed down a little when he picked up a woman at a nearby corner. My mother really gets dramatic when she tells me the rest of the story. It is as though she is living it all over again. We
sped along the expressway for hours she tells me. Just as we were turning into a narrow land
the woman suddenly grabbed the man’s arm and screamed hysterically that she couldn’t go on
with their wild scheme to obtain a child of their own this way. They returned my mother home. I
enjoy the story every time she tells it to me.
By Zeyad Kozee
The Difficult Menu
In December 2013 my husband and I went to the Claim Jumper restaurant for dinner.
The restaurant looked very good. We ordered an appetizer. It was delicious. The service was
good. The waiter showed us the menu. I had just arrived from Columbia, so I did not understand what
the menu said. I asked my husband to choose a meal
without mushrooms since I’m allergic. What he
choose was Jalapeno cheese stuffed shrimp. I had
forgotten to say that I don’t like spicy food. I did not
know that this dish was spicy.
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I began to eat it and it was delicious. But next I felt my mouth on fire. I thought it was the vegetables
that were spicy, so I continued to eat the shrimp. After two bites, I could not finish the rest. My mouth
was on fire and water was not helping. My husband said, I am sorry this is not what I thought I was ordering for you!
Written by: Leidy Lugo
Christmas
When I was a child my father didn’t live with me, but one Christmas he came back home and
spent Christmas with the family. I was happy because I had a long time to see him. My mom cooked a
lot of food, and all my family came home. We had a fire for two hours. I played all night with my cousins
and friends. In Guatemala you could go where ever you wanted, and all the people gave food to you for
free. My present that year was a dog. The dog lived with me for eight years. I don’t know why, but he
died after eight years. This Christmas was very fun for me and all of my
family.
Written by Francisco Herrera
Christmas
When I was a child, I liked Christmas because all my family was together, and my mom made dinner for Christmas. She made
Salvadorian food (bread with chicken) for Christmas. We drank hot
chocolate. My brothers and I lit fireworks. I really liked it when my parents said it was time for a gift because I liked gifts when I was a child. Every Christmas was fun. Now I
miss all my family at Christmas. I want to be a child again.
Written by Carmen Luisa Salmeron
The ESOL Ambassador
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These Level 4 Students wrote about their favorite places:
My Kitchen
My favorite room in my apartment is the kitchen. The floor is made of plastic tiles.
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They are brown. When you go into my kitchen, the first thing that can be seen on the right
side of the counter is a glass basin with red and gold small fish. I always love to give them
their food in the morning. Next to the fish basin, there is a big black stereo with two speakers on the counter. On the opposite side of the counter, there is the medium white basin.
Beside it is a holder made of wood with knives, forks, and spoons. In the middle of the
kitchen wall, there is a large door which opens to a small garden, which has a few white
flowers and a small black grill. The kitchen does not have any windows or pictures. In the
left corner of the kitchen, there is table with a glass surface and four comfortable chairs
made of wood. The chairs have small pillows to sit on. Above the table, there are jars of
sugar, coffee, and tea. On the kitchen ceiling, there is a beautiful
white fan with four white lights. There is a refrigerator on the left
side of the kitchen. There is a calendar on the refrigerator door. I
always record important appointments and dates of birth. Next to
the refrigerator, there are the stove and oven. I spend a lot of time
in my kitchen every day to cook food for my family. I love to
learn new recipes in my spare time to be creative in my kitchen.
Written by: Ghada Elmarzoughi
ESOL Level 4 Writing
My Living Room
My favorite place in my house is my living room, where I spend most of my time. There
are two sofas in the middle of the room. I like to sit on the leather power recliner sofa because it makes me feel cozy and sleepy. I always like to read books or watch TV there. Behind the microfiber sofa, there are three big windows. The views through the windows are
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beautiful. They look like landscape paintings. Between the sofas, there is a gas fireplace. I like a
wood fireplace better than a gas one. The reason is a wood fireplace puts me in a better mood because of the sound and aroma. In the corner near the fireplace, there is a sewing machine on the
table. I used to sew quilts with it whenever I had free time. I have quilting bags and many quilted
dolls I made. I really enjoyed quilting before my wrist and shoulder problem. There is my wedding
picture in a big frame above the fireplace. Many fairy figures are located in front of the pictures as
well. On each side of the picture, there are speakers and a crystal vase with decorative rocks and
dried flowers. In front of the fireplace, there are an MP3 player and a TV on the TV stand. There
are a karaoke machine, game console, microphone and songbook on the TV stand as well. Two tall
speakers are located at each side of the TV stand. I enjoy listening to music and watching movies. I
am able to do lots of things in my living room. What a nice place it is!
Written by: Hyangmi Kim
ESOL Level 4 Writing
Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica Beach is a beautiful place to visit. Many people like this place because it has
warm weather. There are a lot of things to do. There is a pier from the beach. You can go for a walk
on the pier area and watch the beautiful waves and take nice pictures. From there you could smell
the salt weather. There is also pacific park next to the pier. In the park there is a roller coaster and
big Ferris wheel. People like to go for a walk on the beach. It is a nice place for fishing, swimming,
surfing, riding a bicycle, flying a kite and playing in the sand. You can go to the aquarium there or
go shopping there. Near the beach there are many restaurants. I think it is a beautiful place to go
with your family.
