My Best Gift

THE best gift I ever received was when my first baby was born. Obviously I knew I was having a baby, but when I gave birth to my son it was the best gift God could give me. It's an emotion that has no explanation. I had that same emotion with my three babies. That's my best gift I ever received my Three musketeers. Even though
some times I get frustrated, they're the ones that make me stronger. You may remember "The best gift you ever received" because of the red little bags Sue gave us.

Christmas Time

Hi everyone, in few more days is going to be Chritsmas again and it is going to be my 7th Chritsmas that I spend here in this beautiful country. At this this time I'm not going to be alone like I did before with my husband in Iraq and all my relatives in Peru. In fact, this my first holiday season en which I feel like I want to do something special, I feel like I really want to enjoy day by day and I have a very special reason now, I have my husband here with me after long time, I also have my brother here with me and the most important I have my twins, Brian and Brianna. They are 2 and a half years old now and they can participate en many things with us. I'm so exciting about this Chritsmas season, and I really wish that everybody should feel the same. However, it would be so beautiful if my parents and my only sister would be here with my family in the United States. Well, you don't get everything in you life, but maybe someday it can happen. Anyway, I want to wish a really Nice Christmas to everytone and a very Happy 2008. I also want to send a special message to my teacher Sue. She is a really good teacher, very dedicated and she wants to us to learn. I'm lucky having her as a teacher now. See you in January 08. I hope my sister Yliana can read this message because I want to wish to her una Feliz Navidad y que el Ano Nuevo realmente le traiga cosas nuevas y mucha salud. Thank you for watching and taking care of Mom and Dad, since I am so far it is something that I can't do it. I hope also that some day you spend Christmas time here with us.

wuz up

Hi my name is John. I'm 18. I don't like school, but I have to come.Well I work full time. I work on cars. I also have my own business. When I'm not at work I build cars for people and I also paint them. Well I don't like doing this so I'm not going to write any more. I will see you around maybe.

working hard

Here are a few of the pictures I took last Friday. I know I said I would post them over the weekend.... sorry it took me so long! See you all on Wednesday. Stay warm and I hope you are brave enough to drive out in the snow tomorrow morning.

U.S. Constitution

I found a cool Powerpoint presentation about the Six Principles of the US Constitution. If you want to, you can follow the link, and then click each time you are done reading and are ready to go on. I hope you enjoy it! It's all information that we read about on Wednesday. Which of these principles do you think is the most important? Why?

The legend of Zorro by Isabel Allende

I was reading this book called Zorro, and I like it so much. I think this book is very interesting because the author explain in every episode in exciting form and you want to read more and more. This book is about the adventures of Zorro and all his life, when he was born and how he transformed into the character of Zorro.

my new baby

This experience is fantastic and incredible because there is a new person in the house.My new baby is just 3 weeks and his name is Emiliano. I have another son 2 years old and when he was born every attention was for him, but now I need to take care of both of them, so my 2-year-old needs to share at his mommy with the baby. For me it is hard to adapt to the new life, because I feel now it is luxury to sleep, to eat, and some more things, but I don't care because my family increase and I am happy about that.

duke ellington

I read about a jazz musician name was Duke Ellington. The Author By Andrea Davis Pinkney. I love his music because....I'm a musician, and I learn about the different kind of music. Also root of Jazz. I'd love it. If you do want to know more about The Jazz music, read Duke Ellington.

The success is not for casuality

The Success is not for Casualty. Is what this book talks about. We build our own success. All that we need to do is to think and act positively. The universe gives to you the success that everybody wants if you really wish it. To act positively doesn't mean only act to our self, we could do something positively for every people. Doing something good for everybody is to show them how fantastic is to share the knowledge of each other. Marcelo Gleiser teach us his phrase that said "The knowledge doesn't mean necessary wisdom, but to be ignorant never is a reasonable option". The communication with our self or with others it's more effective if our body and mind are in tune. Don't you think so?.

Beauty and the business

I'm reading a book called Beauty and the Business By Tana Reiff,because I'm interested all about cosmetology. In this book I learn things that can help me in my job, some tips, how I can explain to my clients easily in English or Spanish about all necessary things.

Fatal Fiction

The book I am reading is called Fatal Fiction by Mary Blount Christian. When Lin Hill tells Sam Blessing that she can no longer publish his boring books, Sam goes into a rage. He swears his twin brother Ben will never publish again either. It's a good book so far, and I like mystery books.

