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Nataly Abreu

English Composition 102.04

Literacy Narrative: Final Draft

18 February 2019

Learning a New Language: Obstacles and Overcomes

When I first came to the United States around six years ago from the Dominican

Republic, I had to learn a new language. I remember my first day in middle school, I was so

afraid because I did not know a single word in English. Simple sentences such as “What is your

next class?” was a tongue-twister for me. I was scared because my father did not take me to a

bilingual school, instead he thought that I would learn faster in a school that would only teach in

English. Clearly, I now understand what he meant with his actions since I could at least, make

conversations and understand my classes months after I was in that school. But still, I was not

myself for around one year. What I mean is that when I used to be in the Dominican Republic, I

used to love participating and doing my homework, but in here, I was falling my classes and it

was rare for me to participate. Until, I realized that English was an obstacle that I could

overcome, with time, dedication, and commitment.

My days in my middle school, “Centro Educativo, La Torre,” in the Dominican Republic,

were spectacular. Every time my teachers used to ask any questions, I would be the first to raise

my hand. “¿Quién sabe la respuesta?” (who knows the answer?) Not to exaggerate, but one

second after hearing that phrase, my hand would be up. Additionally, I used to love reading in

front of the class, but when I came to a classroom full of English speakers I could not detest

something more in my life than reading in front of them. More specifically, my shame grew
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when my science teacher, at Phifer Middle School, made me read in front of my classmates,

knowing that I could not read in English and more when it came to scientific phrases. When I

started to read and realized I could not do it, I started to feel anxious, my fingers were shaking, I

was sweating, and my face was so red from the embarrassment and angriness that I felt at that

moment. After that event, I consider it to be the day in which my discomfort on speaking English

out loud was born.

My middle school in the Dominican Republic was considered a second home. We were

all a huge family since we only took classes in one classroom, that we always decorated to make

it as comfortable as possible. But, in Phifer, we did not have that unique space since we had to

move from classroom to classroom, which only brought sadness to my heart since I was no

longer part of what I used to call “second family” in my old middle school.

In this long path, there was a lot of people that helped me out. For example, in Phifer, I

remembered my English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, Ms. Write, who I thought was

such a mean teacher for making me learn English the hard way, meaning that she gave me a

large amount of work in compare of other students. At first, I thought she was being

discriminated towards me, but at the end of the school year, she told me how she always saw

how much potential I had and that is why she always pushed me. After school programs, study

halls, and lunches, the three times in which she would personally spend her time to help me out.

She even put me in two ESL classes in one day, which made me feel frustrated and confused.

Why weren’t any of my classmates in two ESL classes? I only wanted to feel like a regular kid,

taking regular classes. After all, near graduation, I perceived that Ms. Writer taught greatly, and

she always wanted the best for me.

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My best friend for around two years: the dictionary. I did not understand how a book

would help me out so much. I am not going to lie, I was ashamed of carrying it around

everywhere I used to go; my classes, the cafeteria, even to my gym class. There was no tutor that

could translate at least a word for me, neither a Google translate since I had no technology

available for me. The hardest was when it was a long sentence that I could not figure it out. Fear

came to my body every time a teacher used to give me a worksheet, and I had to pick up my

green, old musty dictionary. Three steps: First, read the sentence, “Follow the directions below.”

Second, try to understand at least some words. Third, look up the most complicated words, put

them all together, and solve the small puzzle. It was all a complicated game.

Searching up almost every word in the dictionary made me asked myself once, “Acaso

vale la pena?” (Is it worth it?) And yes, it was worth it. There is nothing more fascinating than

having the capacity of comprehending and thinking in two languages. When I first started to

dream and think in English, I did not realize it. Until, one day I was watching a show, Grey’s

Anatomy, and I started to think about the characters, which then came up to my mind that I was

doing it in English and not Spanish, I was amazed.

High school comes and I was not prepared to interact with my new classmates and

teachers. Until, I met my new ESL teacher, Mrs. Stych, at Camden Academy. A person whom I

would always be thankful for. She also saw my potential and pushed me to my limits, including

taking honor classes, participating, reading out loud, and making conversations with

English-speakers. Freshman year went up by fast, I was only concentrated on passing all my

classes while trying to improve my English. But, it all changed in my sophomore year when I

first saw my schedule, and it had all honor classes and no ESL class. I was surprised, excited,
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and especially, afraid. Sitting on my first-morning class, which was history, someone knocks on

the door and asks for me. Shacking, because I was so nervous, I go outside the room and see

Mrs. Stych. “Congrats, you pass the test and are no longer an ESL student!” I could not believe

it, only two years after, and I was more prepared than I thought. With excitement and

nervousness, I responded, “I can’t believe it, neither the fact that I am taking honor classes, you

need to take me out and put me in regular classes.” She looks at me, and with a smile in her face

and so much confidence she says, “You can totally do it.”

Learning a new language can be described as one of the worst, but the best goal that I

proposed to myself, and I believe, achieve it. I still need to expand my vocabulary, and learn how

to write and pronounce some words, but, those are small pieces of this big puzzle that I been

trying to finish since I came to the United States. My biggest accomplishment so far: knowing

that I can overcome any obstacles that come through my life, including consequences of learning

a new language.