Honor to My Mother (Carlos' Audio Story)

I WANT TO HONOR MY MOTHER

WHY? Because since my father died she took care of us by herself. My mother sacrificed for us always and still looks for the best for all of us because she loves us so much.

She did everything that needed to be done for us starting by supported and accepted my father death.

She went crazy and couldn’t believe it when I was two years old. I do not remember him but I enjoy it when my mother tells me stories about him. That he was her life. She was about to die too but she never did. Because she thought about us and in God before she wanted to do something wrong. She is very smart and intelligent to do this kind of things. I love my mother now more than ever…

After my father’s funeral, my mother had to work in my father’s job which was just for men no for women. Because my father’s boss  was a friend to our family so he made an exception.

She was the only one woman working in this job. She was the supervisor of a big city company that specialized in keeping the streets and parks of Guayaquil clean, like Trash collectors. My mother needed to go to school at the age of 40 because my grandparents never sent her to school. Once my grandfather died, my grand-mom sent my mother to live with her relatives. They had my mother work as a housekeeper instead of sending her to school. In order to get this job at least she had to know how to read and write and she did not know how to read and write so she went to school for Adult Literacy and finished her education. And finally she got the job.... Well at the very end  After eight years working in this place each and every one of the workers or employees including my mother,  got fired. like animals they got fired for no reason.

And then she was so desperate.

Could you imagine a woman with 7 children, feeding them, educating them and doing whatever else we needed to be happy?

One day she was walking and trying to buy some food for us, at the big market in the city.

There she found this fine young man, This person was her distant cousin from my grandfather’s side of the family.

So he asked to my mother, “What happened to you cousin?”

And she told him everything that had happened. This person was and still in a good economic situation.  He had -- or I don’t know if he still has -- a big food market. He owns a whole building where he has or had his business, right in the middle of the city. They used to be very good friends when they were youngers. besides that they are family relatives. So he helped her by giving to my mother everything in order to open a grocery store or bodega again. when I say again is. Because that’s what my mother used to do before my father passed away she used to work at the grocery store and my father worked for the city.

Once she opened again her grocery store or bodega in the south side of the City. where we used to live at. where all the poor people used to live at and we had everything that we needed in terms of food, education, toys, and a lot of love from both of them. But one day it changed everything, it was a different story. it was not the same at all.

Before and after my father died my grandmother used to take care all of us, my cousin also helped us by cooking and doing the laundry while my mom was working and we used to go to school one of my brother had and needed to work and help my mom but he never dropped the school, because the money that my mom used to make was not enough for everybody, i remember. when my mother bought a nice pair of shoes and a shirt for only one of my brothers and we used to said mama what about for me ? and also she used to buy some toys just for two of my brothers we used to tell her mama what about the rest of us ?

But without knowing that she did not have enough money to buy clothes and toys for her children, not even enough food, what she did was very smart,  we used to keep and collect the clothes from my brothers and as soon as  we  grow up we will wear their clothes, same thing with my sisters,  now about the toys we used to make our own toys by using our imagination and talents that our teacher from our. Same school, taught us using glue,  woods and papers. Because we used to receive toys,  in Christmas eve. New Year eve and holidays only and also when our God fathers used to show up.....  the ones that used to always helped us were my older cousins from my mothers side family, Ok.

One day my mother won the lottery wow that was  excellent because she used to buy it every weekends, she used the money to made our house a little bit more bigger than it was. and still was not enough for all of us and then we started rented half of the house to helped us to pay the rent and all the bills that were needed to be paid, such as transportations, education, electricity and gas uff and a lot of more that i can not finished to described. let me tell you something guys compare to other families.

i remember one day i was on the roof lying down and i looked up to the stars and i cried and i told to my self one day we will have a better life. Because  the night i wanted to eat more food and my mother told me mijo, son is done there is no more food left and that was . Tuna, my favorite seafood.

I remember that  my mother was a very strict woman because she never let us to go outside without finishing  our homework first.

I had to give my lessons to my mother even though it was really late and we wanted to go to sleep. sometimes when my mother used to go out to visit my uncles or sometimes she stayed working over time,  we had an opportunity to go out without  permission from her. she is very smart she used to come very slowly without saying anything to nobody and she knew where we were.

Because she asked one of our neighbors that lives in front of our house, and she used to come  with a belt underneath her blouse, so we can not see it. I never knew that she had a belt hidden inside her blouse around her stomach, and then she punished me and everybody else for not listened to her.

Well that was long time ago after all my mother loves us so much she just wants us to obey her in  everything that she told us to do.  Otherwise we would become criminals, thief, drug addicts etc.

Well then. Now let me tell you when my mother was traveling to USA. from Ecuador.

