E.L., Saint Paul Journeys An Anthology of Adult Student Writing 2010 Journeys • An Anthology of Adult Student Writing • 2010 • The Minnesota Literacy Council phone) 651-645-2272 (fax) Literacy Hotline) 800-222-1990 (Adult www.theMLC.org Minnesota Literacy Council Minnesota 756 Transfer Road 55114-1404 Minnesota Saint Paul, 651-645-2277 ( Journeys An Anthology of Adult Student Writing 2010 Mission: The mission of the Minnesota Literacy Council is to share the power of learning through education, community building, and advocacy. Through this mission, MLC: • Helps adults become self-suffi cient citizens through improved literacy. • Helps at-risk children and families gain literacy skills to increase school success. • Strengthens communities by raising literacy levels and encouraging volunteerism. • Raises awareness of literacy needs and services throughout the state. Acknowledgements: The Minnesota Literacy Council extends our heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Fierke, Jennifer Sellers and Heidi Thulin who have donated their time and their abundant creativity and talent to the planning, design, editing, and production of this book. Special thanks also to MLC staff Guy Haglund, Allison Runchey, Melissa Martinson and Cathy Grady for helping to make the book a success. Finally, we are deeply grateful for the generous do- nation of $500 from Todd and Mimi Burke through the Burke Family Fund in memory of Todd’s late mother. Contact Information: The Minnesota Literacy Council www.theMLC.org 651-645-2277 Hotline: 800-222-1990 756 Transfer Road Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114-1404 Submissions accepted year round. Go online to http://www.theMLC.org for Journeys Teaching & Learning Guide. © 2010 Minnesota Literacy Council, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. ISBN 13: 978-0-9844923-0-5 ISBN 10: 0-9844923-0-5 iv - Journeys 2010 Introduction Dear Reader, I am happy to present the Minnesota Literacy Council’s 21st annual journal of origi- nal writing and artwork by Minnesota adult literacy students. These students, who are enrolled in reading, English as a Second Language, GED, and basic skills classes across the state, have worked hard during the past year, with the help of their teachers and volunteer tutors, to be able to share their experiences with you through the written word. The following pages contain stories by Minnesotans whose voices are rarely heard. Some are immigrants or refugees writing in their second or third language. Others are sharing their writing for the fi rst time after years of frustration and anxiety due to their low literacy skills. All of them are improving their lives through education, often along with huge work and family responsibilities, and we are grateful that they have taken the time to share their thoughts and experiences with us. We continue to produce Journeys year after year because we believe that it is im- portant to our mission of sharing the power of learning. It provides a forum for the creative expression of Minnesota adult learners, a text of authentic learner stories for teachers to use in the classroom, and an acknowledgement of the tangible value and contributions of adult education to the larger Minnesota community. During the past two decades, Journeys has grown from a thin stack of pages to a full-blown literary journal with over 400 writing and drawing submissions. We could not have done it without the hard work of our three interns, Jennifer Fierke, Jennifer Sellers and Heidi Thulin who donated hundreds of hours of their time to producing this book. Thank you for supporting us by purchasing Journeys. I hope you enjoy it. Sincerely, Eric Nesheim Executive Director Introduction - v Levoy Ballard, Rochester vi - Journeys 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction iii Visions of Home 1 Struggles and Victories 75 Wisdom and Learning 109 Friends and Family 149 Travel and Adventure 195 Celebration and Tradition 215 Index of Authors 231 Cover Art Front cover Back cover To the Great Spirit Windmill Refugio Hernández-Muniz, Elk River Wilma Griebel, Southern Minnesota Introduction - vii Randall Ringo Visions of Home Where I Was Born Yuanbin Zhang, Richfield my children were so hungry. I didn’t know am from the south of China. My hometown how to turn on the stove. I didn’t know how I is a beautiful small island called Hujiang. A to cook. And I was so shy on the phone, I lot of people live there. There are no cars on didn’t talk on the phone. I saw people talk on this island. If you go somewhere, you walk or the phone and it looked like they were talking go by boat. And one more thing, the weather to themselves. And one month later, I wasn’t is very nice. There are four seasons. Summer shy when I talked on the phone. Now I really is not hot. Winter is not too cold, and it never like to talk on the phone. I talk to my mom snows. This is a good place to live! and my friends on the phone every night. Now I’ve lived in the US for a long time. I Yuanbin Zhang is 27 years old and is originally from know many things that I didn’t know before. China. Now when I look back at my life in the past, it is very funny to me. Spring Gilford Knutson, Vadnais Heights Ka Khang is originally from Laos. y favorite thing to do in the spring is to walk every day in Maplewood Mall. I Living in America M Amina Abdi, Minneapolis like to walk because it is good for my health. I enjoy going to the cabin. I like to go fishing in like living in America. I live in an the boat. I like to clean and rake the yard. I apartment. I walk to this school. Sometimes I take the bus. I live with my daughter and two Gilford Knutson is 85 years old and is originally from of her children. These are my grandchildren, Canada. too! They go to Ubah Middle School in North Minneapolis. We are happy. We play together. Funny Story A house is not happy without children! Ka Khang, Minneapolis Before, I lived in Somalia. I lived in a big house. Nobody said, “Shhh!” But we had to hen I first came to the US, I came with go. Other Somali people came to my house Wmy husband and two children. We with guns. came to live with my husband’s cousin. At Now I get Social Security and medical help. nighttime, we didn’t go to sleep. We stayed up I am learning English, too! God Bless all of all night. In the daytime, we went to sleep and you in America. Visions of Home - 1 My First Months in America My First Day in Minnesota, USA Mostafa Guure, Minneapolis Maryan Hassan, Minneapolis y name is Mostafa Guure. I am from t was 2005 and my family welcomed me MSomalia. I have lived in the United Ias a queen. They showed me my room. States for three months. I don’t work. I have They said to me, “This is your room. Feel at been studying at Lehmann Center for three home.” I slept that night. When I woke up weeks. I have five brothers and one sister. If I in the morning, I told them that I needed to have free time, I like to use the Internet, watch get a job and needed their help. They told me TV, join my friends, play soccer, and help my they would as soon as they could but to wait parents every day. a little longer. After I got my first paycheck, I came alone to the United States. I don’t I remembered I wanted to go to school. have friends here, so I stay in the house. If I Finally, I found a school and started classes. want to go out, I can’t because I don’t know Two months later, I stopped going to school this city. Sometimes, I feel I can’t live here. because I had a baby and also worked. Going Then everything is new for me. It is difficult, to school was too hard for me. It is a lot of but if I study and try anything new, things will work, so that is why I still have not gotten my become easier. That’s why I came to Lehmann high school diploma. Center. Animals When I Was Growing Up My Favorite Yard Nadifo Dahir, Minneapolis Kim Nguyen, Brooklyn Park his story is about animals. When I was n my house, I have a special place. It is my Tin my country, in Somalia, I saw lots of Iyard. Every morning I go there to look at animals like cows, goats, camels and chickens. the green trees. I see the flowers opening and They live in the forest. One day, my mother some yellow butterflies. They fly and sit on and I went to the forest, but I was so scared the flowers. I hear birds singing in the trees. I because I saw a big cow. The cow ran in front smell the green grass and I feel the fresh air. of me. I was screaming but my mother told When the winter is over and spring comes, me, “Don’t be scared.” Then I walked away my husband and I work in the yard. We plant because I knew the cow wasn’t going to bite flowers, tomatoes, and vegetables. We fix some me or eat me. I am not afraid for long. places, so that they look clean and beautiful. Every weekend I go to see them grow, and I Nadifo Dahir is originally from Somalia.