Written by: Bedher Amaro
The ESOL Ambassador
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My Favorite Room
My favorite room is my bedroom. I share it with my husband. There are many things in the
room, such as a bookcase, a fan, a clock, a window and a mat. On the right side of the room, we
have a big bed. There are four pillows, two cushions and a teddy bear on the bed. There is a big pho-
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
tograph of my family above the bed. When I look at it, I feel happy. There are two computers on the
table. One is used by my husband, the other one by me. There is a printer near my computer. Next to
the printer, there is a pile of printed papers. Some papers are white, other ones are colorful. There is
a table lamp between the computers and the printer. On the left side of the room, we have a huge
mirror. I like to look in the mirror many times a day. Next to the mirror there is a closet. In front of
the window, there is a flower vase on the table. Under the table there is a paper recycler. It’s the
room where I read, study, play computer games and sleep. Sometimes I listen to music and dance in
the room. I can relax in my bedroom.
Written by: Raj Kumari Thapa Chhetri
My Living Room
My living room is my favorite place to be. There is a sectional sofa on the left side. The color
is burgundy. I also have two pictures on the wall of my living room. These pictures have beautiful
flowers. One picture is bigger than the other. The bigger one is on the left side of the wall. These are
my favorite pictures because they are a present from my sister. I have two natural plants on the right
side of the living room. These natural plants make my living room look elegant and make me feel
relaxed. I have a chimney on the right side of the living room. I enjoy using this in the winter. This
keeps the apartment warm. I have a 42 inch TV on a console table in
the corner of the living room. We usually watch a movie on Saturdays and eat popcorn with my children twice a month. We have fun
in the living room. That is why it is my favorite place.
Written by: Zenaida Alejandro
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What was your Favorite Vacation? Have you ever been to any
of the places these Level 4 Students have written about?
My Best Weekend
My best weekend was when my husband and I went to Seattle. A month ago, when we were there we
met our friends at a Thai restaurant and had deliciously made food. It was so much fun. After that we went to
our hotel and rested for an hour because we were deadly tired. In the evening we went to a park. It was a nice
park and weather too was very nice, so we walked in the park for hours. At night, we had a big dinner at our
friend’s house. Then we went to bed late. The next morning, we woke up early and went out for breakfast. It
was a rainy cloudy day. Later we went to visit the Boeing Company. I had never seen this company before. I
loved to see new airplanes. They were very big and bright airplanes. It was fantastic. I took a lot of beautiful
memorable pictures there. In the afternoon, we went to Seattle’s downtown. It was awesome. In the evening,
we drove back to Portland. This was my best weekend. I enjoyed it a lot.
Written by: Raj Thapa Chhetri
A Fun Vacation
My best vacation was when I went to Burios and Rio De Janeiro (Brazil) in summer 2005. In Buzios,
my family and I visited a lot of different beaches, every one with a different color of sand and transparent
water. We saw green turtles swimming in the ocean and that was beautiful and new for me. One day we took
a large boat and we traveled around to different small islands. That day I jumped to the ocean and swam as
far as one virgin island, and the water was not cold. I loved doing that. On the boat, I drank my first caipirinha. That was a refreshing experience, and I liked it. In Rio, we went to Ipanema and Copacabana, two big
beautiful beaches with hot white sand. My family and took a train to see the Cristo Redentor, a huge tall
Christ statue. Another day we climbed up to the “Pan de Azucar”, a tourist place, and the view was wonderful because you could see a grand part of the city. I remember that vacation with love because it was my last
vacation with my family. It was a happy great time.
Written by: Vania Campos
The ESOL Ambassador
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My Best Vacation
When my children and I went to Arequipa, Peru, in fall 2012, we had a fun experience. When
we arrived at the station at 8 a.m., the weather was warm. I could see many people walking and a lot
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
of cars around. In the distance, we could see three awesome volcanoes: Misti, also known as Wawa
Putina; Chachani and Pichu Pichu. In the afternoon, we visited downtown Arequipa. It is nicknamed
the white city because many buildings and baroque style houses are built from volcano ash. It is
beautiful. In the downtown city, there are several touristic places, like the museum of Andean Sanctuaries, Santa Catalina Monastery and Arequipa Cathedral. In the evening, we had delicious Peruvian food for dinner, like rocoto relleno, costilla, ice cheese and we drank Arequipa papaya juice. The
next day we got up early and we went Colca Canyon. During the trip, we would see an attractive
landscape and many native animals running, like alpacas and vicunas. They are valued for their
wool. Before we arrived at Colca, we had a big breakfast in a folk restaurant. There were a lot of
fresh cheeses, Andean bread, milk, ham, chamchamayo coffee and toasted corn. In Colca Canyon at
9 a.m. began the majestic fight of the condors. The condors come out from deep in the canyon and
fly over the cliff with motionless wings, keeping their stability counteracting the changes of the Andes currents. This show was impressive. My trip to Arequipa was my best vacation.
Written by: Irlinda Rojas
ESOL Level 4 Writing
Crystal Spring Lake
Crystal Spring Lake is a wonderful place to visit. About two months ago, I went there for the
first time. I went with my friend by bicycle. When we walked on the sidewalk, I got some fresh air.