My Cousin lives in Chicago, he offered to helps my  mother to come to USA and in the middle of the way he refused to helps her so my mother was supposedly to come to Chicago instead of  NY, she was stock in Texas for a little while,  she was so desperate, she did not know what to do, She called my uncle that lives in New York.

Because when my cousin and most of all our family used to live with us. So this person Is my aunt husband. He helped my mother to come to NY He borrowed some money to my mother also the money that my mother borrowed in. Ecuador, now she needs to work to pay everything that she owns.

Now she is here in New York she needed to find a job. sooner than later, right away, She easily found a job in a. Korean Factory as a cleaner. She used to clean tuxedos, dressers, and much more stuff. She used to make a little bit of money and  She wanted to work more hours so she could make a little bit of more money. So she learned how to use the machines even though was older she learned faster from her friends, She started to collect some money a little by little and then she brought all of us two by two, she suffered a lot.

I remember when she used to call us by phone and started crying every time she hear our voices. We  were very sad also. I did miss my mother a lot,  but at the same time I felt good, I don't know why But I was 10 years old, I think so because I could go out and have fun with my friends, but when I used to come back home I missed my mom.

Well, when I was 11 years old I went to H.S, I felt this first year of school because to be honest with you guys my family put me really late at this school, The students were advanced with the classes and exams, and my siblings also were not in a good way to teach me or to guide me in the school so I felt, and in the next year.

My mother gave an authorization to one of my old cousin, now he is resting in peace because he passed away many years ago, He was an awesome person he put me at this school and I never felt any other year anymore, I graduated in Industrial Mechanic, specialized in, Welding and Lathe,  or windlass.

I was the last one that my mother brought to New York. I didn't suffer like my mother and my sibling did.

I took this like a long trip like I was on vacation I came inside of a fishing Vessel, so I was inside where they keep the fishes but the week they didn't transport them, we were inside of it. I have never traveled in a fishing vessel before, this dream came true, I was throwing out for two days, so after the third day I was ok. I used to eat whatever I wanted to, watermelons, pineapples a lot soup and rice, compare to my friends.

They  were very sick inside the boat, there were no doctors around only our, Captain and three workers. They helped us a lot, They were in charged of cooking and prepared everything.

We last for about 7 days in the middle of the. Ocean Pacific, I saw Dolphins, Big whales and a big    tornado in the middle of the Ocean, that scared me a lot, because I have never seen one like that. When I arrived in Guatemala I got stuck over there for almost two months I was in a bordered between, Guatemala and Mexico, which is call. Tecun Uman. I did everything just to come to New York. It was a long big adventure For me.

Finally after almost two months living in Guatemala the coyote gave us some instructions to cross the bordered from. Guatemala to Mexico. I started to walked for many hours none stop. finally i passed.

Traveling between the cities was more easy than the borders.

I flew for more than three times by airplanes, from Mexico Df to Guadalajara and Mexicali and L.A to New York.

Now my mother is living with me and all my family are togethers. We are not a perfect family but. We still together even though my father died many years ago Just my grandmother still and. Ecuador. With my cousins from my mothers sides. We are taking care of my grand mother. All of us are working to succeed in this. World. God. Bless you. All.

Update! Life with My Grandmother (with Julia's Narration)

Julia's text about her memories with her grandmother inspired many thoughtful comments, and a wonderful story by Hakim.  Now you can listen to Julia read her story in her own words!

-Eric, NYC, USA

Life with My Grandmother

     I am writing a history about my grandmother.  She was a very nice woman.  She cared for me, my sister and brother.  She worked hard on her farm.  She had cows, horses, pigs, sheep and chicken.  She made cheese, planted plants, corns, potatoes, beans, vegetables and fruits.  She taught me how to cook cake, salad and chicken soup.  I helped my grandmother milk the cows.  I collected 40 eggs every morning.  I let the sheep out into the fields.  I washed the clothes in the river.  
     She cooked delicious food during Christmas time.  She invited her family over.  She prepared food like chicken, soup, rice, pernil, and salad.  I remember yellow corn boiling in water, green salad being cut and white potatoes being peeled.  I smelled delicious pernil and yellow rice. The potatoes were soft.  The corn was sweet.  The pernil was salty.  The soda was bubbly and sweet.  After we ate, we sang and danced with music.  The party started at 7pm and ended at 3am.  After the party, she washed the dishes and put them away for the next year.
     My grandmother's house was very big.  Every year she painted her house a different color.  Her house was near the river.  She had three daughters.  Their names were Mary, Rosa and Carmen.  She had six grandchildren.  Their names were Nancy, Freddy, Fausto, Nely, Marlene and Julia.  She cried sometimes because her family lived in America. She died ten years ago.  My mother and my aunts paid a woman to care for the farm.

