They bullied her in school about her accent…😭 but now she LOVES everything about her English | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Zoraida shares her inspiring journey as an immigrant from Nicaragua to the U.S, overcoming language barriers, bullying, and growing to love her accent and embrace her identity.

Key Insights

• 🥺 Immigration journeys can be challenging, and language barriers can often lead to feelings of insecurity and rejection.
• 🤳 Bullying and discrimination are common experiences for immigrants in school, and it can greatly impact their self-esteem and language learning progress.
• 🤳 Overcoming negative beliefs and building self-confidence is crucial for language learners to embrace their identity and communicate effectively.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: How did Zoraida's family decide to immigrate to the U.S?

Zoraida's brother was the first to move to the U.S due to political tensions in Nicaragua, followed by her father. Her family worked hard to save money and eventually brought her and her mother and siblings to join them.

Q: How did Zoraida handle the difficulties of moving to a new country and learning English at 15 years old?

Zoraida had to cross the Mexican border illegally with her family, facing potential dangers. She struggled with the language barrier, experienced bullying in high school, and developed negative beliefs about herself.

Q: Did Zoraida's children ever make comments about her English or accent?

Yes, Zoraida's children sometimes tease her or make comments about her English, but she has learned to not associate them with her self-worth and has gained confidence through her language learning journey.

Q: How has Zoraida's mindset shifted after joining language learning communities?

Zoraida now believes in herself and is no longer focused on achieving native-like fluency. She values communication and self-expression over accent or perfection, embracing her identity as an immigrant.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Zoraida moved to the U.S from Nicaragua at the age of 15 to seek a better future with her family, facing challenges of language barriers and cultural differences.

• She experienced bullying and discrimination in high school due to her limited English proficiency and felt insecure about her identity.

• Despite the difficulties, Zoraida persevered and graduated from high school, but still struggled with her English fluency and accent.

• Joining New Sound and Beyond, language learning communities, helped Zoraida gain confidence and accept herself, leading her to use her English skills in her job as an Uber driver.