"Zorro" of Isabel Allende

The story of Zorro narrates in its first part who this character was in his childhood. He was so difficult when he was child because the culture of his parents were different. Each would want to teach him all about their culture, but in sometimes do not agree with one other. He learned from his mom what was native and loved the nature and always was living with her tribe. His dad taught education and good manners. After that he had happy childhood.

The Right Type

Last week I read a little book very interesting,this book is The Right Type. Is about one woman who doesn't had job, and she was looking for a job in the newspaper, but she was very impatient, because she wanted found a job soon. She lived with her mom,and she always told her be patient soon will found something.One day when she read the newspaper she watched a job in a very important office. The Queen was called the own of the office, and needed a good Right Type with experience in that range. The woman knew she doesn't good with the Type, but she wanted the job. That night she made her curriculum in her Type Writer but she decided to lie a little and put that she was a very good Type Writer. Soon The Queen call her for test, she was very happy and the other day she went to the office and made the test of dictation and she passed, after that she made the test with the Type Writer and she was very nervous and she failure in somethings but The Queen tought she was the first time and she was nervous. Soon she was working with the others secretaries, the other secretaries worked very fast than she, the next first month The Queen came and choose the best Right Type and she gave a computer for work, no more Type Writer. She want a computer too but she was very lizy and The Queen never choose her. One day she decided took computer class at night, and soon she learned to write in computer.The Queen watch her for two months, and finally she decided put her in a computer. The woman learned that she never lie again in her life and her job.

An history sad, but real.

I'm reading a book Frozen Tears by Don Sawyer. This book tell us about Laura. Her childhood was very sad and dramatic because, she was battered by her dad. The father was a violent person. The parents sent her to court and the judge sent her to Detention Center. That was the nightmare for Laura. She spent days in interviews and test for her attitude. But the thing most important about this story, in my opinion, it was when Laura made a decision. She was go on to taking advantage about her skills. She started to work like volunteer when the new girls coming down from drugs. I think that every human being has the capacity, courage, and determination to learn and to find the way to survive.

Memories of my Land

The last book that I read was called My Native Land. It is an Anthology written by New Writers. This is like a combination of stories based of lived experiences. Each person who wrote in this book tells their own story about their own country. Most of the time they miss somebody or they miss some food of some place, there is always something to miss. Sometimes they just tell us how they spend the time in that place. I enjoyed reading this book because each time when I did start a new story it was something new to know about that country and about its people.

Hopes and Dreams

The last three books I have read talk about stories of the immigration experience. The first book is called Sent Away. It talks about a Japanese family and how hard their life was in the United States after the Japanese Army attacked Pearl Harbor at the Naval Base. The second book is called Boat People. It talks about the Vietnamese people and how they had to escape Vietnam because the War started. They did not wanted to be killed and they had to migrate to the United States. It was not easy for them to work with Americans . The Vietnamese worked in fishing, but Americans had rules that the Vietnamese did not understand. The third book is called No Body Knows. It talks about Africans in the United States. One of the bad things happened in the story was at the store. The store had two doors,the first door had fresh paint,the second door was old and worn, first door had a sign said "white only" and the second door's sign said "colored only."....The author of this three books is Tana Reiff. I liked these true stories . That happened a long time ago.

Love in the Time of Cholera

If you want to live an amazing experience, you should watch this movie because it is based on the novel by the same name that was written by one of the best writers of Latin America, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. If you have not read this novel, you can enjoy watching the movie,too. It is a romantic story that have the touch magic of the author.

My Friend is Gone

I work in a Nursing Home called Laurel Manor Care Center, and it belongs to the Volunteers of America. I really enjoy this job because it makes feel so useful, helping people who need me and making money at the same time, but there is also co-workers. Ten days ago one nurse told me that she was going to have a Stress test done at the hospital by the next Friday and she did it, but couple days after that somebody at work told me that she had to take another kind of test and the same day, and the doctors found out that she needed a open heart surgery. The surgery was done last Monday, and she did good the first 36 hrs. I really don't know what had happen, but yesterday a friend of mine call me and said to me by phone that my friend Judy had died. I'm still in shock, she was a very sweet lady, and she was only 52 years old. She left a 12 years old son. Although, I see people dying every day, I don't know why Judy's death has shock me too much. She is probably in a better place now in peace with no problems anymore. Things like this make me think that the live is very short and we never know where are you going to be tomorrow.