By: Julia

Update! In the Farmyard (Blanca's Audio Story)

A few weeks ago, Blanca shared the text for her story of her life on the farm in Mexico.  Her memories of working with the animals in the pastures inspired Hakim to share his exciting and terrifying childhood experience of a bee attack.  

Now you can hear Blanca read her story in her own words.  

-Eric, NYC, USA

In the Farmyard

This is my story about my life on the farm. When I was a girl I worked with cows. I like to touch the cows when I milking them. When I was making cheese, smell good and taste good. Sometimes cows hit me and pushed me down. Sometimes I fall off the horse. I liked to work with chickens. Goats borned in farmyard. I good memories about my life. I hear the rooster and birds singing in the morning. I used to see the sunrise everyday.

-Blanca, NYC, USA

When I Was a Kid (Hector's Audio Story)

Hello everyone!  I am proud to introduce the final audio stories from Level 5 NYC!  These students worked until the final moments of our last class, right up to the end-of-the-year party.  These students did all of the work, typing, rehearsing and recording their stories.  I'm just here to push the publish button.  You will see updated posts from Julia and Blanca, now with their narrations.  You will see an epic tale from Carlos, where he honors his mother, and shares his family's long journey from Ecuador to New York City.  First, you will see a story from Hector.

Hector was familiar with big cities before he moved to New York City.  He grew up in a neighborhood of Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world, before he moved to a small desert village, far from the excitement of the Formula One race track.  But Hector remains optimistic  and recalls the good times he spent with his family.

-Eric, NYC, USA

When I Was a Kid

     I want to share a story about my life when I was a child. 

     I was born in Mexico D.F. The name of my neighborhood is Tlatelolco. I remember living in the same building with my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts and my cousin. I have good memories about living in Mexico City. 

     Mexico D.F. is a big city. It has many different places to visit. Chapultepec, Alameda, Plaza de Toros, Bellas Arts, Ciudad Deportiva, Estadio Azteca, Paseo de la Reforma and the big plaza Zocalo. 

     I remembered that every Sunday my family would go to different places, but one of my favorite places was Ciudad Deportiva or Sport City. The actual name is Magdalena Mixuca founded by President Miguel Aleman. 

     Sport City was an Olympic park which was used during the Olympic games in 1968. The park continues to serve as an Avenue for cultural, social and sports events. They have the Autodromo hermanos Rodrigues for Formula one racing, the Foro Sol for concerts, Football fields and the Palace of Sports for Basketball. Sport City is my favorite place to remember. 

     My brothers and sister would play football, soccer and many other games all the time. We would remember the sounds of the Formula one cars, we could hear the motors from so far away. I liked to smell the food from the vendor on the site of Sport City. 

     A special day that I liked to remember was January 6, the day of the three Wisemen. That day, my brothers and I would wake up early to see the gifts and toys. In the night, my grandparents would make us dinner. This dinner was the traditional Rosca de Reyes or the King Cake with chocolate. 

     In 1970, my family moved to a new place called Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl. The first days were hard for everybody. But the good thing was that we were not alone. My cousin lived next door to us and my grandparents lived on the street in front of us. My father and my uncle had identical houses. 

     In Nezahualcoyotl, it was very bleak and had too much dust. But in the Summer, there would be a lot of rain. When it rained, the water would come into our house and our furniture would float around. In Autumn, there would be a lot of dust and this would cause dust tornados. 

     These first years were very hard. Little by little, the community and the government worked together to make schools, hospitals, streets and urbanized Nezahualcoyotl. When I was a child, my life was hard but I enjoyed my childhood. In spite of moving to a new place, I still enjoyed my time.

-Hector Vasquez

Job Interview

  Job interview

My first job in USA is iron in a factory clothes, very hard for me 10 hrs. is so much  but I do well after one month  I have no experience  first  job in my life with discipline and dedication I work for 3 years. After that job I find another job dishwasher in a restaurant ,same story no experience , nighttime ,hard for me but I do that for  4 years after this two jobs I do not speak English but I interesting in food I do like to make food looks easy for me. Well I do not have in of money to survive I have to go back to the factory and for 6 months I work  in the factory and restaurant then I learn more in factory  I step up  and I  do other job I work full time in the factory with much better  salary, and I work another  two years.

