International students in English as a Second Language courses cross the world for opportunities in education and career advancement at Citrus College.
Instructor Wendy Motoike-Dieguez has students from eight different countries taking her class.
ESL student Luis Diaz fled Nicaragua for his safety. His parents forced him to emigrate to avoid state violence toward youth his age. He said he knows of friends his age who have been killed for protesting government corruption.
Diaz said he regrets his parents’ decision. His eyes widen when he talks about Nicaragua.
“My country is the most beautiful place,” Diaz said.
Peruvian student Thais Kalout said she does not reminisce about home.
She said she comes from a family of international travelers, but she has not had a teacher as effective as Motoike-Dieguez.
“She’s always pushing you to be better,” Kalout said.
Kalout said she had little English education before Diegas’ class.
“To be honest with you, the last time I opened a book was in 2011,” Kalout said.
Students said the four-day-per-week class is comfortable. But Motoike-Dieguez has one important rule: Students must communicate in English.
Motoike-Dieguez said her students found jobs, started businesses and continued their education at Citrus.
Kalout said she hopes to start a baking business for her dulce de leche macarons. She and her sister Daphne, who is also in the class, have sold dozens of macaron boxes to fellow students.
The class is unusually close. Diaz said he found a second family in the group.
“There’s stabilty and usually some support from someone who speaks the same language,” Motoike-Dieguez said.
Sean Weng left a job in insurance, he called great, so his children would have more career opportunities in America.
In an essay he wrote for the class, Weng described his immigration experience.
“Ten years from now, when our sons graduate from college, we’ll know that we made the correct choice to come here,” Weng wrote.