Introducing The Beginning Writers

back row: Sue, Daysi, Araceli
front row: Veronica, Maria P., Isela, Karla
not pictured: Alejandro, Dion, Eric, Gloria, Julieta, Maria H.

DANCE

I really enjoy dancing! I dance every where I go, school, stores, parties, and when I'm in the streets. I've been doing it all my life! Dancing makes me happy,and its a good way to calm me down when mad. All my friends and family tell me I'm a awesome dancer. I always have a big smile on my face when one of my friends ask me to show them some of my moves. This is what I enjoy doing more than anything else. I'm just happy to know that I'm good at something.

The Halloween of My Sons

Yesterday, I went to the place to buy the costume for my son, but my big son didn't like any of the costumes because he wanted a costume of black Spider Man. They didn't have this in the place. Finally after two hours he said I want a costume of "Batman". My big son was difficult to decide for the costume and my little son (3 years old) wanted all the costumes of the place. When we returned to my house my son wore the costume and played all night until he forgot get out his costume and slept with it.

Traveling by Train

When my family and me went to Chicago we decided to travel by train. It was my first time. On the train my children were very happy, they liked seeing all things by the windows. In the train we went to take breakfast while looking outside. It was great! If you want to travel this is a good idea to do, because you have a time to talk with your family and enjoy.

Fires in the United States

I think that if the people live more closely and if we have more communication we could avoid that class of tragedy. Actually every kind of tragedy could be less. The thing that people need is more communication.

The Zoo and My Kids...

Yesterday afternoon my husband and I took the kids to the Zoo. It was really a fun day for us as a family especially for my twins. They are only 2 years and 5 months old and they love to see the animals. When they saw the elephant and the giraffe they just wanted stay there watching them forever. I took a lot of pictures of them with the animals. Next time I'm going to take them to a Farm, since they love animals I think they will enjoy also.

Finally we have our home.

We are a family of five people; my husband, my oldest daughter who is 10 years old, my middle daughter is 8 years old, and my little daughter is 5 years old. We have been living 10 years in US. During these years my husband and me worked together to have a better life. Our kids are growing and they are very good and intelligent girls .They like the school, the music, ice skating, the parks and they enjoy all what they have. We bought the house when they were little kids 4 years before, when they were a little babies and they now are very happy. We sent the last payment in August. Now we can breath happily because we have more security. Now our other goal is working hard to give them an education and when they will be older, they can be good people.

ZORRO

I like to talk about the book "El Zorro". This is a book I am reading and it is very interesting, because when you watch the movie you don't pay attention to the little things like "one spider was hanging in the door" or something like that so is why I love to read the book.

My busy day.

Sometimes I don't have too much time to share with my sons and I frustrated, because I need to make any activity with each one of them, but sometimes I'm tired and I don't know what to do but I try my best with them, I think I need to talk with somebody about my busy day, but I can not because I'm shy.
Now I'm trying to play 10 min. with them, read 20 min. with my older son, and teach them the prays of the church, because he is preparing for first communion in the catholic church, and I want to finish my GED.

Katrina

I had heard about the hurricanes season in Florida. The hurricanes are part of the lifestyle of people here. They take safety precautions days before the storm. They buy food, water, gas, and batteries. The students and workers stop their activities. Why did I know this? I was in Florida when this hurricane affected this state. I had come from Nicaragua two weeks before Katrina's beginning. Watching the news, I knew about Katrina. I was very afraid because I had never seen the power of the wind. Uprooting a big tree, the wind amazed me. It happened in from of my eyes. I heard all the windows began to vibrate. I just kept praying all night long. Walking around the neighborhood, I saw the destruction the next morning. Thanking God, I saw the clear sky.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN COLORADO SPRINGS

I have lived in Colorado Springs for ten years and have found that it is hard for people who do not have a car to find transportation to work and school. The city buses don't go everywhere and sometimes take an hour or two to get somewhere. Do you think Colorado Springs will ever be like the bigger cities with public transportation everywhere?

why?

I created this blog for my adult students in order to expand our classroom community beyond its four walls, and to give them the opportunity to write for a real audience. The digital divide is so vast; this is one humble teacher's attempt to cross the chasm. They named their blog "The Beginning Writers" , which is honestly what they are. At least for now, anyway. I can't wait to see the progress they make!