Then I find other  part time at this time ,now is in a German deli I try to do the grill at sundays is new experience I try my best , I do that for two months  after that they offering me  full time dishwasher and I accept I left  the factory to the other new job  dishwasher in a deli I do dishwasher for 6 months then I step up because other guy take another job and now I help to prepare the veggies and star to make salads and I do salads for two years then the chef need to change the job , step up again now I start to cook , soups, meats, new salads, some Italian food, german food .I practice to prepare food for special orders like reunions , celebration business , I almost know all food  we make in the deli  and  the chef at this time  find another job and finally I take the responsibility in the deli    for 3 years but the guy was a chef before me wants go back to the deli and he is very welcome for our team.

         Job responsibility

Manager in a factory for more than one year .

Chef in a German deli for two years.

         special food

For: St. patricks day , christmas, New years , July 4, thanksgiving.

          Conflicts.

We have a big team ,orders pass for many people if one of this make a mistake we are in trouble and is not easy to find who make a mistake , this is the most conflict at the deli.

          Most difficult  dish I have prepared.

For me at this time after 10 years prepare every days same dishes still difficult for me the dishes named: rouladen, bavarian casserole, seafood gratin and goulash.

                            something about my self.

I am a persevering person I like to challenge myself , I like to see the progress and enjoy the progress, most of my jobs I start  at zero to the tap.

            Hi my name is Miguel , at this time my post is about job interview ,I want  this project because I can use in the future , for me or for a member of my family or friend.

I hope all you guys like and enjoy thi is one of the last projects in level five, I have fun to learn and post in this blog I am very lucky to work with you guys thanks for letting me share my stories and ideas I never forget all you , great job you are winners  and professionals our future of the world thank you, thank ,you, thank you...............................

                       

Adolfo Experiences

Hi my name is Adolfo Vega. I was born in the Dominican Republic. I

lived in the Dominican Republic for 21 years. I want to let you know about my experiences that I had in my country. I graduated from high school and after that I started working for an event company.

I worked there for 6 years to support my family and myself. By working for that company I got to know every inch of my country. I used to travel all over the country and I got to meet a lot of famous people. In 2008 I met my wife and we dated for 2 years. In 2010 I came here to the United States and lived here ever since.

When I came to the United States I started with my new life. I got married couple of months after I came and soon after my wife got pregnant. Unfortunately, we lost the baby at twenty weeks gestation which was very sad for us to handle.

Then, I found a really good job where I am very happy right now and I have been working there for three years. I’m a sheet metal worker and I really love my job.

In 2012, God blessed us with another pregnancy. And now we have a beautiful child named Kian Vega. And he is now six months old. I would like to thank all of you for listening to the experiences that I had of my life.

Thanks.

Gifts for my Mom

A digital scan of a print I made for my mom.  This print was modeled after KCJoughDoitch's "Radial Sunset" on DeviantArt.com.

Hiba's post about Mother's Day inspired me to try some creative projects.  

I have two things to share with you: a picture and a song.  Both of these were gifts for my mom.  I had a lot of fun making them, and I think she liked them.

My Linoleum Print
My mom and dad love boating, the beach, the ocean and lighthouses.

This picture was made using a print-making technique called linocut.  To make a linocut, you start with a square of linoleum.  It's similar to the material used for floors.  It's like a hard rubber.  Using special tools, you cut away at the linoleum to make your picture.  Finally, you cover the linoleum square (called a relief) in ink, and press a sheet of paper on to it.

Audio Collage: The Lake Isle of Innisfree
A few years ago, my mom visited Ireland.  She has Irish ancestry, and celebrates St. Patrick's day every year.  She bought a book of poetry by W. B. Yeats, and gave it to me when she returned.  I decided to try and make a song using a recording of W. B. Yeats reading his most famous poem: The Lake Isle of Innisfree. You can find the transcript of the recording, and the text of the poem below.  You will also find some background information too.

I think I should warn you: this song is pretty weird.  There's guitar music I made, and there are also many sounds I recorded in nature, of water, insects, and birds.  There's also pieces of really old songs, and static and noise.  

I think it sounds like a radio, moving between stations.  This is an original recording, but I do borrow from some other people.  The borrowed sources are at the bottom.  
  
Text: The Transcript and Poem
I'm going to begin with a poem of mine called The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Because if you know anything about me, you will expect me to begin with it. It is the only poem of mine which is very widely known. When I was a young lad in the town of Sligo, I read Thoreau's essays, and wanted to live in a hut on an island in Lough Gill, called Innisfree, which means "heather island."   I wrote the poem in London, when I was about 23.

One day in the Strand, I heard a little tinkle of water, and saw in a shop's window, a little jet of water balancing a ball on top. It was an advertisement, I think, for a cooling drink. But it set me thinking of Sligo, and lake water.

