The English language is my biggest challenge

The English language is very difficult for Non-English speaking people to learn well. My parents and the generation before me had a hard time learning the English language to communicate well with others. In my life, I have had encounter many difficult situations and challenges, but I have to stress that learning to write in English has been the most difficult challenge. Learning English is a big challenge for many people who come to The United States. Sometimes, I have given up in frustration due to the difficulties I had to face to survive in this country where English is the dominant language.

There are so many variations within that English language, slang, dialect, and now some of our leaders in Oakland, are taking into consideration to introduce Ebonics, English for African American. As it been describe on an editorial of Black Enterprise, of March 1997 by Ear G. Graves Publishing Co., Inc. "Loosely define, Ebonics is the latest incarnation of what some academics call "black English"--a language, rooted in African culture, that is a distinctively African American interpretation of traditional American English".

I came to the United State eighteen years, and I couldn't understand a word of English. I wasn't able to distinguish or put together the individual

parts that make up each word. Now I can communicate with people at work, speak over the phone, and read, though I'm still not able to write well.

In my country, I went to college, and I graduated with an associate degree in electrical engineering I had a good job. I also earned respect, and I was making good money. Eighteen years ago, I came to The United States to start from scratch due the fact that I didn't speak English. Since then, I traced a new goal in my life, to learn English. Then, I went to school to learn how to communicate in the English language.

I know learning a new language is the passport to a better life and the power to meet the challenge of new life in a new country. Two years ago, I set myself a new goal, to get a degree in electrical engineering. Then, I enrolled at Norwalk Community College, where I had to take a few ESL courses. Since then, one of my tremendous and mentally frustrating challenge has been to write an in class essay, I get nervous, my hands sweat, and the words don't come out. Furthermore, I have one more weakness, grammar, but none of that is going to stop me. I will defeat all those challenges because I'm convinced that I'm going to get a degree.

For some period of time it was enough to speak English, but now I am facing another challenge; after so many years, I finally got the position I always wanted at work. My job requires a lot of writing; therefore, I need to

learn how to write correctly and that way earn more money and the respect of my co-workers.

When a person doesn't write correctly, and other people have to read what that person wrote, that person is labeled as incompetent for the job. Most of the time there is a great chance of loosing his job or being demoted from the new position.

The English language is very difficult to learn; when I try to communicate in writing and don't get the message across I feel I loose

Creditability. By leaning English I will gain proficiency, and self-transformation. I also, believe that I can build an incredible future for which Learning to write English is the passport to better a life and to have the power to meet new challenges professional or personal. Spanish it's my native language. It is easy to learn how to write, since one writes everything the way it sounds. I have been a US citizen for eighteen years, and I'm just feeling comfortable with this extremely, illogical, harsh sounding, impossible to write language.

Word cited

1. http:/www.eid.ncc.comment.edu:5055/itw/informark/689/74/46813293w2/purl=rcl_GRG... 2/17/2004