updated photo!

Our class has changed a a bit over the past few months since we started this blog. Some students have left. Others have arrived. It's just part of the process. Here is an updated photo of our class:



Front: Gloria, Marian, Maria P., Chung, Julieta, Alejandro
Back: Daysi, Karina, Ofelia, Claudia H., Araceli, Karla
Not pictured: Lucia, Maria H., Eric, John, Aurora, Veronica, Claudia M., Steven, Koren

NICARAGUA

Nicaragua is a beautiful country with amazing places, people, and traditions. Many people have a negative image of Nicaragua. It is because of the news. All the time, we can hear about the economic and the political situation.

Nicaragua has a president who is a leftist, and he is good friend of Chavez who is president of Venezuela. It is not the best impression to Nicaragua.

In contrast, Nicaragua is a country that is visited by many tourists around the world. Nicaragua offers to the tourists a safe visit and relatively low prices.

There are a lot of amazing beaches, colony cities, virgin jungles, and many little islands. All of them with hundreds of years of history. The most exciting attraction is climbing and exploring the Cerro Negro that is part of the Maribios Volcanic Range. At the summit, you can see this range.

It is one of many amazing experiencies that you can have in Nicaragua. Nicaraguans make you feel that you are at home.

Computer Lab

Here we are in the computer lab, where we do most of our blogging. A few students have computers and internet access in their homes, but most of them simply use the one hour a week we have in the computer lab to read, write, and communicate with each other.

Julieta, Marian, and Araceli

Alejandro

Chung

My Best Books of My Chilhood

When I was ten years old I loved to read. My father bought us the book of Tom Sawyer, and I read it three or four times. In my home we had a bookshelf. My father kept a lot of books, but they didn't have pictures, just letters.

When the time passed I liked to read more and I chose other books like: Little Women, Edad Prohibida, La Conquista del Exito, Hombres Triunfadores, Beauty and Beast, and another more in Spanish. My sister called me a, " library mouse," because I was reading the books in a few days. Now I want to read, but I don't have enough time, but I enjoy when I'm reading because I love it so much.

VALENTINE'S DAY!

This is an exciting day for me and my daughter. She likes to dress up in red clothes with hearts. Paola likes to buy decorations for the house and candies to share at school in the little party they do before dismiss. All day long is fun for us.
She is six and she is experiencing this day like no one in her life. This sweet day it is more special than any other.
I do enjoy her happiness by my side and I do wish she can find her heart in the future like I did.

My secret place

" The sun is shining! ". When I was 12 years old, I liked go to the roof top of my house in Mexico. This was a place where I went when I needed to think, study, or only to have a moment alone.

I liked to feel the hot sunlight on my body. It calmed and relaxed me.
How do you think about this? Maybe you say, are you crazy?, but I can answer one thing I like the intensity of the sun.

My Son's Birthday

"I am winning you Leonardo!" Miguel howled.

This past Monday it was my middle son Miguel's birthday.
On Sunday night his brothers and I went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate his birthday.

Miguel turned seven years old. They really loved the place,the games,and the pizza.
My three kids and I had lots of diversion.

Miguel didn't have a big party, but he sure had an amusing time playing the machines,and had a terrific time with his two brothers, Leonardo and Gerardo.

MY BEST VACATION

The best, memorable,and joyful vacation I ever took was.When my mom took me to see my grandparents after many yesrs.I was highly welcome and treated like a king by my grandparents and other family members in the little village called Tuzon, that belonged to my grandparents. this village is in Liberia, West Africa.I was given all legal rights to do any thing that I wished and requested for any food that I wished to eat. I enjoyed going with my grandfather to fish and to hunt for animals like deer, elephant, lion, and monkey. I also enjoyed the unity of the people in that little village. I really enjoyed swimming with my grandfather and other guys in the dirty lake that was near the village. I also enjoyed walking with my grandfather and other diffrent guys in the cool green forest. I really enjoyed every moment of my vacation with my grandparents.

