Personal Story
Community School. Here is where I planned to learn to
speak English, read and write. I picked up my boot straps
and moved forward with my life. My first day of class was
February 26 of this year. I was very nervous. However, the
teacher Mrs. Savage and the other students made me feel
welcome. This is my third day and already I am writing an
essay for the Florida Literacy Coalition – Adult Learner
Essay Book. I have a lot I want to say.
Sometimes it’s difficult to put the words into English.
My teacher and my classmate Raquel are very helpful to me
in reaching this goal. I am fortunate to be here in the United
States because of the opportunities that are available. For
now, I am working at a Columbia Restaurant as a cook. I
enjoy cooking. Someday I will have my very own business
and I will be able to teach my children that education is very
important. Without education life can be trying, and the
choices we make without and education are hard. This is
my story; I am prayerful for the changes in my life.
Although being a single mother is hard, I love my children
and I wouldn’t change a thing. Now, I am not so sad. The
United States has been good to me.
Herlinda Flores is a student at Dunbar Community School.
My Life between Honduras and America
I was born in La Lima, Honduras on July 25, 1959 to
Abraham Ortez and Maria Yrbina. I have three brothers
and three sisters. We all lived in a small banana plantation
owned by the American Company. My father was the
captain of the Chiquita Banana Company and my mother
stayed home. My sisters, my brothers and I went to school
in La Lima together. However, when we get older we all
went to separate directions. I came to the United States and
one of my sisters went to Panama. When I was in Littlerock,
California I met Albert, later we married and had three boys
and one girl. They all went to school in Littlerock and came
to Miami to finish their schools and later went to college.
Now, they all have careers in the army and navy forces.
After my all children left I thought to go back to school to