I think there is only one obscurity in the poem. I speak of noon as a purple glow. I must have meant by that the reflection of heather in the water.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,

And live alone in the bee loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

- W.B. Yeats

Background Information

W. B. Yeats, near the time of the BBC recording.  Image found at WikiMedia Commons, originally from  National Library of Ireland on The Commons @ Flickr Commons

W. B. Yeats is considered by many scholars to be one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century.  He was the first person from Ireland to received a Nobel Prize for literature, but was not popular during his lifetime.

He wrote the poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree in 1888.  He read his poem on BBC radio in 1932.

  

You can hear the original recording of Yeats here.

About My Recording
This song was made from many different pieces.  I used recordings I made playing the guitar.  I also used my iPhone to record nature.

I use several samples of old recordings from ExcavatedShellac.com.

I also use a field recording from Luftrum's Drone Atmosphere, found on FreeSound.org.

All of the sounds were edited and mixed using Audacity.

-Eric, NYC, USA

Level 5 NYC: Rosalia's Audio Story

Rosalia has a special talent.  She can design and make clothing by hand.  In this audio story, Rosalia beautifully captures her memories with her mother, when she knew she wanted to make clothing too.  Through the theme of dress-making, we learn much about her life: from her education in Columbia to her move to New York City.  She even details the careful planning involved in designing the perfect dress for her clients.

Rosalia wrote and recorded this audio story in the fall of 2012.  

I'm happy to say that Rosalia is in my class again, and you can expect more stories from Rosalia in the coming weeks.

Below, you can hear Rosalia's recording, and read along with the text.

-Eric, NYC, USA


Rosalia's Audio Story





The Text

MY STORY 

My name is Rosalia, I’ve been living in NY for six and half years.

My mother was a dressmaker. I remember when I used to watch her working making dresses. I used to stay with her for many hours, looking at every move she made, designing the clothes. She was working on sewing one by one every piece of the dresses that she used to make; and that’s how I started getting involved in the art of the dressmaker.

Finally when I was about eleven years old, I began helping my mother to put the buttons and hemming the dresses that she used to make.

I remember when she was cutting the fabric into small pieces; and then she sewed it up piece by piece until she had finished the dress.

I watched my mom and I thought “some day I will be a dressmaker like my mom.”

Little by little I was enjoying everything I was doing, I remember at the age of fourteen, I sewed my first shirt, but it was after I got married when I went to study dressmaking, and then I specialized in “High Fashion” at “The Multi Cultural School of Fashion Design” in Cali, Colombia.

What I was most excited about was bride dresses, those special dresses for sweet sixteen and prom dresses.

My first clients were my sisters-in-law, then they introduced me to their friends because they were working in a big company, where there were many women. My sisters-in-law had a lot of friends, so in a few months, I got a very good clientele; and I was recognized, as the best dressmaker in my neighborhood.

The first thing I did when I was designing a dress was to ask my client, what kind of dress she needed; after I knew what she wanted, then I advised her, what type of fabric and what color goes well with her, considering the skin color, the height, the body shape, and the occasion for the dress she needed, and knowing the client’s style.

When my client and I were in agreement about a design and color; I began taking measurements of the customer.

A high dressmaker can design a dress, or can check out a fashion magazine or picture, to make a dress.

To make a dress I need to use some things like paper, pencil, rulers, pins, needles, chalk, tape measure, scissors, sewing machine etc. I start drawing the design on the paper, using the customer’s measures, developing the design she chose until the pattern is completed on the paper with accurate measurements, then I cut the pattern, and I put it on the fabric, finally I cut piece by piece until I have cut all pieces on fabric, then it was ready to sew.

When I’m designing a dress I concentrate on my client’s figure; considering how to design her dress in a way that; when she puts on her dress, she looks beautiful, comfortable, and spectacular.

When working personally with clients in the art of dressmaking, I could have some difficulties especially when a client wanted to look like the model of the fashion magazine.

To avoid these conflicts I used to talk to my clients, when we were choosing color and design, then I could do the exact design of clothing chosen, but a design does not always look the same on someone, like on a magazine model.

Fortunately I always had very good clients. Working hard and keeping my clientele to get comfortable with my system and my quality job, that’s how I kept my own business for over twenty years.

Level 5 NYC: Maria M's Audio Story

Maria M is one of my talented students.  In her audio story, which includes some great music, she shares about her life in Nicaragua (Central America), and the many difficulties she and her family faced after moving to the United States, first in Miami (Florida), to Connecticut  to New York City---All in the pursuit of her dreams. Education is clearly important in her life.  Her story reveals her dedication and persistence, continuing her university education even after the birth of her son.  You may even learn something about the job responsibilities of an accountant.  (I really didn't know what accountants do at big companies!) 

