Aspiring Writers Share Original Work in English Classes
This year our students have worked so hard and accomplished so much in their efforts to learn the English language. We are incredibly proud of each and every one--not just the students whose writing is featured in this issue. We hope that as you read these submissions, you will feel like you are celebrated, because today we want to celebrate you!
The students featured in this issue participated in English classes and in our Writing Club. Some also attended Writing Workshops to learn how to write better in English. They have spent time telling their stories and putting them down on paper. We wanted to give our students the opportunity to have their voices heard.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt from the first volunm of “The Welcome Project.” Read more from these incredible students in our FREE Ebook!
My American Dream
by Martha Santos
'My American dream is, above all, the safety and security I found in the United States. I come from Angola, a country where, thank God, I always had the basic conditions to live well. I worked for the largest diamond company in the country and I was a public school teacher. I always had a good salary, with access to quality medical care and medication. I had a nice home, a good car, and I was fortunate enough to travel to over 20 countries--something that, sadly, is not a reality for many of my fellow citizens.
But what’s the point of living well when so many around you are suffering, facing hunger and surviving in very poor conditions? What is the value of comfort when you neighbor lives in misery?
Unfortunately, extreme poverty, widespread corruption, and political instability have made life in Angola increasingly dangerous and uncertain. My husband, a journalist, was targeted and persecuted for speaking out against the government and defending the rights of the people, while politicians only cared about themselves. We were threatened, nearly killed, and even after filing police reports, nothing was done--because in a country without security, nothing works.
That’s why my American dream is really a longing for protection, stability, and peace. Here in the U.S., I found the peace of mind of knowing that I can live without fear, that the law works, and that my family is safe--which has become my greatest dream. And here, that dream came true.