There are a lot of plants around the lake. Many people walked around, did exercise, and took photos
of them many beautiful views. We kept going, and we went to the lake. There were many geese
swimming in the lake. The geese looked so cute. We walked around to see the view, and we also
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took a lot of photos. Finally, I sat on an Adirondack chair. There were lots of Adirondack chairs near big
trees. I enjoyed the fresh-air, heard the sound of birds, and smelled a sweet lavender flower. A fantastic view
showed up on front of my eyes. I felt peace of mind. I want to go there again in my free time.
Written by: Chuyen V. Pham
ESOL Level 4 Writing
Emei Mountain
Emei Mountain is an interesting place to visit. Three years ago, I went to Emei Mountain. Emei
Mountain is covered in trees, and the most interesting thing is that there are a lot of monkeys living on the
mountain. When I was there, I saw the monkeys playing in the trees and running around on the ground. The
monkeys are not afraid of people. They may come over and take whatever things they are interested in from
you. These things could be food, toys, umbrellas or bags. These are all targets of the monkeys. I remember
when I was taking pictures. the monkey suddenly took the food from my hand and this frightened me. How
interesting the trip was.
Written by: Yu Bai
ESOL Level 4 Writing
Cancun Vacation
My best vacation was when I went to sunny and hot Cancun, Mexico, in summer 2012. I was there
with my wife. We enjoyed our time on the beautiful beach, swimming and sun bathing. There were many
delicious restaurants in our large resort. We tried them all, and our favorite was the fresh seafood restaurant.
We took long romantic walks on the beach and watched the colorful sunset. Every morning we woke up early to see the happy dolphins in the pool. The weather was great until the last few days. There was a big wet
storm with scary lighting, but we still had a wonderful time.
Written by: Goce Serafimovski
ESOL Level 4 Writing
The ESOL Ambassador
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Abu Ghraib Prison
Abu Ghraib prison is a horrible place. When you approach it, you can see the
guards inside the towers in front of the building. They work as observers. In addition, it is
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surrounded with barbed wire. No one lives around or near it. That is not allowed. I visited
Abu Ghraib with a group of reporters from different news agencies. We saw the police cars
and armored cars to transfer prisoners. After that, we went to see the cells. At first I was
confused and afraid, but I insisted on discovering the life inside of this place. The catwalk
was dark and sticky. I can still smell the musty, humid and repulsive smell of Abu Ghraib
cells even now. These cells were maybe the same as the dungeons of the Middle Ages in
Europe. In all, this prison is the worst place I visited in my life.
Written by: Sahar Nasser
ESOL Level 4 Writing
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Who is Malala Yousafzai?
Malala Yousafzai is a hero who was one of the Nobel Peace Prize Winners in 2014 because she met a lot of challenge. She is a brave girl who defied the Taliban in Pakistan where girls
weren’t allowed to receive an education. Although only a young girl, she has advocated for an education. Also, she is a passionate girl for education and began blogging for the BCC online and
she continued to speak out about human rights for women and education. She is an activist in the
world. She received many big awards such as Novel Peace Prize in 2014, and International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011, and The National Malala Peace Prize in 2011 and so on. She donated
the prize money to build a children’s school. I believe it is her donation fund for education. She
told us that it is the right of children to have an education and they need pens and books. In addition, she is influencing everyone in the world, and she is running in the world campaign for education. As a result, though she is a young girl, her activism has changed my easygoing way of thinking.
Written by: Sujin lee
The ESOL Ambassador
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Heroes in Our Lives
A Hero in my Family
Every time my family has a gathering, we usually talk about my father: He is admirable
and my hero. When we were in Vietnam, my father was the governor of many states. Although he was
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a busy politician, he always made the time to enjoy having fun with his family. Using his experiences,
he taught us how to live in society and how to respect people. My father always told us: “Money is important, but honesty is crucial.” He played well the role of the father and the role of the leader. In
1975, the Communists took control of South Vietnam; they captured all of the people who worked for
the previous government (even teachers). My father survived after 10 dreadful years in prison. He was
an adaptable and tolerant man. Using his free time, he learned English from a dictionary we sent him.
In that time, in all of his letters, he always encouraged us to take good care of each other and study. In
1987, he came to the United States. Although starting a new life was difficult, he adapted to it rapidly,
working hard; so he could sponsor his family to come here. That is why we are here today. With all
his experiences, he taught me to become a good and strong person in this society. I am thankful that
God gave me a wonderful father.
Written by: Anh Barton
ESOL Level 5 Writing
She Is My Hero
My amazing older sister is my hero. When my sister was 13 years old, my father was very
sick, so my mother had to work. My old sister had a job, and she had to go to school. She was personally very skinny and weak though she took care of my family and supported us while she was at school.
After school, she worked at a movie theater 4 days a week. She worked until 11;30 at night, then she
did her home work. I saw her sometimes with a bloody nose, but she always smiled and acted happy. I
never saw her complain once. She always helped with our school assignment while she cooked dinner.
She also took care of my sick father. She had to always overlap of mulit - task her work, otherwise her
job would never done. Even after my father got better, she still worked. When she graduated from a
university in Seoul Korea, She did it with honors, and she gave a speech on graduation day. She always
worked hard, studied hard, and was the happiest person I ever knew. She’s my hero.
