Alba and Jazmin come from different countries, different educational backgrounds, and different circumstances, but they’ve become friends while learning English together. The two women, from Venezuela and Columbia, first met in ESOL classes at A.B. Tech, which meet daily and serve many Buncombe County newcomers. Then Alba told Jasmine about Sarah Bock, her one-on-one tutor at Literacy Together. “Tutoring is more specific for you. It meets exactly my needs and Sarah is a very good, excellent teacher,” says Alba. So, Jazmin joined Alba at Literacy Together and the two women have moved to the advanced level (4) under Sarah’s tutelage.
Alba first came to Asheville eight years ago to spend time with her daughters and four grandchildren. She moved here permanently three years ago after her mother and husband in Venezuela passed. She got a green card and then studied for two years to take her citizenship test, which she passed on the first try last September! Now her goal is to continue improving her English so that she can speak more fluently with her grandchildren, while also teaching them Spanish.
Alba says the most important thing for improving her English has been having the support of her tutor and coworkers at A-B Emblem, a local manufacturer of custom-embroidered patches. “They help me practice in many different situations,” she says. “Using English everywhere is hard because my brain wants to translate the words into Spanish. But I am learning to think in English.”
Alba has worked a variety of machines at the factory and now, in addition to weekly English classes, is taking a computer literacy course at AB Tech. The machines she works with are operated from the computer, so learning to keyboard, operate the computer, and read English on the screen will create more opportunities for Alba to advance at work.
Jazmin worked as a lawyer for nearly 20 years in Colombia. “My life changed 360 degrees when I lost my job nearly ten years ago and moved to the United States,” she says. She married Edwin, an American citizen, moved to a small town in Indiana for a time, then, with her husband, moved back to Colombia during the Covid-19 pandemic. When she and Edwin were both unemployed and the Colombian economy slid downward, they connected with a mutual friend in their church who put them in touch with a pastor in Hendersonville.
In 2022, they moved to Asheville where Jazmin met Alba at A.B. Tech. Jazmin is very happy to be learning together with Alba at Literacy Together. More English helps her with everyday things like going to the supermarket or talking to people at the library or the park. “When I arrived in the United States, people said ‘good morning, what is your name,’ but at this moment I was afraid because I don’t speak English. Now I have more confidence and feel more safe and friendly,” she says.
Jazmin’s dream is to learn enough to become a virtual legal assistant, working remotely for good pay. She knows that with two languages and lots of professional experience working in the legal field, her skills will be a valuable asset; that keeps her motivated to keep studying at Literacy Together.