The Best Vacation I Ever Took

The best vacation I ever took was for the birthday of my four year old and eight year old of my children, we went to Disney World. "What a wonderful journey!", to be in so many different places, a "dream come true" for the whole week.

Like when we were in the show of "The Lion King". The important message that they give about their worries for taking care of the earth. Because there are humans that need to live in an agreeable place.

I also remember when we were with winnie the Pooh, Eyore, Pigglet, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. My children got autographs of each one. This was a very exciting part for both my sons and daughter.

This delightful experience made me think about the goodness of our life. All the fantastic things of each day to be with the people that you most love. The joyful moments to see your children's faces with a big smile. We will never forget that.

It was the best vacation my husband, my children, and I ever took.

Obama

I think if I had the right to vote my vote would be for Obama. United States needs a good change. He could be the first African American President of the United States.

Obama wants to give rights and opportunities to the minority Black and Hispanics.

I feel Republicans and Hillary have the same thought since the History of United States. For example long time ago in England the governor was the King. When the king was dead the next governor was his son. The same thing is happening here in United States, George Bush father, George Bush son, Clinton husband, Clinton wife, the Kennedys.

We need somebody different and I hope Obama will be the person to take control of the economy, war, immigration and education.

Here is one of Obama's quotes; "It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today".

HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS UNFAIR

Some day I heard in the news something about the proposal to get an extra bonus from the IRS. For everybody to apply with the requirements, they said they don't care if the people have a S.S. or ITIN number,"if the people report tax, they can take the bonus".

After that the proposal was approved, but just for the people who had a S.S. and not for everybody.

I know many people who don't have a S.S., but they report tax. My opinion is everytime the government leaves the immigrants who work hard and report tax out, they should receive a refund. The government does bad things with the immigrant people.

It's why many immigrant people who came to work hard don't report tax because the government is very unfair.

It's why I don't care who wins the presidency, because everybody is the same.

Best Vacation

My best vacation I took was when I went to Oklahoma to visit family and friends. My family really doesn't go on a lot of trips, but we do go to Oklahoma every now and then. Going to my home town is exciting because I get to see all the people I grew up with. I enjoy all the stories I share with my friends and family. Since we see each other every couple of years there is always so much to tell. Just seeing my family is the best vacation for me!

THE RIGHT TO VOTE

On February 4th, I went to Denver for my citizenship interview, and I passed the test. I decided to be a Citizen of the USA, because I want the most important right for the US citizens, the right to vote. We have elections in November for the US President. I'm sooooo excited for this moment, it is the first time I will vote. I like Hillary Clinton and I hope a woman will be a President for the most important country of the world. This is amazing, but she needs delegates to be a candidate of Democratic Party. I'm waiting my Oath Ceremony for to obtain my Certificate of Naturalizacion, and later register to vote. I like to be a Citizen of the USA.

Beautful Snowy Day

What a wonderful feeling to be overwhelmed with my favorite book to read. I sat at the dining table facing out of the back window. I looked up from my book. "AWE SNOW!" I shouted.

White flakes were flowing around. The earthy garden was covered with a sheet of white blanket. My trees stood by with naked hollow branches and fierce winter wind, an aching child who has an unfed body like a skeleton.

Later an awesome blossom flowery, How the mother nature brings such a delightful season to our joy. I thank the mother nature and this day given to me, so QUIET AND SWEET.

A NEW WORLD

"Why not go to the U.S.A?" My husband said. I knew he would say that someday, but I didn't think it would be so soon. My son Daniel was 1 year old when we travelled, filled with dreams and goals to realize in this country. We didn't look back only to the future.

We didn't have an idea how difficult it would be. How surpriseing! A totally diferent world. I miss the food, my house, relatives, etc. for one year and half, but one day, I decided to follow my dreams and make my goals true. Now everything is clear and different, but I still remember my past world whenever I close my eyes. I know one day, I will go back there, for now my memories keep close to my heart and for everywhere that I go my treasured memories will come with me.