She completed her audio story in the fall of 2012. (I saw her again last Thursday, and received her permission to share this.)

You can also see Maria performing in The Christmas Truce, with our friends Karina and Madjid.

Below, you will find the audio story, and the text for the narration.  Travel with her from Central America and up the coast of the US!


Audio: My Story

My Story 

By: Maria M.

Many years ago, I remember my beautiful city of Esteli in Nicaragua, the country where I was born, my high school study in a convent school called (Our Lady of the Rosary College),

Where I had many good friends, great teachers. I enjoyed my classes especially in the field of Spanish where we had to do many exhibitions of books and dramatizations of some stories, was very dynamic, I finished my high school in the year 1992.

Then I study bilingual secretary for two years at a technical school, my career was not over, because I felt the need to seek a better opportunity for the future, even without financial resources, I had help from my mom to finance my career, who take the opportunity to make an application being classified in college in my second option Accounting and finance, because the first choice was Business Administration.

In 1995 I enters college in which the first three years of study in Estelí in public accounting and finances,The career heavy as it applies much mathematics, but mostly much financial analysis of any company, I most enjoyed was the management company, because it was very interesting and very important, Three years after I graduated technician in this career in the year 1997.

Then I moved to the capital of Nicaragua (Managua), where I completed two years of study to get a degree in public accounting.

In the year 1998 my dear son was born at 7 am on the 24th, one of the happiest days of my life. I remember I was going through Nicaragua Hurricane Jeanne, this caused much damage to our country, destroyed houses, bridges,cities were cut off, landslides, volcanoes which killed many people, buried in mud caused by torrential downpours.

After seven months of having my son, I continued my studies at the University, culminating in 1999, I receiving my B.A.

Then I did a job application for a company that was engaged in the purchase and sale of tires for vehicles of all kinds. The tires were from Guatemala, Panama, USA and Ecuador, the brands Goodyear, Continental, Firestone among others, I started working for this company as a bookkeeper where I had many jobs as cash accounts, processing checks for suppliers of the company, verify that all vouchers have complete documentation, record the data in a particular accounting system and do all that the accountant general and administrative department requested. But the area where most enjoyed was serving as Head of the Imports, which was to manage all customs formalities as documentation verifying that the goods were correct and complete payment of customs duties, warehouse service payment, once the merchandise enters into the hold of the company, this has to be prepared for sale, as posting it in the inventory of the company with their respective costs incurred, Check price lists and finally Put into the store for sale. This in itself was entire mechanism when it was concerned with Import.

After four years working in this company I was assigned as a counter, in which my work had much more responsibility to those I already had. I worked for this company for six years, in which every year, I received recognition for my work as well as increases in salary.


In 2006 we decided together with my husband and son to move to U.S.A, for the purpose of seeking the American dream. We first arrived in the city of Miami, which had many experiences. It is noted that it has been very hard. The first jobs are very physical that one acquires, due primarily to the lack of language proficiency. It reduces many opportunities, primarily what we did was to find a school for my son. I signed up immediately, my son came to dominate the language six months after.

My first job was in a factory where all clothing selected under very bad conditions, no air conditioning just fans. Eight hours I was standing, my arms rested not until it was time for lunch. I work one year in this place.

In 2008, we decided to move to the city of New York, in order to continue looking for better opportunities and also wanted to be near my husband's family. We first decided to stay in Connecticut, because there in lie my nephews who assured us work. After a month to live in this place I could not find work and frustration was eminent, then I found a job at a bakery on the recommendation. The schedule was super heavy. I came at 6 pm and did not leave until I finished pack all the bread out of the large ovens. Most of the time I was out at 3 in the morning. It was the same. my arms and legs with long standing pain.

At six months, we finally decided to move to my in-laws in New York, a small apartment, but we had no way out. After three months I got a job in a supermarket where I continuous working. I work six days a week, three days in the area of ​​Deli, two days a cashier, I cook a day, in this area is where I think a lot and I tell myself, I have to keep studying English for many years keep my studies.

We live in New York almost four years. We rented an apartment in which we live alone three. My son is about to start high school. I occasionally go out for a walk in Manhattan, the place I love most is Central Park , Time Square. I'd like the statue of liberate, museums, St. Patrick's Church and other tourist attractions.

Note that my goal is to master the language very well, to get a better job opportunity, and above all be able to go back to my country, Nicaragua, hug my mother with my brothers, to visit my old friends.

Arts in New York City by KARINA & MADJID

THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY

Level 5 NYC: Maria's Audio Story

Maria H. was a successful businessperson in Mexico, owning and operating a wholesale egg distribution company.  And she built her company "from scratch."  When she moved to New York City, she dreamed of expanding her business in Mexico.  But life in NYC can be difficult for anyone, and she found that she would have to "build from scratch" all over again.

