Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h82Kiu701830; Tue, 2 Sep 2003 16:44:56 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 16:44:56 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <000101c37191$ceb57160$6501a8c0@cindi> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Cindi Riley" <criley@lowcountryliteracy.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9371] RE: "poem" X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook CWS, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3546 Lines: 73 Dear Joe: Please don't make the mistake of thinking that the rest of the country is anything like NYC and surrounding areas. What government aid could an immigrant receive between 1998 and 2001? Non-citizens in SC haven't been able to get TANF or food stamps for years around here. Must have been something only available in NYC or the state of NY. Over 50% of the students in my program completed an NRS level this fiscal year. Our students realize that if they really want to progress in the US they have to learn English. For some it's a struggle that they give up on (mainly because they are illiterate in their first language) but most of our students succeed through their hard work and perseverance. I know that things are different in large cities where there are established cultural communities that make it easier to not learn English, but in small towns and rural areas it's much more of requirement to survive. Come visit us in Hilton Head and Beaufort. I think you'll see the difference! ******************** Cindi Riley Assistant Director Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry 1403 Prince St. Beaufort, SC 29902 phone 843-525-6658 fax 843-521-1945 criley@lowcountryliteracy.org www.lowcountryliteracy.org -----Original Message----- From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Joe Little Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 12:39 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9360] RE: "poem" > It seems that you don't work with immigrants or don't see the realities of > their lives. Actually I *hope* you don't work with immigrants, because it > seems you would be insulting them daily. Sylvan and all, That's the thing-- the trouble-- with politics and labels. I can be a libertarian, which i am, and that instantly puts me in a box. But i don't live or work or think in that box.I worked with immigrants-- Domican Republicans, primarily-- from 1998-2001 in north Manhattan for a respectable, mainstream community service organization.u did well to hedge your hunch about my treatment of immigrants because i am, truly, a xenophile. It takes lots of guts to leave your community and come to a new one -- no matter how many uncles and cousins u have there waiting for u. I broke my neck for them, entered into their experience by learning more spanish, asked them query after query about their original culture, about their daily lives, went on field trips with them, called them at home, askd them to call/Email me at home, introduced them to my wife and kids, tried desparately to learn merengue, met their families. It was a mutually charmed relationship. And i'll be dang if they! learned more than 1 or 2% more english during their fall/spring with me! a huge part of the hurdle is the damnable nature of english spelling but a similar cliff for them was the utter reality that they didn't need to learn english. They didn't have to. No-body was giving them the tuff love they needed. To the best of my knowlege, they were either unemployed and received government aid......or worked menial jobs and received government aid. That's Washington Heights for u--tho i loved it, lived it and worked it for 6 happy years. But to be honest, as much as my wife and loved it, we grew weary of living and working in a community that spoke little English and had little incentive to do so--or i should say lots of financial disincentives. To the best of my experience, that is the reality of their life. Does the spirit or letter of what i'm saying sound insulting to u? All the best, Joe
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