A DISAPPEARED DREAM

"The more she watched the beginning pilots learn to fly, the more she wanted to fly an airplane". This is a real history about a woman who disappeared in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

since she was a child her parent gave the doughters footballs, rifles, even her father took the girls on fishing trips. She was always a daredevil. Amelia served as a Red Cross nurses aide during War Word I. In that time she found sometime that really excited her. Flying. So Amelia took a job to earn money for flying lessons, and be the greatest flier of all. Her dream was realized in 1928. Amelia was the official log keeper on her first transatlantic flight. In 1937, Amelia and her navigator and husband Fred Noonan, were going to fly around the world at the equator. But in somewhere in the South Pacific she disappeared. No wreckage of airplane, and no bodies were found. There are a lot of versios of her disappearance. One is that the Jappanese army shot the airplane and fell into the ocean. Another said she was found and returnedto the United State and still living under a different name. Two more people have said, she was shot and buried. And one more person said that she was a U.S. spy. But in reality, nobody knows what happened to her. Some people continue to search for Amelia Earthart.

Special Weekends

Weekends are special, these days enjoyed with family. My sons are looking forward to Sundays because they love to go to the park when the weather is good. All the time my bigger son prefers to go to the "Memorial Park" and walk or ride a bike around the lake, while my other son prefers to give bread to the ducks.

Sometimes we know what to do, when we arrived at the park, my bigger son and I went to walk around the lake (only one time). My husband hates to walks. Then he and my other son gave bread to the ducks. After that my two kids play together in the playground with our help for hours.

When the weather isn't good, we go to covered places. Last weekend my bigger son said, "Mom, I want to go to the Mall". We enjoy going to the Mall because my kids like playing in the gamesplace. In this store they can spend hours and hours, but we permitted only a short time. After the games, we walk and look in others stores. Finally they play in the playground.

I remember a special thing about last Sunday when we walked by the sidewalk. My bigger son was hugging with my husband and a man saw them and it made an impression on him "wao, so cute", he said.

beaches and blogging

Sometimes I read what you all write about your vacations to the beaches in Mexico and other Central American countries, and I find myself daydreaming about a little cabana somewhere down south. Some place where the sun shines, the water is warm, and you can forget about your worries for awhile. Maybe I'll get there someday.

Until then, I want to teach you how to post an image from the Internet onto one of your stories. Follow the directions I'm going to give you carefully, and you'll be amazed at how easy it is to "illustrate" your stories. Good luck, and as always, ask questions!

The best vacation I ever took.

It was on December 2007. My friends visited us from Mexico, and they had never seen snow before, they had just watched it on the t.v.They wanted to go to Aspen so We did.

We left from Colorado Springs on December 27 around 5:00 p.m.We drove for four hours, we arrived there at 9:00pm. We drove in three cars, one for each family.

We had made reservations in a nice hotel in Glenwwood Spings wich is like 20 minutes from Aspen.
The hotel had nice rooms, a pretty inside pool, and every morning we could eat hot breakfast, because they served it every morning.
We rented sliding skis, so the first mornig that we stayed there,after we ate breakfast we went to ski well, we were falling intead of skiing because ,we did not know how to do it.
We were glad nobody was hurt, because when you don't know how to ski it's dangerous. But,we had a lot of fun,
we were laughing at each other.We built a snow man each family and one of the family won the first place, well it wasn't mine.
After that when we got to the hotel all were wet,and cold. We went to swim and we had a lot of fun too.
We took so many pictures, We stayed there for five days.The most important thing was that we shared time with our friends and had a lot of fun together.It was unforgettable for everybody.

The hardest decision of my Life

Recently my mother died, that was so hard for me and my family. She was sick the two last weeks, and she was in the hospital. All the family stayed with my father, sister and my brother; and they helped to watch and care for her. They took turns to watch her. All her sisters and brothers helped to care.

