快乐的大家庭

快乐的大家庭ESL

ESL，全拼应为English as a Second Language，其实是一门专为对于英语学习有一定障碍的外国学生开的课。像所有刚来的外国学生一样，我也被要求先上ESL。作为第一次来美国的中学生，我对于ESL是什么样子一点概念都没有。我还记得第一天上学前紧张焦虑的情境。

第一天到来对于我很难忘。我小心翼翼踏进了教室，在此之前只是自己在心中强调很多次要礼貌安静。当我进入教室之后，我突然发现自己完全没有必要，而且我大吃一惊。我站在那里，学生们在跳舞，一些女孩子就在老师的面前化妆。老师是一个年长的女士，我们后来叫她Ms.T。她看上去确实很友好，而且还很随性，带着一种学生们所追逐的时尚气息。后来，老师要同学们一一介绍自己，我很快便知道了他们。

学生们可以按照来自的大陆分为三组：亚洲，非洲和南美洲。总共算起来，这里有来自韩国，蒙古，中国，刚果，苏丹，墨西哥和洪都拉斯的男孩女孩们。他们对于新到的学生极有热情。因为他们的友好，我所有的担忧一下消失了。从此，我把ESL当作一个家。

Later in interacting with them,I gradually knew that some of them were associated with a very sophisticated and even grief story.The girl came from Mongolia had already had a divorced family when she came to America.Aboy from Congo fled to America for the war in homeland. He lost his dad in the war and now lives with his twelve brothers and sisters in Iowa.Many Africans said that they were not even supposed to be in a school if they had not come to America.Being with the mtruly guided me to learn to value the life and people.Their strong desire of seeking for a better life touched me.Though I had to leave the meventually but never would I throw the spirits learnt from them,a group of special friends.

Staying in ESL class was relaxing indeed.Not only did I feel easy taking the course,but I also got to communicate with people same with me.It was true that where we came from,what languages we spoke, what backgrounds we experienced and the kind of things we enjoyed were different.However,we were under the same roof of America as foreigners.In doing assignments,we might have to face the same challenge and language hindrance.I always felt having more topics with the mmuch more than American people.

In Ms.Tiffany's ESL,things were much easier than what we learn in English class in China.However,things welearnt here and what we did in class could not be explained simply.American people from my perspective are all commonly emotional.When there was a festival whichever it was,ESL would have to stop the class and hold a party. Ms.Tiffany would prepare us colorful paper and crayons asking us to make a card for festival.As we made,she would always took a cake or some cadies out to share with us.We were even allowed to turn on the radio and dance to the music there.Even on the Valentines Day,Ms Tiffany spent a whole class celebrating it.When each of us received a chocolate,I began to realize that in America,this was not only a day celebrated by adults but also lots of kids and teens.Furthermore,Ms. Tiffany often played English movies on TV and just let us watch them the whole class.During the days of illegal immigration issue in the United States,she turned on TV and watched the live of protests with us together.She once even gave an exam of this controversial political topic in which we were asked about all kinds of news and to raise our own opinions.Having an exam of political event is something I never experience in my original school.I never had a textbook in ESL.English learning I felt here was the association of the culture,life and society. To some degree,English learning I experienced here went beyond the book.

That was my ESL.Wherever I will go in life,what I am definitely sure is that I will take those colorful memories with me,forever.

在后来和他们的接触中，我逐渐知道他们中的一些身后带着复杂和悲伤的故事。蒙古的女孩在来美国之前刚刚经历了父母离异。刚果的男孩从战火中的家乡逃到美国。他在战争中失去了父亲，现在和他的十二个兄弟姐妹住在这里。很多非洲的孩子说如若不是来了美国，他们甚至都无法正常上学。与他们在一起共处的时光让我真正学会去珍惜身边的每一个人。他们对于更加美好生活的追求和欲望打动了我。尽管我深知我最终会离开他们，但我永远不会抛弃那些从他们这群特别的朋友们身上学到的精神。

ESL的课堂真的很令人放松，不仅因为课程很简单，同样因为我可以和与自己相似的人进行交流。是的，我们来自的地方不尽相同，说的语言各种各样，拥有的背景不一样，喜欢的事物也不同，但是我们都是居住在一个叫美国的屋檐下的异乡人。在做作业的时候，我们可能需要面对同样的挑战和语言障碍。我想我和他们比和美国的同学有更多的共同语言。

在Ms.Tiffany的ESL，英语比我在国内学习的显得还要简单。然而，我们在这里学习的和在课堂上做的却是不能简简单单就说得清的。美国人就我感觉很感性。无论有什么节日来临，ESL都会停下课程，举办派对。Ms.Tiffany会为我们准备彩色的纸和蜡笔，要我们为节日做卡片。当我们制作卡片的时候，她会拿出蛋糕和糖果与我们分享。我们甚至都可以把音响打开，随着音乐跳自己喜欢的舞。甚至在情人节，Ms.Tiffany都花了一整节课的时间庆祝它。当我们每一个人都收到了一包巧克力，我这才明白，在美国情人节不仅仅是大人们过的节日，还是很多小孩子和青少年的节日。另外，Ms.Tiffany还会经常给我们放电影，让我们花一整节甚至几整节课观看。在美国非法移民事件的时候，她打开电视，让我们看新闻报道，和我们一同观看直播的游行示威。她甚至曾经为我们设了一个考试，考的正是各种我们在课上看过的各种具有争议的政治话题的相关新闻报道，要求我们提出自己的见解和观点。时事考试是我在以前的中国学校可没有经历的事情。我们ESL也从来没有过任何教材。我在那里感受的英语是与文化、生活和社会紧紧相关联的。从一定意义上来说，这里的英语学习超越了课本。

这就是我的ESL。不管我将来走到哪里，我唯一确定的就是我会一直带着这些五彩缤纷的记忆和故事，永远。