Diversity Magazine
Martha Leso, Mexico, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
Christmas
My favorite tradition is Christmas. Christmas means being together with my family, and I feel closer to God during these days. Every year we gather and celebrate at my parents’ house. We spend the day cooking our traditional food like pozole, tamales, buñuelos, atole, and ponches. We usually have dinner at 9:00 pm. Before dinner, we pray and thank God for this amazing day and for all the blessings that he has given us. After dinner, we talk a lot about our lives, jobs, and family.
Nadine Khoury, Iraq, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
Eid Nowruz
In my country every year on March 21st, we have a big spring celebration day. We call it Eid Nowruz. This is a holiday for us. It is originally a traditional Kurdish day, but all Iraqis celebrate it. On this day, all the people are happy and excited for spring. All the people go out and take their favorite food and fruit and some blankets, chairs, and toys to start the celebration. My family always went to a huge green park where there were many big trees. We used to choose one tree and put our blanket underneath it to sit on.
Niurka Guzman, Mexico, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, my whole family spends the evening together. Before we eat, we take some traditional pictures. We always do this in the same order. The first ones to take these pictures are my aunt and her children, and my grandparents, and then my uncle, aunt, and their daughters. My parents, grandparents and I are the next ones to take pictures. And the very last picture is with all my cousins, my grandparents and me. After taking these pictures, we pray, and we give thanks for one more year. While we are playing around, having dinner, or talking, my grandfather always plays Catholic Christmas music, but sometimes he allows us to play other kinds of Christmas songs.
Floridia Fonseca, Colombia, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
Novena de Aguinaldos
In our family Novena de Aguinaldos, or “Ninth to Baby Jesus,” is the best part of the year to be together. It is a tradition in Colombia, and each family experiences this holiday with a lot of happiness. This is a celebration about the nine months of the pregnancy of the Virgin Mary. We pray for nine days from December 16th to December 24th, in honor of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Baby Jesus. In the days before December 16th, we meet as a family and build the nativity and make musical instruments by hand, such as tambourines, maracas, and drums. That day is so exciting. The children look very happy, and the family joyfully begins the Christmas celebration. The novena has specific prayers for each day.
Matteo Felizzola, Colombia, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
Christmas
Every Christmas after midnight, my grandmother drags everyone in the family out to play the “Game of Gifts.” She goes around the whole apartment looking for different groups. Usually my little cousins are in the second room sleeping or playing with Legos, while the big cousins are in the third room watching a Christmas movie or playing cards. The uncles are on the terrace drinking and talking. Once we get together in my grandmother’s room, we start playing our original game.
Karen Davila, Mexico, ESOL Writing III
- Category: My Favorite Holiday/Celebration
My Birthday
Every year on my birthday, my family makes that day very special. First, my parents enter my room to sing me “Happy Birthday.” When my sisters bring me the presents they bought me, I open them and take pictures with my family. The next thing I do is take a shower and get dressed to go to my grandmother’s house to celebrate my birthday with the rest of the family. My grandma cooks my favorite dish, which is cabrito. We all eat and have a good time together. When my celebration ends at my grandma’s house, I go back to my house to start getting ready for the party.
Brian Klein, Mexico, ESOL Writing II
- Category: What Makes Me Happy
There are many things that make me happy. First, I love music. Listening to music is like a religion to me because I can’t do many things without music. For example, music helps me study, read, exercise, cook, wash dishes, and take a shower. Second, I love spending time with my husband because he is really fun. We do many different things together such as solving puzzles, watching Mexican soap operas and movies, or watching sports. Unfortunately, I sometimes feel sad because we can’t spend much time together.
Debbie Garcia, Ecuador, ESOL Writing II
- Category: What Makes Me Happy
I feel happy when the people I love are smiling. It is really important for me to see my family happy because it makes me feel happy, too. I also feel happy when I see my daughter run and play in the park because I know she is happy. What makes a mother happy is to see her children happy. I really enjoy seeing my daughter learn new things, too. The happiest moments in my life are the ones I spend with my family learning and sharing new experiences together.
Bunroth Phal, Cambodia, ESOL Writing II
- Category: What Makes Me Happy
Going Shopping makes me happy. First, when I feel stressed, I like to go shopping at the mall. Second, I always look for something new. Then I go to see several stores before I decide to buy it. For example, if today I want to buy some clothes, I check Angle, Rule21, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Paola Alvarez, Mexico, ESOL Writing II
- Category: What Makes Me Happy
My small family makes me happy. There are three people in my family: my son Horacio, my husband Jassir, and I. Although each of us is different, we are very close. My son loves electronics and sports, so I learn about his hobbies and try to do the same things as well. My husband loves planes. I do not understand anything about them, but I like flying with him. I love reading, but my husband and son do not care much about my preference.