She was in Mexico, but I was in the US. I wanted to be with her, but I made the decision to stay here for my legal situation. Every day when I was talking with my father or my big sister, I was asking if she was better, but she wasn't better.

Four days after the first problem from my mom, the doctors said my mom had pneumonia and that's not good for my mom. After twelve days, she died.

Two days before she died my daughters and me talked to her by the phone, and she was sleeping because her brain didn't work, but when my Uncle Pedro (her brother) put the cellphone near her ears, she opened her eyes and my daughters and I talked to her. I don't know if she believed all what we promised and said, but when we finished, she closed her eyes and she slept again.

We together gave to my mother a beautiful Memorial, (all of them together, but not me). I was making that decision with the support and by support of them, that was so hard for me. We don't know if that's fine. I'm thinking when we have to make what's the best decision, it is the decision where you can put all your love.

I wish with all my heart she is better now, because she was so sick not only the last days, but also her last years.

Memories

When I came from Mexico my country, I brought some pictures of my family. In the pictures are every party that we had. Those pictures are very important to me because when I see those, is to remember old times when I was a child. I remember the faces and the clothes that we wore. Those pictures make me feel almost to cry and sad, but I like to see it. Every time when I go to Mexico, I would like to bring every thing that I see, but it is hard to do it. Finally, here where I live I am glad that at least I have my pictures that make me feel happy.

WHEN MY SON WAS BORN

One of my happiest moments in my life was when my son was born. I was 18 years old. It was a happy moment for Agustin, my husband, too. That morning in Fresnillo Zacatecas was very beautiful hot day when my son decided to come at this world. "Be calm," my husband said, and at 9:30 my son was born. Everybody heard his first crying. That day my life changed. That moment I knew one of reasons for coming into my life. Before that I felt so scared, but after my son was born, all changed. Now I'm a brave and better woman. I don't know how my husband felt, but he looks like a new father. Agustin changed his son's diaper, than held and rocked him. He looked like entirely the happiest man. When this memory comes to my mind, I feel so happy. Now we will go for the third child. We can't wait to feel all that moment again. I'm sure a special moment will pass again.

MY FAMILY TRADITION

When I was a child, I learned so many things about my family tradition. I was told about many things that I could not do. My parents and grandparents told me not to eat fish and animals and not to worship idols instead of GOD who created the universe. But, when I grew bigger I noticed that my family tradition / some other tradition was killing me slowly, but I proved everything to be false. Now that I know that I am supposed to eat fish, some animals for meat and worship GOD who made me instead of idols. And also proved that tradition is not a good thing; it is a man's opinion to confuse mankind.

Unforgettable Moments

My son and I came to USA from Mexico and brought a special blanket. This was a beautiful gift from his grandmother. Then it was very important that I brought it because helped my son feeling better in the time of journey. At that moment my son was eight months old.

Now I have other son who uses the blanket. Sometimes he said me, "Mom, this blanket was Obed's but now it's mine". Before the blanket was new, with radiant colors and a little thick. Today it's of light colors and thin. Nowadays my children sometimes fight to use it.

Some things that apparently are simple things finally are the best things and make better moments.

THE FIRST BOYFRIEND KISS.

DO you remember that?
HO HO HO! you don't want too.

I believe it, at the same time it is funny, gross, excited, sad; I felt the same.

I wish to remember the pretty moments,because a kiss good or bad is a "great memory".


Maybe the other person could remember you, but perhaps not! It's not important to me if the other person remembers or not. I do. I'm laughing trying to figure out, What I did wrong or normal?

Don't get lost! Let me explain.When I had my first boyfriend twenty years in the past.We didn't kiss,just talked, walked, listened music, got together.

When the time came, he asked me for a kiss, I said, "Tomorrow". The next day I called my cousin Any. She was older then me. In a hurry I asked her, "How do it?"

This girl was laughing at me, but finally she showed me how, with an ice pop.
It was very easy and funny.


I can not forget it!

