Believing That You Can

Believing That You Can Believing That You Can

spring and fall. I lived in this house for 10 years. In 1998, I
won the Lottery for Immigration into the US. I arrived in
the United States in December 1998, and became a
permanent resident on May 25, 1999. I got my driver’s
license in June 1999, and I bought a car in August 1999. I
started to attend language class at PJC in 2000. In
November 2007, I was sworn in as an American citizen. I
have learned a lot about life and customs in the USA, but I
have trouble perfecting the language. Having an out-going
personality, I am in contact with people every day and
making friends along the way. The home is there where the
heart is happy.

Ute Feuerbach is an ESL student at Santa Rosa Adult School in Milton,
Florida. Her teacher is Dr. Patricia Capps

The Love of My Life
In the year of 2002, I lost the love of my life. I was 11
years old when my mother passed away. It was very hard
for me. My mom has six kids. At that time my oldest sister
was 28 years old. I was about to give up. It was a cold
October weekend. Me, my sister Sheree, and my brother
Kardale were at home when my mother asked if we wanted
to go for a ride. We all said, "Yes!" so we went to a friend's
house. On our way there my mother said, "I bet I will be
gone by Thursday." We didn't know what she was talking
about. Later that night, after a long ride, we went home to
eat dinner. We ate fried chicken, beans, rice, and cornbread,
and her favorite: grape kool-aid. Then it was bedtime.
Everybody went to sleep. We all had school the next
morning. At 4 o'clock in the morning I jumped out of my
sleep hearing my stepfather yell, "Aye Bea, aye Bea." I
thought they were fighting. I ran in the room and all I saw
was my mother, lying on her back, eyes to the ceiling,
waving bye. I didn't know what to do. I ran in the room
where my brother and sister slept. I woke them up, tears
streaming from my eyes yelling, "Y'all get up, momma
dying!" Before I finished saying that, my little sister got up
with cold still in her eyes running very fast to the room to
try to save her.