JourneysStories and Poems To Open Your Mind Minnesota Literacy Council The 2007 Collection of Writings by Adult Learners in Minnesota Minnesota Literacy Council 756 Transfer Road St. Paul, MN 55114-1404 651-645-2277 (phone) 651-645-2272 (fax) 1-800-222-1990 (Adult Literacy Hotline) www.theMLC.org Th e Minnesota Literacy Council Journeys Stories and Poems to Open Your Mind Peace Mehret Tesfay, Minneapolis Th ere’s a name for war and killing Th ere’s a name for giving in When you know another answer For me the name is sin But there’s still time to turn around And make all hatred cease And give another name to living And we could call it peace And peace would be the road we walk Each step along the way And peace would be the way we work And peace the way we play Yes there still is the time to turn around And make all hatred cease And give another name to living And we can call it peace. Journeys 2007 Dear Reader, Th e Minnesota Literacy Council is pleased to bring you this journal of writing and art work by Minnesota adult literacy students. Th is is our 18th year of publishing original writing by adults enrolled in basic reading, English as a Second Language, GED, and other basic skills classes. Over 500 individuals submitted pieces for publication to this literary journal. Many of these learners are writing in their second, third, or even fourth language. Others are writing after years of self-doubt and frustration because of their low literacy skills. Each writer, however, is speaking for and by themselves about their own experiences and the things they care about. In this journal, the podium is raised for some of our state’s most disenfranchised citizens to share what the world looks like from their perspective, with an often heart-piercing freshness and frankness. We applaud them for their courage, candor, and great insight. We are particularly grateful to be able to publish the book this year because funding cuts nearly made it impossible. We are extremely thankful to our three unpaid interns Ann Dybvik, Anne Fifer, and Claire Th urman, who have worked tirelessly for several months planning, editing, organizing and designing this book. Th eir work has made this year’s publication, I believe, our best ever. You’ll notice their creative minds at work in the new design and layout, and in the way the stories are organized. Th ey also helped us come up with a new name for the book: Journeys: Stories and Poems to Open Your Mind, which we feel better refl ects the tone and intent of this publication. We would also like to thank Todd and Mimi Burke, who donated $500 from the Burke Family Fund in memory of Todd’s late mother, for the journal. Without their hopeful donation, we couldn’t have completed this project. I hope you enjoy your journey through this book. As you read, consider checking out the online version of the journal at www.theMLC.org/Journeys. It is accompanied by a new section that includes interviews with some of the authors at www.theMLC.org/JourneysInterviews and an expanded Teacher’s Guide at www.theMLC.org/ JourneysGuide, with tips and exercises for using Journeys in the classroom. Th ank you for your support of the literacy cause. Sincerely, Eric Nesheim Executive Director Th e Minnesota Literacy Council Table of Contents Origins & Destinations 1 - 40 Stories & Snapshots 41 - 58 Family & Home 59 - 72 Love & War 73 - 82 Immigrant Experience 83 - 98 Words & Lessons 99 - 108 Refl ections & Dreams 109 - 134 Index of Authors 135 - 138 Cover art: Front - Khoai Huynh Van, Mankato Back - Walter Mills, Duluth Journeys 2007 Future Istar Said, Minneapolis My family came to Minnesota 9-28-2007 from a plane, Becoming a Citizen for safety. Khoai Huynh Van, Mankato Th e Minnesota Literacy Council Origins & Destinations Why Are We Here? Isabel Malagón, Waseca Many people asked me, why are you here? Why have you emigrated? Each day more and more Latino people have been emigrating. I think the most powerful reason is hunger. Hunger is the principle reason why the people leave the family, house, language, all things we love. I remember when I listened to histories about people who came to the United States. I never really paid attention, because I was living in this situation, and I never thought to live there. Usually only the farmers emigrated, because the government stopped the loans. Th ey started to compete with the big foreign companies to off er more products and low prices. Th e government gave more importance to those companies, and the citizens, the real people who worked the land, could not support their payments and many of them had to emigrate. Some others were more lucky with their family. After the Free Trade Agreement, the poor people were poorer and the rich people were richer. After that, many people have been emigrating to diff erent countries and continents, not only to the United States. Th e people choose to feed the family fi rst. It does not matter the price that they need to pay. Th e nightmare starts when they make the decision, some have been lucky and obtained a permit to travel, but others risk their lives, walking, swimming, hiding. And that is why we are here, looking for opportunities. 1 Journeys 2007 From Vietnam My Life Story Thanh Vu, Hopkins Dang Yang, Minneapolis My name is Th anh. I moved here Hi, my name is Dang Yang. I was born in Laos in 1975 during the time when a year and fi ve months ago from General Vang Pao left Laos. So after four years in 1979, my father decided to Vietnam. I came here with my take my family to come to Th ailand. My family came to Th ailand in December daughter and son-in-law. I like 1979. We lived in Banvinai Camp and in my family we had three brothers and fl owers. I don’t like snow. I miss my one sister. I’m the middle boy. I went to school in 1986. Th at was the fi rst time car. It has been hard to learn English. I learned Th ai language and Lao. I fi nished high school in 1992. I work at a Bellboy company. I hope I remember when we lived in camp. We looked like animals in the that I will learn good English. surrounded fence. We didn’t go outside of the camp. On October 28, 1993, we moved to Phanacnicom Camp. We were the last group from Banvinai Camp to Phanacnicom. In 1993, I went to Th amkrabok alone, but my family came later Moving to Minnesota in 1994 to live with me. Keat Chheng, Shakopee I got married in 1994. We were married for about 10 years. She couldn’t get pregnant. In 1999, there was once a time that I was very sad. It was because I came to Minnesota from my father passed away. I miss and love you dad. I had one cousin who came California. from Laos. She lived with us and went to work outside of the camp. About a I came with my son. year later, my cousin’s sister got pregnant, but she didn’t tell me the father of I like to cook and go shopping. the baby. When she gave birth to the baby, she was shy to all the neighbors. I don’t like smoking. She then ate a poison. She passed away in 2001, and her baby was a girl. I love I miss my mother. her daughter as much as I love mine, even though she has seizures. I’d still love I like my job. her the same. And when we got this daughter, my wife was also pregnant. She I hope that I will visit Cambodia. had a baby boy, and we had the best of luck in 2003 to have the chance to come to the U.S.A. I came to the U.S.A. on May 25th, 2005. My family had been here for Boots about six months and then my wife separated from me. Now I’m still learning Ikran Bainah, Minneapolis English. I dream of getting my GED some day, but I don’t know how I can do it. If I get my GED, I hope to fi nd a good paying job, so I can start my life all I have this story about when I came over again. I’d also want to get enough money to help my daughter’s seizure, in the U.S.A., and I saw snow for and all of my children’s education. my fi rst time in Minnesota. It was all white like sugar or salt. It was very cold and I worried about my legs I Remember My Country and feet because I used to wear open- Hadson Jama, Minneapolis toed shoes or fl ipfl ops. My feet got cold. It was very hard for me to go I remember when I was a child in my neighborhood. As a child, I played with outside. I liked staying at home all friends. We lived in a good and safe neighborhood. I remember the weather the time. I don’t like to wear boots. It in my country and its beautiful sunshine, no cold. I remember the birds, the was my fi rst time to wear boots. Now sights and sounds of diff erent animals, like camels, goats and cows.