I came to the U.S.A. in 2002 full of dreams to learn English to show my friends when I returned to my own city. I was also planning to come back as a lawyer. Some of my ex-teachers of the University were waiting for me. My grammar was excellent so my Spanish was so beautiful, but I also wanted to know the language that everyone wants to talk: English. In that way, my future was promising.
My name is Ana, I’m 32 years old, I’m from Colombia, South America, and I didn’t return. I think I went a different way. I forgot good Spanish because if I want to communicate with other Spanish speakers in the day to day, it requires using Spanish words not existing in the Royal Academy of Spanish, and English has been very hard for me.
I fell in love with this country, with the culture, with the weather…I have not finished yet learning everything about this country. When I think it’s time to go back, something new comes that I want to know.
These people are so organized, the schools, the streets, etc., and most of them follow the rules. That’s new for me. In my country, it’s the opposite. The weather—oh! I love the weather. Four seasons, that’s amazing. Summer is so hot and so humid. There are many activities outside, you can lose weight quickly, barbecues, families and friends meet. In the fall, the colors of the landscape in this season are beautiful, yellow and red predominantly, many leaves on the streets like the rivers. Winter looks like a movie, and the predominant color is white. The best description of this season is white, the color of peace. Spring is predominantly light colors like pink and purple. We call cake colors (colores pastel).
This country is like traveling around the world. It is not necessary to spend much money really doing it because all colors are living here together and the knowledge is rich. I learned some words in other languages, and different religions. I never imagined how important this topic is for humans, we are so different, but so equal.
The only thing I know in this moment is I’m a better person now, and I am going to learn all I can.
Ana Oviedo is originally from Cali, Colombia. She currently lives in Hopkins.
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