Written by: Uegean Marshall
ESOL Level 5 Writing
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Memorable Conversation
One of the most embarrassing moments of my life was having a conversation with an American in the United States. When I came to the United
States, I didn't have any idea about American culture. Since I arrived here,
people were very nice and friendly. Usually they are smiling and have a short
conversation with me anywhere. One snowy day in February, I decided to go
to the shopping center, and it happened there. After two hours of walking, I
felt that I really needed to go to the bathroom. I was in the bathroom, and a
lady asked me "how are you?" I was surprised, but I quickly answered
"I'm pretty good. How about you?"
Then she asked, "Do you feel better now?" At that time I was shocked, but I didn't want to ignore her,
so I answered,
"Yes I'm feeling better, but I was really exploding.”
Finally, she said "OK, honey, I’ll call you back later.” At that time I felt like a fool. I didn't want to get
out of the bathroom. When I did, I saw that the lady was looking at me suspiciously. Although it was very embarrassing, it was very funny. Whenever I remember that moment, I think stupidity is continuing.
Written by: Soheila Akbarimalkeshi
ESOL Level 5 Writing
Funny Hangout
One summer night, my friends and I wanted to hang out at my friend’s home. When my friend’s parents went on a trip, we always hung out at his home. This time we got a silly idea to have fun. I told my other
friend that when I went to his house, I wouldn’t close the entrance door. He was supposed to put black on his
face and a scarf on his head and then come in his house. We wanted to scare my friend. I went to his house
and didn’t close the door completely. When my friend and I were watching TV in the dining room, we saw a
person who had a shawl on his face enter the room. My friend jumped and ran to the kitchen. He took out a
big knife then attacked our friend. He ran out to the street and my friend pursued him with the knife. I jumped
up and ran behind them and yelled, “He is our friend. Don’t stab him!” when our friend took off the shawl, my
friend realized who he was. Then we laughed together aloud.
Written by: Reza Babaei
ESOL Level 5 Writing
The ESOL Ambassador
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Moving to the United States
Since I arrived to the United States, my life has had many changes. First of all, I'm
now taking care of myself, and I have a big responsibility. For example, now I have to cook
food, pay the bills, wash my clothes, and wake up by myself. When I was in my country, my
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
family did all these things for me. Also, since I came to the United States, I have met so
many different kinds of people. For instance, I have met Asians, Americans, European, Indians, Mexicans and South Americans. It has helped me learn a lot of different cultures. Finally, since I came to the United States, my English has improved so much. For example,
now I can communicate with anybody by using English. It makes me feel better than I was.
These are some changes that have happened in my lie. They have made me become a
better person.
Written by: Belal Elbatta
ESOL Level 5
Benefits of a Volunteer Job
Volunteer jobs have many benefits for people. People who volunteer can get new
experience. They can try or do new things that maybe they haven't done during their life,
and they meet a lot of people, so they learn about different cultures. Volunteer jobs are
good for everyone's resume. If you have volunteering experience, it rally helps you to get a
job. Also, volunteer jobs are good for retired people. They can do some activities outdoors,
and they can feel happy because they have a sense of being helpful, and they can teach
children how to help poor people. With volunteer jobs, you can meet more people, and get
experience and use it in your life
Written by: Ghazaleh Keshmirian
ESOL Level 5
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This term, students in the Communication 6 class met with Sociology students at PCC. They talked about social
class, education, gender roles, and other aspects of their culture. All students really enjoyed meeting each other.
Here are a few of their testimonials.
Great Discussion
On Monday 10 of November, 2014 my communication 6 class had a meeting with a sociology class.
The meeting took place in the PAC Building in the Sylvania campus from 12:00pm through 1:00pm. We met
there to discuss some aspects about the class, such as how social class affects parenting, how social class
affects the students in the family, and a couple more aspects about sociology. Before the meeting, I was
feeling a little nervous because the teacher said that almost all the students were U.S citizens. So I was
worried about my level of English and accent. During the conversation, instead of being nervous, I was really anxious to talk with someone about the topic. At the end, when the communication teacher and the sociology teacher said that the meeting was over, I couldn’t believe it. I did enjoy talking with the other students so
much that I was not aware of how fast the time had passed. I hope I can have another opportunity like that
again. It really helped me to improve my communication skills.
Written by: Hauner Amaya Tabora
ESOL Level 6 Communication
Remarkable Meeting
Last Monday, we had an interesting day with the Sociology students. All of my classmates and I
were really excited to meet the Sociology students, for most of us had never met American students. Also,
the meeting was so organized and the students were friendly and nice. First, we introduced ourselves to
each other, and we talked about topics related to our countries (for example, social class), and how they affected our lives. Wonderfully, we had a great discussion and everyone learned new points about the sociology in our lives and our cultures. I loved that meeting because it was a new experience to meet American
students and talk about specific subjects and we did. Finally, I would like to thank my communication teacher, Luciana, and we hope to have a meeting with undergraduate students again.
Written by: Majed Alqouzi
ESOL Level 6 Communication
The ESOL Ambassador
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How to Find Good Coffee
How many cups of coffee do you have a day? What kind of coffee do you like? Do you
make coffee or buy it? Everyone likes coffee, so we drink it everyday, but people don’t know
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
much about coffee. Then what is coffee? And what is good coffee or what is bad coffee?
