María Onofre de Pérez has published a message to Marilda.

See the Comments with Marilda's introduction and photo.

To the CTJ Students

Dear friends,

First, I am sorry about late replying. It is my first time to do this, I had no experience about this. Until this morning, I received the mail from Mr. Oliver, I knew that there were several questions waiting for my answers.

Wang is my last name and Shu-fen is my first name. In my country, families and friends call me "Shu-fen", but this is Chinese, maybe it is a little bit difficult for people, who are not Chinese, to remember and pronounce, that is the reason I have an English name "Isabelle".

In my opinion, our life in Taiwan was better before 2000. Maybe because the economy of the whole world and for the polity in our country, it becomes worse. (this is my thinking) I am married and have 3 kids: two boys and a girl, who are 13, 10 and 7 years old.

Concerning my age, I would like everyone to guess according to my picture. Do you think how old I am? I am curious and then I will let you know the answer.

I came here because my husband's work. My husband and kids are all together in Arizon. I do not work either in my country and in USA. Although I have no work, I am still very busy; taking care of my family, learning and being a volunteer in school or in church.

In our country, Buddhism and Taoism are popular, but I am a little bit different from my family - I am a christian. I think I am lucky that my mother did not stop me to be a christian.

I enjoy the life here and I like to study too, especially in English.
Right now, I am taking the class in Community College, that is why I have the chance to talk to you.

Do you still have other questions about me?

Isabelle

A Very Special Brazilian Clown

Dear all,

I'd like to share with you some thoughts Marina wrote to me. Besides being a very special, lively and witty student, Marina has a big heart and develops a very interesting job as a psychologist.

Read more about her life as a clown and ask questions or add comments to her. I'm sure Marina will be glad to tell you more about her experience of making adults laugh.

Carla Arena
A very proud teacher!



Being a clown is like a religion. You have to believe in it. You have to be part of this strange family.

The red nose is the smallest mask in the world, so if you really wanna use it, you need to be able to put yourself in evidence, to show yourself.

A clown needs to know himself, know his body, and his fears because it is your worst part who will make people have fun. It is your shadow. The clown puts every little part of this shadow in evidence and gives it to the public.

It Is an exercise of giving.

I spent 3 years in a circus school, learning about me, my body, and showing my work every week.

Today, I still have a lot to learn. In my blood runs a clown blood, for sure. In a clown’s blood you will find a desire to be clear and true with the public, to show our disasters. In fact, every human being is a disaster, and this strange figure with a red nose and big shoes shows you that it is OK to be a disaster.

When I started to be a clown, my entire life changed. I started to understand who I was, how I acted, and who my family was, and I couldn’t be so selfish and blind like I was, for my clown gave me new eyes.

I'm not a kids’ clown. I'm an adults’ clown. I show to adults how arrogant and selfish I can be. It’s funny because I shouldn't have these personality traits as I'm a clown... I believe I'm beautiful, I'm special, I'm the best with strange shoes and a red nose...This is the beginning and, at this point, laughing evolves.

It isn’t a delicate art. Some time ago, a man asked me, “Do you really think you are in beautiful clothes?” And I answered, “I think my beauty blinds you, my dear! Don't ever look at me again, you are not prepared to this much.”

So, this is it...you don't need to make your public laugh, you need to make them feel comfortable about being human.

Marina

To Karen, Kelly, and Paulo

Dear Karen, Kelly, and Paulo.

I hope you are fine.
You asked me some questions.

First, you asked, "Hw do you make a living in the United States?"
— I'm a homemaker, so I don't get a paycheck, but I work hard helping with many projects at church and taking care of two beautiful daughters and one great husband!

Second, you said, "Do you like living there (in the U.S.)?"
— Absolutely! I love the United States!

Third, you wrote, "Do you miss your country?"
— Sometimes, but my life is much better here and my daughters were born here. However, when I have time and money, I go on vacations—sometimes to México, sometimes to other parts of the U.S.

Now I have some questions for you:

How do you make a living in Brazil?

What part of your country do you like the best and why?

María Teresa

To Saowanee

Hello Saowanee, In my first try to climb I didn't get to reach the top too. Well, I guess that makes climbing to become a challenge to me, so I started to pratice more, but in spite not being a expert in climbing I'm much better than I was.

I guess someday I'll also try parachute jumping, but not for now.

And regarding my kids, well, when I started to pratice I had tried to include my wife and my kids in that, but she got scared and didn't let me take them with me (she said that I was crazy).

And now they like other types of sports (the older loves basketball and the newer loves swimming).

Does your husband climb too? Do you have good places to climb nearby?

