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University Settlement's Writing Class of ESL Program at 175 Eldridge Street,  New York, NY 10002      (212) 533-6306

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Links Pictures Chinese Info. English Info. Spanish Info. Contents of  ESL Gunsel  Faraguna Yu Zhen chan David Chen Ofelio Chen Wah You Lee Marisa Leung Winnie Leung Wen Fei Liang Pak Ping Ng Elena Tang Sau Mei To Man Ying Wong Pauline Yau Muhammed

Lisa is retired from SUNY Hospital of Brooklyn. She is one of students in our ESL program. She is a hard work, self-confidence and an excellent writer. She enjoys writing very much. Therefore, she has written some essays, poems, and stories sharing with you. Following are her essays...

Read my Stories. Tell me, feel boring or funny? Feedback

Don't Be a Coward

After 19 years, I still remember clearly, what the lady said to me when I went to the Chinese Association to apply for a job. She picked up my application form and gave it a brief look. Then she said, “I usually talk straight to people. Maybe you won’t like it. You want to apply for an office job, but at your age, it is impossible. Besides that, your English is no good. I think you have problems speaking and hearing, right?” I muttered, “Yes.” She continued, “Do you know how to use U.S. money? What’s a dollar, a quarter, a dime, and a nickel?” I answered honestly, “I am not sure because I came here only one week ago.” “Even the small ice cream store won’t offer you a job,” she said indifferently.

I was so embarrassed and disgraced. I lost my self-confidence. I hoped there was a hole that I could hide in. I did not know how I fled from the building. When I came back home and closed my door, I felt so miserable and hopeless, as if it was the end of the world. My husband comforted and encouraged me.

Gradually, I felt better and clamed down. The lady’s words hurt me deeply, but what she told me was also the truth. I needed to recognize the weakness in myself. If I could not communicate with others with my broken English, then how could I handle a job? But I could not lie down to wait for others to help, and do nothing. To solve this problem, I went to evening school after work, to improve my English. I went to an International Center to learn English orally from a volunteer teacher, a retired old Jewish lady, even though it was only one hour per week. Besides teaching me English, she always encouraged me. “Lisa, be brave, just try. Open your mouth to speak. Attend a test to get a certificate.” With others’ help, I studied hard. I struggled hard. Two years passed. I got a GED (high school diploma) and passed the State Clerk test. Fortunately, I got a job as a cashier and bookkeeper at a restaurant. One year and a half later, finally I am an employee of SUNY Hospital of Brooklyn, doing outpatient billing. Although in away, it is nothing to boast about, it is a big step for me. Now I believe: Don’t be a coward. Don’t let unhappiness or bad luck strike you down. Turn it into the strength of encouragement, and you can be successful finally.

Waiting: A True Story                              Contents

She sat there quietly, holding a man’s worn-out, Chinese-style shirt, losing herself in her memory.

She was born in a little village in Taishan in the winter of 1913. Her father hugged the tiny baby and talked to his wife happily. “Let us call her Hou Wun. Hope that she will bring us and herself good fortune.” Hou Wun’s father worked at the Hong Kong harbor as a cooli. He carried the heavy cargo but earned little money. Because of his job, he only came home on holidays of the Chinese New Year for one week. In these days, little Hou Wun thought that this was the happiest time in the whole year. Her mother’s thin face was lit up by cheerful smiling, and she hummed folk songs. She loved her father’s warm hug more than she loved the new dress, which her father bought for her. In childhood, she had tasted what was “waiting.” She always waited for this happy time.

When she was ten, her father came back from Hong Kong as usual. But his face was pale. Sometimes he had a fierce cough. Before he left, he held Hou Wun and said, “Dear daughter, you are a big girl now. Always behave and take good care of your mama.” Hou Wun nodded, but she did not know why she felt a chill to the bottom of her heart.

Seven months later, a relative came to Hou Wun’s house. He gave Hou Wun’s mother an envelope and a small bag of clothes. He said in a trembling voice, “Sister, we are very sorry for your husband…” Before he finished, the poor woman fainted. The heavy labor seized her beloved husband’s life. “Mama!” Hou Wun cried, and shook her unconscious mother.

Life goes on. Hou Wun and her mother struggled hard for their living after her father’s death. In the daytime, they worked in their small field. At night, her mother taught her to sew clothes. Maybe Hou Wun had a genius for sewing. At fifteen, she could sew clothes for other people to earn some money to help her mother. She did her best to fulfill what her father had asked her to do.

At seventeen, according to the rule of the village, Hou Wun obediently married a man she had never known. She only knew his family was as poor as hers. Her husband, Wong, was older than she was by four years. He was a quiet and shy man, but he treated her tenderly and was a devoted husband. Hou Wun was so happy and thought she was the luckiest wife in the village. She told herself secretly, “Hou Wun, you really have good fortune now.”

After a year and a half of marriage, Wong’s father called his son and daughter-in-law to his room. He said seriously, “I decided to let Wong to out Farkei (U.S.A.) because he may find a better future there than in this poor place.” Hou Wun’s heart sank at once. She did not know where the Farkei country was, but she knew it was far, far away. The old man continued. “Wong, I begged the agent several times. After all, he promised to take you with him, but we should sign an agreement. He will come here at the end of this month. Go prepare.” Wong looked at his wife and then nodded reluctantly.

Oh, God! I only have twenty days, Hou Wun thought. She dared not to think about her life without her husband. However, she needed to do something for him before the departure. She sewed two Chinese-style shirts, two pairs of pants, and a few pairs of underwear for Wong. This was all she could do for her husband. On the night before the separation, Wong held his wife tightly. Looking into her tearful eyes, he asked, “Hou Wun, I am sorry. But can you wait for me?” Hou Wun answered without hesitation, “Yes!” But they did not know how long they would be waiting for each other.

Four months after Wong left, Hou Wun got Wong’s short letter, which was transferred by an uncle who lived in Hong Kong. “Dear Wun, I arrived in Farkei safely. But here everything is strange and I do not know what will happen next. Please tell my parents that I am okay. Don’t let them worry about me.” Hou Wun held this precious paper on her pregnant belly and said, “My child, your father is safe. We will be together.” But after that, she did not hear from her husband again. She prayed to the Buddha in her heart to bless her beloved husband.

For years and years, Hou Wun waited patiently for her husband. There was a rumor from Hong Kong about the laborers who had gone to Farkei with that agent: In a mine accident, some of the Chinese workers died under the rocks that had crashed down. But Hou Wun and her folks did not get this information. Still, the rumor made the folks of the village very anxious and worried. Hou Wun felt as though a knife was stabbing her heart. But she had to be strong to take care of the whole family.

By Lisa Lee  The Waiting:  A True Story's Part II continued on The  next Page!               Contents