There are two different kinds of coffee. They call them ‘specialty coffee’ and ‘commercial
coffee’. Let’s look over them.
Specialty coffee has several important differences from commercial coffee. First, specialty coffee should get a cupping score that Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)
provided which is above 80 points. And then, specialty coffee is grown by experts from
green beans in high ground and ideal climate because it makes the beans harder and bigger.
After that, another important point of specialty coffee is roasting. It should be roasted for
distinct flavor, balanced taste, and
unique characteristic. Finally, specialty coffee should be distributed freshly
and made by a barista by using diverse
methods such as aeropress, chemex
and a vacuum coffee device as well.
You can have it in a small roastery
such as Stumptown, Intelligentsia and
Coava.
Commercial coffee means that
a coffee gets a cupping score below 80
points by SCAA. Its growing areas and
growing methods are not particular.
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Also, commercial coffee is roasted for hiding its weak points, for example, bad flavor, weak body
and no good acidity and so on. Therefore, its roasting should be strong. Furthermore, they blend
coffee, which people call ‘blending’. A blending means putting a lot of low-cost coffee into a little
high quality coffee for reducing cost and improving taste. Most dark roasted and blended commercial coffee is used for espresso or latte. It is usually made by an espresso machine. We can have
commercial coffee in big chain coffee shops like Starbucks and Seattle's Best Coffee.
We have reviewed the differences between specialty coffee and commercial coffee so far.
They have a lot of differences; for instance: where they grow, who farms them, and how they are
made. We live in Portland. Portland has the most advanced culture of specialty coffee in the world.
Therefore, we have to know about coffee and have a good one. Do you still go to Starbucks? You
should go to a small and awesome coffee shop near by your house right now!
Written by: Hanseung Song
ESOL Level 6 Writing
A Fish Out of Water
I was a conceited little fish that had just left a gently flowing stream in 2008. Eight years
ago, I met a man who was from the U.S. He had many experiences visiting many countries. He had
a very wide perspective. I was inspired by him very much and decided to try to live in a foreign
country. I had never lived in other countries besides Japan, my home country. I chose Canada because it had the working holiday system. The fish longed for the land. But once it went up on the
land, it realized how comfortable it was in the river where it was raised, how hard it was to live
without water, and how much it missed its sweet home. This process of adjustment is called
The ESOL Ambassador
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“Culture shock” and it has four stages from the beginning to the end. The fish was me six
years ago.
When people start to live in a foreign country, they will experience the first
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
stage, called the “honeymoon stage.” This is the stage when people feel very positive about
the culture. My first month in Canada was my honeymoon stage. My heart was thrilled at
the fact that I had arrived in Canada, a vast and beautiful country. I intended to learn English at a school and stay with a family for the first three months. I lived with an old lady and
her daughter. They were very kind. They tried to understand my poor English carefully and
took me to many beautiful places. I was also eager to study English at a school. Everything
was new and stimulating. My life seemed to be full of brilliant hope, and I didn’t doubt that
I would have a successful life in Canada.
A month later, the time spent in my room by myself had become gradually
longer and longer. My second stage had started. This stage is called the “miserable stage.”
People start to withdraw and feel anxious and also begin to dislike the culture. Everyday after I finished my classes, I went straight
home and stayed in my room, just surfing the
internet or listening to music in my language.
I wasn’t enthusiastic about studying English
anymore. Moreover, I started to compare the
culture with Japanese culture and nibble at
it. I thought that the service in Canada didn’t
have enough hospitality and that people were
rude or irresponsible. I even blamed other
people because I couldn’t communicate with
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them as I wished. To speak English and communicate with people were much harder than I expected.
After a few months, I started to take a bus trip with my backpack for a month. This was the
beginning of my third stage. The third stage is the “transition stage.” In this stage, people begin to
understand and accept the behavior of the people or the culture. As I traveled in the country, I
started to have confidence because I had been traveling by myself, using English, and handling the
unstable situation. I visited more than twenty towns and cities and met various people who had different character and background. After I spent time in Canada for a year, I went back to Japan. I
began my life in my country again.
Now I have come to the U.S. with the man who inspired me eight years ago. He is my husband now. There is one more stage of culture shock. It’s the “comfortable stage.” People enjoy being
in the culture at this stage. I think I’m at this stage already, even though I came to the U.S. just four
months ago. Before I came here, I had been trying to keep calm and not have too many expectations, because I already had learned that if my expectations or my hope went too far, the realities
would beat me down. Since I came here, I have been having productive days, but not losing my way.
I enjoy the culture objectively and admit the difference of the culture between the U.S. and Japan.
In conclusion, culture shock has four stages. They are the “honeymoon stage,” the “miserable
stage,” the “transition stage,” and the “comfortable stage.” It’s not easy to go through them at all,
but I think just knowing that almost everybody will be able to overcome culture shock is a big help.
A fish out of water can learn to be out of water.
Written by: Megumi Inoue
ESOL Level 6 Writing
The ESOL Ambassador
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Naked Bike Festival
America is a free country. All of the cities in America have many different cultures and traditions. However, Portland is a natural city that has a lot of parks, green views , hiking
trails around the city and friendly people. Even the homeless people like to talk with strangers.