Emerson

To Maria Eugenia


Hello!! How are you doing?

We are glad about talking to you.

What's Colombia like? How do you feel about live in another country? Do you think thay you have more opportunities living in the USA than Colombia?

We have been living in Brasilia, Brazil's capital, and we, I and Karen, are twin sisters.

We are pretty excited with the Worl Cup.

We hope than Brazil will be the champion.

Good luck for you!!

Karen and Kelly

To Karina

Hi, Karina.

It's very nice to know more about you.

I wounder how long you have been working for the German company and if you have to learn their language.

You look like a very hard worker.

What do you do for fun?

Edith Arencibia

To Luis Fernando

Hi, Luis.

I've never gone to Canada, but my friend said it is very nice there.
Staying in different country is hard, but it is, also very interesting, and exciting.

I bet your wife will like it there.We move almost every four year.

I like it because I got to learn new things and meet new people, and it is very interesting.

Saowanee

To Maria Eugenia

Hi Maria Eugenia!
How are you?
Good to know that you have 3 children. I´m married too but I still haven´t kids yet. We love kids.
We have a project to live in Canada next year. I think it is a better place to raise the kids.

Well, I have to work know and see you later.
Thank you for comment.

Bye!

Fellipe Gatto

To Ruth

Hi, Ruth.

You said, "Dear Carla, I came to the U.S. to live a better life. My plans for the future are to learn English very well. One difficult part of living in a foreign country that speaks English is the language!What do I miss most from my home country? – My family!"

Many people from my country also go to the US to live a better life. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they realize that there's no better life than closer to the ones you love! How are your impressions on this issue?

Well, I can see you are doing your best in the US to learn English. I'm sure Dennis, your teacher, will help you a lot, for he is a very special person who cares about the others.

When I lived abroad, in the US and in Italy, I also missed my family. At that time, it was hard to be in touch with them. Phone calls were extremely expensive and there was no Messenger, chats, etc that make our life easier and communication at the click of the mouse!

How do you keep in touch with your family? Who do you miss the most?

Beijos,
Carla

To Karen, Kelly, and Paulo

Dear Karen, Kelly, and Paulo.

I hope you are fine.
You asked me some questions.

First, you asked, "Hw do you make a living in the United States?"
— I'm a homemaker, so I don't get a paycheck, but I work hard helping with many projects at church and taking care of two beautiful daughters and one great husband!

Second, you said, "Do you like living there (in the U.S.)?"
— Absolutely! I love the United States!

Third, you wrote, "Do you miss your country?"
— Sometimes, but my life is much better here and my daughters were born here. However, when I have time and money, I go on vacations—sometimes to México, sometimes to other parts of the U.S.

Now I have some questions for you:

How do you make a living in Brazil?

What part of your country do you like the best and why?

María Teresa

__________________________

Hi, Karen and Kelly and Paulo.

I'm making my living as a loader in an Albertson's warehouse. Alberton's is the name of a chain of supermarkets here, and the warehouse is a distribution center for the food that it sells.

I like to live here in Arizona although the weather in the summer is really hot!

Yes, I miss my country. I really miss my country, my friends, and some members of my family!

Manuel

To Paulo

Dear Paulo, I appreciate that you like to learn different languages because that is very important when you travel.

You don't know what happened to me! When I went to Disneyland the first time 13 years ago, I watched the shows and I didn't understand anything! Yes, I had a good time, but I still didn't understand anything!

Now it's a little bit different. Actually, it's much different because now I understand much more. I don't remember if you are married or not, but I think you will have a good future because you are very enthusiastic about the things that you love doing.

Teresa

_______________________________

How are you, Paulo?

My name is Martha.

I would like to learn about you, and I like to travel, too; those are the important things we like to do. For me, it is really important to be happy in life. I'm studying English in the morning, and in the afternoon, I spend my time with my family.

My future plan is to be a nurse.

Martha

To Daise

Hi once again, Daise!

Well, I see that you graduated in 1979, and I think according to my math, you found your job right away.

Congratulations!I know you like to travel, and I want to know what place you would most like to visit. I'm a simple person who doesn't have enough money to travel, but I like to travel, too, and I hope to go to Brazil some day. If I can make the trip some day, what place or what state can you recommend to me?

Back to your question, the one about delicious Mexican food, I am going to say that almost every Mexican dish has pepper, but it isn't necessarily hot. Mole poblano is one of the most popular Mexican dishes; it is made with rice and beans. The beans have cumin, red chili pepper, and chocolate! You can make mole poblano with chicken or turkey.

Well, Daise, I think this is a good conversation, but sometimes I won't have time to answer quickly and I'm also not good at writing!