The Most Important Person

The most important person I miss from my country is my mom. Her name is Martha. When I was in Mexico, we slept together until I was 20 years old.

After that I got married and came to the United states. Although my husband Marcos is a good man an every time he is helping me to be good, the transition was so difficult.

My mom and I were very close, she never did anything without me and I never did anything without her.

every time she supports me in all my plans. I don't see the moment, I will be again with her a give a big hug.

She is one of most important people in my life. That is why I miss a lot my beautiful mommy.

WHAT IMMIGRANTS HAVE TO SUFFER

On December of 2007 my family and I had an awful time. My uncle Jacinto had to go to Mexico. His grandmother, which for him was his mother because she raised him, was in critical conditions.

After spending twenty two days with her, she got better so he decided to come back to his family that stayed at Colorado Springs,Colorado. Jacinto had to come like other immigrants. When he arrived at the border of Nogales, Arizona Jacinto contacted His wife Hortencia and told her he was OK. Jacinto told her that he will be calling her before he tried to cross the border.

The days passed by and he didn't call. Hortencia and the rest of the family started to get worried and despairs. It was already five days we didn't know anything about my uncle Jacinto. On the sixth day most of the family was at Hortensia's house when the phone rang.

Every body stayed quiet. Hortencia answered. It was this guy saying he was the coyote that he had kidnapped Jacinto and he wanted six thousand dollars and if we didn't pay the money he was going to torture him and then he was going to kill him. The guy was calling two to three times a day. At first we thought it was the truth so we asked the coyote we wanted to talk to Jacinto, but he always refused to let us talk to him.

After talking to the kidnapper we started getting clues. Every time this guy called he said something different.

We decided I was going to fly to Nogales, Arizona to see If I could get any information about Jacinto. There we were when the phone rang. It was Jacinto saying he was ok. He was already at Phoenix, Arizona. We all started crying of happiness because he was alive.

At the end when he arrived to Colorado we had to give him the bad news that his grandmother passed away.

After living this experience I think life is too short. We need to appreciate what we have and always live the days like it's the last one...

The Christmas with Family

Christmas always is pleasant for me when I am with my family, my children and my husband. They are the reason for my life. I am so lofty and happy to have them.

Not only at Christmas, but every day of this time of the year, we procure some fun. Especially when my daughter and my son, nine and five years old respectively, are on school break.

Always we are busy doing things like: Making decorations for our house. Also a pinata, cookies, cake, tamales, presents and write the list for Santa. We talk about if may be Santa will pick only one of the things from the list. And if we don't have a chimney, how will Santa come into our house? Besides we have time to take a rest and watch T.V. Similarly we eat, play, cheer and just joyous the time that we spend together.

The most important thing of this time is to be together with family all the time.

My Great Name.

I never thought about changing my name. But at this moment, I can think in a compound name for the names of my mom and dad.

I would like to have the name " Manely ". My mom's name is Manuela and my dad's name is Eliseo. That is the reason.

When I was first a mom, I thought, if I have a daughter I will give her a name original and special. It is why I like a compound name. But at this moment, I have two sons and I can't do this. I think this sounds good only in girls.

In the future if I have a daughter maybe I will give her the name "Manely". Because my name is Claudia and my husband's name is Pedro and these names can not be united so good.

THE HAPPIEST MOMENT

When my oldest daughter Christina,was three years old. That summer I took her to the swimming pool every day. She was so tiny and precious, entertaining herself in the water. There were groups of children in the water, all taking swimming lessons.

I decided to put her in swimming lessons also, because she was afraid of deep water.
In the very beginning she was terrified with fear. Little by little each day, her fear went a way. She had more confidence in herself and more interest in swimming,and how to float around the water. She was through with all the swim classes.

Many years later, she was the youngest lifeguard to graduate her red cross training. She was very dedicated to her swimming. In later years, she joined her high school swim team. After that she swam for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY swim team, swimming all four years.

I'm so proud to be her mom. She has achieved many goals through out her life.I'm sure there are many more to come.