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
This year I went to see a very special festival called the “Naked Bike Festival”. We wanted to
know what the event was like and how the people felt. It was so exciting for me and my
friends because it would never happen in my country.
When we arrived at the place, the police had blocked the street by using their cars. We
looked around the park first to find the best place to watch the event .The best place was at the
starting point near the corner. After we made sure where we were standing, I saw that most of
the people were naked. I could tell the people who joined the event were so excited and proud
of themselves. A lot of people were naked, but they were so natural ,and they didn’t act any different from us. My friend wanted to take a picture where most of the participants were standing.
One of the guys saw him taking pictures and said, ” You need to become a participant to take
pictures of us . ” My friend was so embarrassed that his face turned red. We just told the guy
“Sorry.” Only a few people had decorative patterns like colorful gauze or body paint. All of them
were just as if they were at a picnic with friends. I even saw some people had brought picnic
blankets and baskets. We could also hear Hip-hop music from radios, and some people were
playing instruments or singing songs. Even someone brought a BBQ machine there that smelled
so yummy it made me feel hungry. The air smelled full of cigarettes there, and also my friends
told me someone was smoking marijuana. The marijuana smell was stinky for me. I can’t understand why people like it. A few people maybe just finished exercising or were homeless and didn’t shower before, so the smell wasn’t good from their bodies when I passed them. I also saw a
lot of people who had tattoos that I had never seen before just like some Chinese word. It was
interesting and funny for me, and also I wondered if they even knew what the meaning was.
In conclusion, I watched the festival all evening, so my legs felt very sore. It was fun for us to
see how such as amazing event really happened in the world that I couldn’t imagine in my
hometown, and how people felt so self-confident, natural and peaceful. America is really a different and special country.
Written by: Pi-Hsia Chung
ESOL Level 6 Writing
Page 27
The ESOL Ambassador
Page 28
My Hero
Who is your hero? Most people will say the name of a famous person, but I don’t
think so. My hero is a wonderful woman who is brave, lovely, courageous, and a mother. My
hero has been with me since I was born. She is my mom and she has been teaching me
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
about the life all of my life. I will never forget the day when she taught me to love and help
whoever needs it most.
My day started as a usual day, but I didn't know this day was going to be different. I
was with my mom at home. We woke up early in the morning. We had a delicious breakfast
and then we got ready for the rest of the day. I was getting my hair done when my mom
came to me and told me we needed to go to the grocery store to get some food for lunch.
On our way home from the grocery store, we had a sad surprise. We saw three kids.
One was like five years old, another one was around seven years old, and the last one was
like twelve years old. They were asking the people for money or food because they were
poor kids. It was so sad to see them that way! My mom just looked at me and I saw in her
face how sad she was to see them alone and unprotected. Then she held my hand and told
me with a worried voice, “Let’s see what’s going on here!”
When we talked with the kids, I realized how sad they were and how everybody ignored them on the street. They told us they had been at this place for a long time trying to
get money or food, but nobody would help them. Their parents had to work for many hours,
but it was not enough for the family. They weren't going to school because the most important thing at this moment for them was to get food to survive. Suddenly, my mom did
something that I didn't expect. She took those kids and told them to come with us to our
home and have lunch together.
As soon as my mom invited the kids to eat with us, a beautiful big smile appeared on
each face and my heart was so happy and proud to see that. We went home and immediately my mom started to make lunch so fast; meanwhile, I gave juice and crackers to all of the
kids. They laughed, ate, made jokes, and talked about how happy they were. My mom sent
me to get some clothes which we weren't using and we gave the clothes to them. Then lunch
was ready and everybody took a seat at the table, we prayed, and each person said,
“Thanks” to God.
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A few minutes after I finished my prayer,
I understood how nice it is to love and help
somebody. This was the day when I found my
hero next to me and I felt so blessed to have a
wonderful mother with a huge heart. I always
will be thankful to her for inspiring me to be a
good person just like her. I can only hope that
one day I can be the hero of my daughter like
my mom is for me.
Written by: Katlin Fabiana Navarro López
ESOL Level 7 Writing
My Childhood Bedroom
It was the year 2006 with day after day of bombings. My family and I were still living in Beirut,
the largest city in Lebanon. My country was once again in the middle of a war with Israel. Our home
was not located directly in the war zone, but we could hear and also see it from our upstairs balcony.
My childhood bedroom was where my comfort zone was because of the many decorations in the room,
the type of mood my bedroom set, and a place for me to get away from all the war surrounding me.
The bedroom I slept in for most of my childhood had two beds made from wood beside each
other. I had a big cabinet full of clothes next to a window, and a big dresser for perfume opposite my
bed. My sister and I decorated the bedroom together. Our bedroom also included a bathroom which
was located outside our bedroom door. It was decorated with marble. One of my favorite things about
my room was the big balcony that faced west with an astonishing view of the Mediterranean Sea. The
bedroom was also full of toys and beautiful decorations hanging from the walls along with many pictures of people we cherished. I was very blessed to have an amazing sister to keep me company while
our family went through this tragic stage in our lives. If you were to walk in my room, you would be
amazed at the amount of things I was able to fit in my bedroom. We had countless amounts of stuffed
animals throughout the room and over thirty pairs of shoes, but it never felt crowded. I somehow managed to always keep it neat.