However, I still look forward to your comments!

Manuel

How do I celebrate Easter?

I'm Mario Felix and I had never been in the U.S.A. on that holiday until this year, so I went to Sedona with some friends from my job.
Sedona is a small city close to Phoenix and it is really beautiful. My friends and I went to the river and the water there was too cold, but that did not matter because we took a shower.

We had a lot of fun on that day because I do not "hang out" very often since I am usually working or studying and I do not have much free time.

Mario

To Edith

Hi, Edith.

It was great to hear from you. Of course, being in a foreign country where people speak a different language is tough! However, I feel that you're overcoming barriers, going to College, and interacting in ENGLISH with my dear students. So it's a fantastic victory!

So are you pregnant? When is the baby due?

I have two little kids. Caio is 3 and Dudu (Eduardo) is 5. They are the joy of my life and the reason of my happiness and feeling of fullfillment!

I'm sure that the Mexican food in the US is not the same as in your country. It happens the same with us, Brazilians. The barbecue they have in the US doesn't even get close to the one we have here!!! And how about beans?! Can you imagine canned beans? This is kind of a "sin" to Brazilians. Generally, we have rice and beans everyday during lunch time.

What's your favorite food? Do you cook?
I love cooking!

Hope to hear more from you soon.

Carla

To Marina

Hi, Marina,

Thanks for writing me.I'm married and I have two kids. I was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. I study English at EMCC, but I also spend as much time as I can with my family. Every Thursday, I play indoor soccer with all my family. It is fun and is just a hobby, but I really enjoy it.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Mariana Rivera

To Marilda and Karina,

Hello, Marilda and Karina.

I'm married and I have three kids. I'm a medical doctor (a surgeon).The main attractions for tourists in my country are the beaches and historical sites. The principal beaches are, for example, at Cancún, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán. The historical sites include the pyramids at Teotihuacán (made by the Aztecs) and the monuments at Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, and Tulum (made by the Mayas). There are also sacred cenotes (natural holes in the jungle that were holy places for ancient Mexican people). All of these are principal attractions in my country.

My hobbies: I enjoy classical music, walking every day in the afternoon, good literature, hunting, and fishing.See you next time!

Dr. Martínez and family

P.S. I should tell you that I not too long ago, I was in Manaus and Belém helping the Indians (the Bora-bora and the Jivaros, too). The next time I write, I'll tell something about the story of my trip to Brazil.

_______________________


Hello, Jesús Martinez.

I'm so happy to talk to you.

I'm very surprised that you know Brazil (Belém and Manaus). I think you had a nice trip with the Indians.

Me, I live in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Brasília is only 44 years old. Have you heard anything about my city? When do you intend to return to my country?

In what hospital do you work? I guess do you have a nice job. I'm a public lawyer here. I love my job, but sometimes it's stressing.

Sorry, I'm studying English and I have some mistakes. I love to learn English. I study French, too.

As you, I like classical music, too and I love walking in the park.

Can you tell me about your hunting and fishing? And about what literature do you prefer?

In this month, me and my family we are very sad because my mother-in-law died on the last April 10.

See you later.

Marilda

_______________________


Hello, Marilda and Karina.

I'm glad to see your answers.

My country is divided into five regions also: the North (Northeast, Northwest), the Center, and the South (Southeast, Southwest). In the northern region, it is too hot in the summer, but we have beautiful cities there. The central region is where I'm from. This region is beautiful because it is not hot and it is not cold. All the seasons are nice. In the southern part, we have beautiful places because everything is green all the time. My town is small, but in it, you can see people from all over the world, especially Canadians and Americans. The weather is nice because we have a lake.

Next time, I will send you some pictures.

María

Shu-fen's (Isabelle's) Introduction

Hi, my name is Wang, Shu-fen in Chinese. It is difficult to remember and pronounce, so I have an English name, "Isabelle," for everyone outside my country. I come from Taiwan, which is an island in Asia. People sometimes call it "Formosa," which means 'a beautiful island.'

I am very lucky that this is my 4th time to the States! I will stay here until next June or December. I am very excited to have this opportunity to talk about my culture with you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.

Best wishes to all--

Isabelle

HAPPY EASTER from the Brazilians!

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Dear friends in Arizona,

How do you celebrate Easter?

Well, in Brazil, it´s a time to be with the family, some go to the church and pray, kids get chocolate eggs after having waited anxiously for the bunny to come!

Generally, families get together for lunch time and prepare a special lunch to celebrate. In my house, I prepare a special breakfast for my family, the kids get up very early to check what treats the easter bunny had left for them, then we go to my aunt´s house. She loves chamapgne. So there´s brunch with chamapgne! After it, it´s time to go to my in-laws for lunch. We had a wonderful barbecue. My father-in-law is from the South of Brazil, so barbecue is his specialty.

