The Stars Newsletter contains unedited, original work written by and for Washtenaw Literacy learners. The opinions printed here do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or of
Washtenaw Literacy.
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The Sun (what I would like my sons to know)
By: Nao Sato
When I took my two sons to the U.S, I knew it is going to be hard for them. But, I decided
to do it, because life is not always going to be as we expect. We sometimes learn more from what is
not expected, but we can only say this if we manage to get through the adversities. If not, there will only be pain and a sense of failure left behind. So, as a mother, I decided to be the Sun around them, no matter what happened to them, I told them, "You are ok, you should be confident, and you will find friends to understand you someday. Keep working hard so that you find ways to be confident and to love yourself."
Our first two years in the United States were difficult - it was a time that really hit my sons hard, but at the same time it was a chance for them to learn how to confront and deal with this plight. We talked together whenever my sons struggled and told me that it was definitely impossible to have close relationships like they could have had in their own country. This was probably true. As my sons had been in Japan until they were 12 and 13 years old and had deep relationships with their friends, people here had different experiences and built something else in different culture. I thought, "You don't need to be the same as people here, you should be proud of yourself."
But, sometimes, all the same, my sons said that they wanted to be high school students in their own language. "Ok, we'll see, the world is wide, you have so many choices. You can look for a high school with a dorm or you can stay here with us." I also wanted to widen their views of the world. I took them to so many places to show them that the world is beautiful. It wasn't
until when he saw a begging person in one resort in Mexico that he said to me, "Mom, I appreciate being in the U.S. and not having any problems with school and in our life."
Yes, my son, you always have so many choices, and at any given moment you can make a decision. Be subjective in your life, and I will be beside you helping your world and choices widen. Life is not easy, but life is fun when you try to see good things in the world. What I want most to say to them is that even a tiny teeny thing can make you happy, if you really appreciate it. Find it by yourselves!
While telling them this, I sometimes worry about what their choices will be in their future. The world today is sometimes overwhelming to me too. Innovation is too fast in some places, other parts of the world are in rudimentary stages, and too many people are still in war-torn areas. We cannot change things alone, but you can be part of the manpower to change something if you have a strong will and keep working hard. Even in the most innovative countries, like the. U.S, some people are living without electricity and survive by farming, not using cars, while many people are searching for ways to rely only on self-driving cars. You can choose where you would like to live, and for what you would like to live. However, as I told you, there are also some things we cannot choose and simply overwhelm us.
Even in those cases, do not forget that there is always something you can appreciate and that can make you happy.
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Spring/Summer 2018 - BL Open Tutoring Schedule
The Spring/Summer 2018 BL open tutoring schedule is effective from 5/21-7/20.
The COC will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10AM-4PM
Click here
for the Spring/Summer BL schedule! And click here for directions to the Community Opportunity Center.
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Spring/Summer 2018- ESL Open Tutoring Schedule
The Spring/Summer 2018 ESL Open Tutoring schedule is effective from 5/1 -8/31 unless otherwise noted.
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Online Resources
Follow these links for great online resources to help you reach your goals
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STARS SUBMISSIONS
If you are interested in having your ori
ginal story or article printed in an upcoming STARS edition, please contact Washtenaw Literacy via:
Email:
madelin
e
@
washtenawliteracy.org
or
Postal Mail:
Washtenaw Literacy
Attention: Madeline Kahl
5577 Whittaker Road
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Note: space is limited for each issue. We will do our best to include all submitted stories. But, if space fills up, stories not included will be first in the next issue!
Articles for the next edition of STARS will be due on August 25th.
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Have fun reading the Winter edition of Stars! We hope you had an excellent Winter semester and are looking forward to an exciting Spring/Summer semester! Don't forget to reach for all your goals!
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The Man Who Loved Solving Problems
By: Willie Simmons
Once upon a time I was a man who tried to avoid any problems in my life. But no matte what I did, trouble found me. So one day I talked to my best friend about my problem. He told me the same thing that everyone else aleady told me to do. So I gues I'll figure it out my self!
One morning I was walking to the store and a man and woman were arguing. So, I walked past them. I said under my breath, "I'm glad it's not me in that argument."