Note: to build something from scratch is an idiom.  It means: to build from the beginning, or to build from nothing. 

Listen to her audio story below, and read along with the text.

-Eric, NYC

Maria's Story

I never thought things in my life would change 360 degrees, but it happened and I had to start working in a new stage in my life. 

Coming to New York City was a hard decision I had to make because I was a business woman in Mexico. I had to leave everything behind after I had worked for years to build my own business.  The first thing I planned when I got to the US was to find a job and work hard to save up money to expand my business in Mexico.  This was not as easy as I thought it would be. 

I was 16 when I started working for an egg distributor as an associate and learned the trade. I learned to distinguish the difference in quality of eggs. After three years I shared my interest with my boss of opening my own business, I thought he might not agree, but he encourage me and offered his support if I needed. 

After I began to plan how to start working, first I started working from my mother house buying from wholesale for one year, then I opened a small store where I sold the product in retail and wholesale.  After long time working hard, I could start buying from farms.

First of all, everything in NY was completely different.  The way people live in a very small place compared to the way I lived in Mexico, I felt like a bird in a cage, walking from one place to another in the apartment, finding halls and other doors before I found the street.  There were no people that I knew at that time.

I did not stop thinking about all my things I had left in Mexico, but life continued and another hard thing was to find work and started working as a worker again.  My first job was a kitchen helper.  

Nothing compared to the work that I used to do.  I worked in the restaurant for a while, cleaning vegetables, helping people to prepare different kind of things, until a friend of mine told me that a friend of his opened a new Laundromat. They needed someone to run the store and I accepted.

At the beginning I felt scared because I didn’t speak much English. This work helped me to feel more confident and secure in many aspects because I had to take care of the store and relate with people of other cultures. It opened my mind to new experiences of something that I enjoyed. 

Working in the store was a great experience, it helped me to improve my English and I felt more confident with the other people because I worked there as if it had been my own business. After a while, I started making decision in regards to the store and it made me feel good. I worked there for a long time until I solved my immigration status to start making plans about how to build my own business again.

Level 5 NYC: Rolling (Carolina's Audio Story)

Like many of us, I think, Carolina has wanderlust (the innate desire to travel). After getting married, Carolina and her husband traveled for many months through South America, Central America, and finishing her trip with a submarine ride to Antartica!

a yellow submarine

In Carolina's audio story, Rolling, she takes us with her. And with each new destination, we'll hear music from that country.  Play the audio story and read along with her text below, which includes images from her trip.

-Eric, NYC

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ROLLING

It is awesome how you can pack all your life in a bag and start a crazy adventure 
you never know where is going to take you; but that is exactly the idea, let life 
surprise you and then, pack your bags back full of unforgettable memories. Good 
and bad experience but all of them unrepeatable; experience full of flavors from 
each traditional food and rich in energy, because it is literally what you need, 
when you decide to live a dream for one and a half year being awake.
This is how on January 10 -2011 everything started.

Two tickets to Ecuador; one with the name of my husband and the other with 
mine, were the farewell to Bogota city and the rain that love wetting the street of 
this Colombian capital. Now a big sunshine was going to wake us up every 
morning, and we were looking forward for this moment.

The itinerary was Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Chile; six 
countries in the same continent but absolutely different each other.

Ecuador: Invited us to get in a beautiful and clean ocean in Montañita and enjoy 
the warm and white sand in Salinas, without forget the relaxing and healthy hot 
spring waters in Baños.

 Montañita’s beach in Ecuador­

Bolivia: With the expectation of a country you think you know because are gentle neighbors, we learned every day about a culture is still looking around the way to keep growing up.

Places some people have no idea exist in the map and in my opinion are just natural miracles. Coroico, La paz, Tupiza, Samaipata, Copa cabana and Salt flats in Uyuni; Salt flats, the perfect way to find a mineral can be turned in a stunning painting; a perfect giant extension of neat salt with a pretty little hotel in the middle built in salt. Walls, beds, sofas, art all made in salt.

Bolivia, a real paradise they have no idea they have.

Salt flats in Bolivia

Brazil: Here we are. Too much to talk about this country no just because it is huge in size; It is huge in happiness, good energy and Samba, one of my favorites music genres.

We arrive to Campo Grande; nice place and then we took a bus to Bonito; a place called Bonito has to be beautiful, because that is exactly what this word means in Spanish and Portuguese, beauty. 

Maceio, Maragogi and Porto galhenas ; their natural pools make this three towns the most romantic place to live a real sweet experience.