The ESOL Ambassador
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Happiness and sadness were common in my room. As a kid I always had to escape to
my room for safety or to be alone. I always felt safe there. It was a place where I could be myself and not have to worry about anything. My sister and I both went through the happy and
sad moments together in our warm bed. We shared our feelings in that warm room. Every time
I spent time in my warm room, it brought happiness to me. When I felt lonely it was my favor-
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
ite place to be because it was comfortable and relaxing. Although outside of the walls of my
room there was war going on, I still felt that safety while present in my room.
My childhood bedroom was surrounded by the frightening sound of bombs flying above
the rooftop of my bedroom, families screaming, and people’s lives at risk throughout all times
of the day. There was never ending war going on around Lebanon, and most of my childhood
was spent at home because of the safety factors. The walls and ceilings were made out of cement, so that the impact from the bombing around us didn’t break down the bedroom easily.
We weren’t able to paint our rooms, because the ceiling and walls were made of cement. This
was the reason why not just only me but, many other kids also had a lot of toys in their bedrooms. When I would hear the bombs hitting houses in the distance, my room was where I
would go for comfort. It was my sanctuary. In that wooden bed under my warm blankets was
what I referred to as my safe haven.
As you can see my warm safe bedroom was a big part of my childhood. It was my hiding
spot away from all the terrifying bombs and war. This room had amazing memorizes, even
though there were a lot of bad ones. I miss this room so much, I never valued the moment until
it was gone.
Written by: Ayha Farhoud
ESOL Level 6 Writing
Vladimir My Friend
Henry Ford said, “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” When I
started to work as an engineer in Abreus, Cuba, I learned how to drive a motorcycle. The very
first time I got on the bike, I was concerned and scared, but I was also motivated because I
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needed to learn how to ride in order to make my job easier and reach every place the job required me
to go. Vladimir, a friend of mine, offered to be my teacher after I told him how important it was for me
to learn. He then made everything ready for the lesson. Then together we started my journey as a
brand new driver.
The next morning we went to a rural road that he picked out. It was safe there for me
to practice. During the trip there, he was explaining to me the plan that he made for my learning process, and explained the most basic skills it took to be a good driver. When we arrived to the safe area
of the road, there was almost no traffic at all. Then he told me, “It is now your turn!”
That moment was crucial because I had to overcome all my fears. I turned the motorcycle on
and slowly started to drive across the road just like a heavy turtle out of the water. My hands were
sweating and shaking. I was electrified and exhilarated, but my motivation was surpassing all my fears.
After I drove for a while, I began to feel confident. The first lesson was going well. I got ready for the
second round. Vladimir said with a confident smile “You just did great”. I was ready for the next day.
The second day he increased the complexity level of learning. We went to a different road with
more traffic and risks in order to make it more difficult. But I felt more prepared and less nervous. I
started to drive the motorcycle, and focused on the cars ahead of me and my surroundings. When
we passed a big truck by, I jerked a little. I was scared at that moment, and I realized that I zigzagged a
little too. The rest of the day went well, and before I knew it the second day was over. “We did well today”, he said, “tomorrow will be your final test.”
The final test came quicker than I thought; it was at the third day. We went to the road to evaluate my driving skills. I felt encouraged by him. I was eager yet stable while I was driving. I drove with
elegance, and without any incident. “You did it ,” Vladimir said. I passed the test. “You are ready to
drive along and accomplish your job,” he said. Vladimir encouraged me.
I was very happy because I learned how to drive a motorcycle. I drove through more dangerous
mountain passes and difficult roads than you can imagine. I also
learned how easy everything is when you have a great friend like
Vladimir.
Written by: Juan Ferrer
ESOL Level 7 Writing
The ESOL Ambassador
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
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First Dates
worker has had such painful dates. She met a
Dating is a human socialization process, guy of her type at a party, asked him to go out
where two people meet each other in order to and they had several dates. However, she was
establish a partnership which is more than a
always the person who asks to go out, she had
friendship, or to evaluate the other as a part-
to plan their dates all the time, and after a
ner for an enduring relationship or marriage.
while, she became really tired of it.
Although the meanings of the term and its
The second case is when the couple al-
practices vary depending on the place and
ready has good feelings about each other. This
time, the most common procedure is to go out can be called a collaborative first date. In this
case, either of them might not have to really
and get involved in any social activity together
(“Dating”). Among any type of date, first dates ask for a date, and it can be very naturally deare always something special. There are three cided during the daily conversation. They entypes of first dates, depending on how much a joy discussing their plan together beforehand.
couple likes each other.