So, when I came out the store the couple was still arguing. I just shook my head and said. "God help us." Then the strangest thing happened a little boy walked by blowing bubbles. He looked like he blew the bubbles on them on purpose. Then the couple stopped arguing and started hugging each other.
So I started walking towards home. I saw the same little boy blowing his bubbles. So, I watched him from across the street. Every where the bubbles were people seemed to be happy. I saw a cab driver helping an old lady take her groceries in the house. That's something you never see often.
So I got more curious, and started following the bubbles. I couldn't see the boy, but I could see the bubbles. Somehow the boy disappead. I don't know if he went in the house or did he go inside one of the stores on the block.
I decided to sit on the bench by the bank to see if the boy would pop up again. Just like I thought he was coming out of the ice cream parlor just smiling.
I got up off the bench and started walking towards the ice cream parlor and him. When I got close to him, he turned around and smiled. I smiled back and said, "Whered you get the magic bubbles from?" He said, "How do you know these are magic bubbles?" "I have been watching you blow bubbles since the party store you came out of earlier."
The little boy smiled as he walked away. Then he turned around and said, "Go back to the party store, they had one bottle Left." I said, "How do you use the bubble?" He said, "Just believe and bubbles will do the rest." I smiled at him and walked towards the store.
When I got in the store I asked the man, "Where do you keep the bubbles"? The man said, "I think the little boy bought all of the bubbles, but you can look in aisle three." So I started walking towards aisle three. I saw jump ropes and jumping jacks and all kinds of kids toys, but I didn't see any bubbles. So I got down on my knees and looked all between the toys.
I moved a box and there was one big bottle of bubbles left. I smiled as, I walked towards the cash register. The man behind the cash register said "oh you found them." I said, "Yeah. That was the last bottle.
So I walked out the store smiling. I couldn't wait to try the bubbles on someonee. So I sat on a bench thinking where I could try the bubbles first. I looked around and there was a man on the phone arguing with his wife. I walked towards the man, he was still arguing with his wife because she wasn't at home. I snuck behind him and blew two sets of bubbles. The man started smiling, he told his wife I love you and I'll see you when you get to the house.
The man hung up the Phone and started walking and smiling and whistled as he walked down the sidwalk. I said, "oh my God these bubbles do work." I started walking towards the park.
I saw a group of boys arguing about a bike they found. One boy said, "It's my bik, I saw it first." The other boy said, "I touched it first it's mine." The two boys were in each others face. I started getting closer.
One of the boys looked at me and said, "Why does a grown man have bubbles?" And I said, "Because these are not regular bubbles, these are special bubbles," and before he could say aother word, I blew 3 strips of bubbles on the group of boys.
The boys forgot what they were arguing about. One boy said "let's share the bike. So the other boy said, that's cool. So they started walk away not realizing what really happened. I was so excited to have the bubbles in my possession. I walked home and and told my family...
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Self Introduction
By: Youngsil Kim
I am
sitting on the sofa which I bought from Costco a few days before, having coffee, my laptop on my thigh, listening sound of Korean TV show. To get this grey sofa is which I like the most, my husband and I had to borrow u-haul truck to move this sofa from Costco to our house. Then we had to move it by ourselves. Which was so interesting because in Korea, everything can be delivered in a day for free. But thinking about the size of the US - Michigan is even bigger than South Korea - it would be asking too much to do same service that Korea does. So now I understand why I have seen lots of pick-up truck in the road. I can see it even in this house right now through the window of this apartment in Northwood, Ann Arbor.
It has been a 3 weeks to be in Ann Arbor. I used to visit this city to see my boyfriend. Twice or three times a year, we meet one of our cities. Since my boyfriend goes to medical school in Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor became the place where I visit at least once a year. However most my vacation happened in July, I only appreciate beautiful city with green lawn, big trees, flowers and clean sky. Now finally I could see other side of the city, cold white city with harsh wind. I heard that South Korea is much colder than Ann Arbor this year which is abnormal. Because of abnormal drop in temperature, I can say that I am lucky to escape from that cold. Whether I escape or not, however, I am facing freezing cold.
Korea would be the most comfortable place for me. I lived there for 30 years. I was educated by Korean education system. Also I had careers. I was working for congressman, teaching high school students. All my beloved family, friends are there. My language would be perfectly fine, taking bus or buying grocery is not even a problem. But here, I am struggling everyday, making every effort to listen what people say, even when I buy a cup of coffee.