And then came what you expect about Brazil; Carnival. We did it in Salvador city.

This is called the “the singles carnival” so it is impossible to describe the intensity provides this colorful festival. Men and women from all the world have a common place to live the life of carnival like never before and may be like never again.

All the excesses in alcohol,  food, people, music, smile faces and friends. This was the place where everybody that stayed in the hostel “casa amigo” became in a family. Always together from the first day until carnival closed the doors to the party and opened the streets back to the busy traffic.

Brazilian Carnival in Salvador City

But we had to keep rolling so, Mojo de Sao Paulo, Olinda, Canoa Quebrada, Fortaleza and Sao Luis were still waiting for our visit.

Nothing like drinking a beer in the middle of the city with the Amazon River in front of you. This was in Belem; a big city with the Amazon River almost touching our feet was an amazing experience; but we had a last place to visit and this is a place I am never going to forget. Lancois Maranhenses; stretches of sand with a natural bright gave me the most spiritual experience ever. Dunes with natural pools made from the rain and the seawater getting mixed with the sweet and fresh river’s water, is something you cannot see very often. The three waters of the world in the same picture make this place unique.

Lancois showed me you don’t   have to wait to die to be in heaven. The best way to say good-bye to this gorgeous country.

Lancois Maranhenses in Brazil

Peru; Beautiful with two special places that caught my eye.

Huacachina, a desert with a tiny town in the middle, and this town has a beautiful lake in there. It is a oasis, something than in pictures looks like a Photoshop work; and Nazca lines; have the opportunity to over flight the lines and try to find the meaning of this mysterious revelation was something out of this world.

What really made me love Peru was the gastronomy. The most tasty seafood and ceviches with the most exquisite ingredients makes Peru the number one place to eat and drink pisco sour in all south America.

Huacachina Peru

The next two countries took us on a very different way.  They made us an experts in something we keep enjoying in home; the wines world.

We walked every winery in Argentina and Chile in very fun tours they offer you where the wine is the only objective of everyone.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Carmenere,  are some in the list as the best way to taste a grape .

Now it was time to go back to Colombia and we did it; but with travel happens the same than with some drugs, you become an addict to the adrenaline, the unknown, the adventure.

So, we decided to follow our instincts .

Harvest festival in Mendoza, Argentina

For the second adventure we booked Panama, Guatemala, Paraguay and Honduras.

Panama; A very organized country with a huge American influence; but we were not in Panama to feel in USA so, we left Panama City to continue with the plan.

Boquete, Boca Brava, Bocas del Toro, and Punta Burica; this last one, a beach Paradise. To find the only option we had to sleep, we had to walk quickly for 3 hours, before nigh fall.

All this exhausting walk got a reward…in front of us one little cabin with  out walls or windows;  just a clean and comfortable bed that was waiting for our tired bodies and was going to offer us the most beautiful view of the best scenery  in the world, the infinite sea. This was our favorite home in this country.

Punta Burica, Panama

Guatemala; In front of the Atitan lake you can find nice hostels with stunning views of the lake; but this place made me feel  for a little while in the TV show “lost”.

An amazing place with a very characteristic culture had to accept how the lake makes them feel so proud, is the same without  mercy  is taking every house on its shores. Just the rooftop of some houses were one day hostel, churches or stores are who remind us one day they existed.

And it is impossible not to talk about the Mayan temples in Tikal; the culture that has prophesied the end of the world at the end of the month; December 2012!!

Tikal, Guatemala.

Atitlan Lake.

Paraguay; Another carnival week brought to my mind flash back of my first carnival in Brazil.

Encarnacion, Paraguay

Honduras; Isla Roatan; the opportunity to live the most fun and irresponsible  adventure in a tiny submarine 2000 feet deep in the water, where the only thing you find in this depth is simple; it is a new planet. Rocks than looks like strong flowers , fish that may be confused with work tools and animals you don’t know what they exactly are, but move very softly dancing in front of you; A very impressive performance.

A submarine without any kind of regulation and just allowed in this island made this adventure very irresponsible but absolutely unforgettable.

Roatan Island

And after all this year and a half, imposing mountains of ice were waiting to give us their blessing. The end of this fantastic tour is Antarctica, our honeymoon. The last experience before moving to the United States and becoming serious citizen.

I’m never going to forget the first time I opened the window of my cabin in the boat the morning after crossing the artic circle.

This is something everyone should have the opportunity to experience; the paradise built in ice and snow with elegant penguins exited to see humans and unique red sunsets than matched perfect with the impressive icebergs floating on the water.

Antarctica

Now New York City. Back to the reality that for me is a very exiting reality.

The adventure is not over; this was just the beginning.