The first category is an unre-
No one has to wait for a reply awkwardly in
this case, as the next date will be planned by
quited first date. In this case, one person (A)
the end of the first one. For instance, I once
really likes the other person (B), whereas B is
had a study session with a guy at a library in
lukewarm about A. Person A asks B to go out,
my early 20s. He had offered me a help with
and B accepts it but not really willingly, sometimes because feeling pressured to say yes, or
the preparation for my bookkeeping certification exam. But after studying an hour at the
just to kill his or her spare time with someone library, we went to a coffee shop for a break,
where we happened to talk about nice cafes in
rather than being alone. Person A plans the
whole date with a lot of effort, while B mostly
Kyoto, an ancient capital and one of the best
makes final choices. During the date, A’s at-
cities to visit in Japan. Thirty minutes later, we
tempts to hold B’s hand or to touch or kiss will were heading for Kyoto with his car.
end up being ignored. After the date, A sends B
a thank you message indicating that A wants
The last one is called an unmotivated
first date. In this case, the couple is not really
to have a next date, and wait for the reply with interested in each other. In most cases, the
pounding heart. If this situation keeps on to
date is planned and arranged by friends or
the next dates, this might cause an unequal
parents. While you are young, you might have
relationship. For example, my female co-
a casual date set up by your friends, which
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will soon turn into the unrequited or collaborative might seem similar in some other cultures and
first date. However, this unmotivated first date
some might be very unique. However, the attitude
will be more often arranged for a person in their
of a person in his or her first date is generally de-
30s. In the case of Japan, if a person is over 30, it
pending on how he or she accepts the other per-
often happens that he or she starts whining to
son. In the case of unmotivated first date, it can be
their friends that they don’t have a partner to
better if you regard it as an opportunity to make a
marry, or even if they don’t mind, parents become new friend.
concerned. One day, the person might get a phone
call from his or her mother asking if he or she
wants to see a nice person the parents know. So
Written by: Kumiko Kuno
their first date will be the first time they meet. The ESOL Level 8 Writing
place is arranged by the parents or friends. During
the date, both persons will focus on keeping the
conversation polite, as they think that they should
be always courteous, partly because they feel like
they owe the person who set up the date. After the
date, they send thank you emails politely each other, but usually either of them will not mention
about the next date clearly, but indicate it ambiguously. For example, a friend of mine had such a
date a few years ago. She met a guy who is her
mother’s friend’s son. He was a nice gentleman,
but she couldn’t enjoy the first date so much, as
she was so careful not to make any bad mistakes
in the conversation for the sake of their mothers’
friendship. They have not had a second date since
then, but they still keep sending emails politely
once in a while.
The three categories and episodes above
are written based on the culture of Japan, where I
spent the most of my life time. Many of them
The ESOL Ambassador
Page 34
Groups that Help the Environment
The actions taken to preserve our
environment can be defined as environ-
Volume 16 No. 1: Fall 2014
mental protection. To help our habitat
and all living beings, societies have
acknowledged the need for limiting actions that create harm in our environment. Restrictions have been put in
place by governments on activities that
are the source of exhaustion. To generate recognition of the problems related
to environmental depletion, which sometimes are irreparable, movements have been created since the 1960’s (“Environmental
Protection”). In Portland I have observed a big interest on helping the environment. As
a result, I found are three groups that can be classified based on their areas of interest:
alternative transportation users, local buyers, and home energy conservationists.
My first category is the alternative transportation users. This group of people
avoids the use of cars to minimize the fossil fuel consumption. Therefore, they choose to
live in walkable neighborhoods, where they are able to go anywhere on foot on regular
basis. Work is a regular daily life activity that a person in this group will choose to
walk to, or use public transportation, when necessary. For example, my neighbor walks
about one mile every day to work. This is her daily routine, and she does not own a car.
While living in Sellwood, I met many neighbors that would fit in this category. They
would walk to supermarkets, restaurants, the park, bakeries, coffee shops, and many
other places. When a car was needed, they would use ZipCars, Cars2Go, or carpool. People in this group live where they have access to every day needs without sacrificing the comfort the city the city life that would normally cause pollution.
The next category is the local buyers. This group will make an effort to support
local business. Unlike alternative transportation users, they only focus on buying locally, and will drive everywhere. This group will drive across town to markets and super
Page 35
-markets, but only buy regional food; they will also purchase gifts in craft markets or locally
own stores. For example, I was at the Saturday Market where I observed a person buying a gift
and asking about the origin of the item, and wondering if the material came from China. This
group always finds a way to support local businesses, but it is inevitable to buy some things
from outside of the region, like a car. There are no companies that make cars in the Northwest.
However, in this situation, they will purchase a US assembled car. For instance, my friend only
buys a Ford car because they are still being assembled in the States. To help the environment,
above all, this group believes that products should not travel more than 500 miles before they
are in their hands.
The last category is home energy conservationists. This group focuses on protecting the
environment by consuming less energy in their homes. Upgrades are commonly done in their
homes with the intention of minimizing energy consumption. I mostly fit in this category. A few
years ago, I went through the process of insulating my entire home with the intention of minimizing heating and air conditioning use. I also sacrifice temperature comfort by having the
house cooler during the winter and only use the air-conditioning on extremely hot days. People
in this group are always looking for options on how to change the condition of their homes to
use less electricity. Solar panels are becoming more common, and much easier to install than
before. Recently, I signed up for a lottery through Energy Trust to get discounts for adding solar
panels on my roof. People in this category, including myself, believe that by consuming less electricity we are contributing to the protection of the environment.
These three groups share a common focus on our environment. Therefore, to help minimize their impact, they have chosen to take actions in ways that fit their lifestyles. Many people, including myself, are trying to make changes, big or small, with the intention of minimizing
the negative impact that humans cause. By making this changes we hope to contribute to the
solution to the depletion of the environment.
Written by: Lorena Rousseau
ESOL Level 8 Writing