I met my husband in Sogang University. I was graduate student studying political science and he came to Korea to learn Korean. It already had been 4 years to have long distance relationship. Since my husband had to finish his medical school and resident program in the US, it would take 5 years more. We could not do this long distance relationship forever. So I had to make a choice. I thought, it might not be that bad to stay US, get a chance to study political science here.
So here I am. Learning everything from the bottom. It is tough, humiliating sometimes, but refreshing just like I go to university all over again. I have good people around me and opportunity to learn English and American culture. Also I can enjoy the morning with the coffee on this sofa which I moved by myself.
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By: Darrick Simpson
My mom and her baby Brother, Marble Simpson and Howard Griffin.
I admire Mom for her strength and great courage.
My mother was thee strongest woman I knew. She and my Dad had 4-boys and 2-girls together. My Dad walked out and left my Mom to raise us alone.
Her parents, as well as her siblings were all a very close knit family. They came together and pitched in to help my Mom raise the 6 of us.
Mom had to go back to work five days a week to pay bills, and to keep food on the table. Many days I can remember while growing up we hardly had enough food on the table to eat. But whatever we had, Mom made it work. She was a single Mother of six who didn't believe in having a male friend spending a night, in her house, over her children.
When we got older, and Mom got on her feet, she began a small baking service from our house. People began calling, and placing order's for all kinds of pastries. My mom was the best cook.
Often, I look back and think of the life I had growing up, and I give my mom great praise and thanks. When we became adults, My Mom wanted for nothing. I miss her so so much. We love you, Mom.
My Mom's baby Brother, Uncle Howard Griffin was thee best Uncle one could ever ask for. He was well loved, and so easy going. He didn't like to argue with people. He touched so many lives with his loving kindness. He and I were very close. My Uncle passed on Friday, January 13th, 2016. My Uncle and best friend.
Who Is Someone I Admire
My Grandparents,
Mr. Luther Griffin
Mrs. Clifford Griffin
My Granddaddy Luther Griffin was a very strict man. he and my Grandmother gave birth to 5 children.
Mable,
Martin Luther,
Oneater
Howard,
Paul.
My Grandparents bore their five children in Kauesco Mississippi. As the children grew and got a bit bigger, my Grandfather (Luther Griffin) decided to move his family to Detroit, Michigan, to make a better life for them. When my Aunt and Uncle became of High School age, they attended Northern High School.
They moved into a home in the Boston Edison Historical homes, which was just 2 blocks around the corner from where the Motown Legend, Berry Gordy. My Mom, Aunts and Uncle's all went to school with The Temptations, Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas.
The homes my family lived in, was one of the most beautiful and large homes that one could imagine. The master bedroom had the living quarter's on the left and the TB area on the right side of the room. French doors and to enter the room. A closet with four doors. The living room and dinning room were carpeted with wine colored carpet. The entrance area/neighborhood was beautiful, and even more so during the Summer months. Lawn's were well maintained with trees and flowers, Me and Grandma cared for the lawn.
My Grandparents had the happy, traditional marriage. They highly respected each other.
Grandma would always have his dinner done by 5 or 6:00 p.m. My Granddad's life was centered around my Grandmas life. I guess I should say that (Kiddo) my Grandma's life was centered around his as well.
Granddad was a carpenter and he homemade their entire home, from top to bottom. My Grandma never worked a day in her life. My granddad cared for her financially till the day they passed. God rest their souls.
The three of us sat and ate dinner together. Me and Grandma worked in the yard together (in the evening) At the end of the evening, we'd go in relax which she did some sewing and watched tv. She always worked on something.
Me and Granddaddy used to do a lot of fishing together. We both loved to fish. We were both huge fans of the old Western movies. He'd sit back in his recliner chair and eat oven roasted peanuts and oranges as he watched the movies.
In conclusion, I came from a loving and wonderful family. Thank you Grandma and Granddaddy. May guys continue resting in peace. I love you.
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We hope that you enjoyed this edition of the STARS newsletter! If you have any articles that you would like to be included for the next edition, please send them to us.
Sincerely,
Madeline Kahl
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