For dessert? Chocolate, of course! I made them myself filled with nuts cream and brigadeiros!!! It was a delicious day together with my family!

How about you? Do you celebrate Easter? Is there any special tradition in your family?

Above, you can see some of the pictures I took today.
We´re waiting for you in Brazil!

Happy Easter!

Carla

HAPPY EASTER from Dennis and the Writing III students at EMCC!

Olá to Carla, Selma, and students.

Wow!

I was amazed last night when Carla and I were both publishing photos and introductions, and I was amazed even more this afternoon when I saw the messages for María, Mariana, Dr. Jesús, Esmeralda, Edith, and Ruth from Marilda and Karina, Luis Fernando and Daise, Carla, and others.

Carla wrote this to my students: "I'm delighted to read your introductions! You are such an eclectic and multicultural group . . . ." I feel exactly the same way. Your introductions were very impressive and, like my group, you showed a fantastic variety of careers, favorite pastimes, goals, and personal comments.

Carla also wrote that she considers me a dear friend even though we have never met face to face. I feel the same way about her! We "met" last summer, when we were taking an online class together. Our friendship has continued, and gotten better and better!

In addition, I have the same feelings about my students that Carla does about the students at CTJ: like all of you, my students are "fantastic human beings" and they also "enlighten my week."

My students and I look forward to our joint project!

Até mais ver—

Dennis Oliver
Another Enthusiast of this International Exchange!

Replies by María, Mariana, and Dr. Martínez are posted in the comments to the message by Marilda and Karina (below).

Hi, Maria Onofre,

Why did you go to the USA?

Do you know Brazil? If not, are you curious to know about our country?

In fact, Brazil has a lot of beaches, we have different cultures in its five regions. Brazilians are very nice, lively and friendly.

---

Hello, Mariana Rivera,

What do you study at Estrella Mountain College?

How old are you?

Do you know Brazil?

---

Hello, Jesús,

We loved to hear that there are beaches in your city. In Brazil, there are a lot of beaches, too.

What are the main attractions for the tourists in your country?

What do you do for a living?

Do you have kids?

What are your hobbies?

Marilda and Karina

Regarding the team Ruth roots for in Colombia, she said this:

"The team that I like in Colombia is Santa Fe."

Dear Ruth,

We are sorry! Colombia has good soccer. We've always played the World Cup and we have the best soccer in the world!

Which team do you root for in Colombia?

Luis Fernando and Daise

---

Dear Esmeralda,Edith and Ruth,

Why did you decide to move to the US?

What are your plans for the future?

What is the difficult part of living in a foreign country?

What do you miss the most from your home country?

Carla Arena

See the comments after Carla's message for replies to her questions by Ruth, Edith, and Esmeralda.

Saowanee, Emerson, and Mario are having quite a good conversation.
(See the comments below.)

Dear Mario,

What kind of food do you cook?

How is living with your uncle far from your parents?




Dear Saowanne,

What's your job?

What do you like to do when you are not working?

How often do you visit Thailand?

Marina, Igor, Fellipe and Emerson

María Teresa has written some very interesting answers to Karen, Kelly, and Paulo in the comments after their questions.

See the comments for the questions by Karen, Kelly, and Paulo to read Manuel's answers.

Dear Maria Eugenia, Manuel and Teresa,

We have some questions for you:

How do you make a living in the United States?

Do you like living there?

Do you miss your country?

Karen, Kelly and Paulo

Mario has posted a message to Marina. See the comments under her introduction.

Marina

Hi, my name is Marina. I’m a psychologist and I love to do that. My job is the best because I love people. The clinic I work at is great and I need to travel twice a week to go to seminars.
I’m a clown and give clown classes. I love to do that.
I love cartoons and comedies. I love to listen to music and to know what happens all over the world.
I have a boyfriend, Victor. He is a great biologist. Nowadays, we have a very nice relationship.
I love to travel, I love to eat and I love my MP3 player that is broken, which makes me crazy!

Marina

María Eugenia and María have written comments to Felipe and Kelly.

Fellipe

Hi! My name is Fellipe Gatto. I live in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. I’m 31 years old. I study English at Thomas Jefferson. I work at Globo, a TV network. It is the biggest network in Brazil, the fifth in the world. I’d like to have a job in the US, at PIXAR. I want to work with computer graphics in movies. I’ve been working with computer graphics since I was 21 years old. Now, I’m prepared to work at PIXAR!

Fellipe