My name is Katia and I came to this country 8 years ago. My story is similar to other immigrant stories that come here to realize the American dream, leaving behind family, friends, habits, and memories. However, trying to realize your dreams is not as easy as we think. Our first barrier is the language, so we can’t work doing the same job that we used to do in our countries, and this was my case. The first two years I didn’t have the possibility to go college because of the schedule at my job, but someone spoke to me about Project Second Chance and the great opportunity to get a tutor working with me at no cost! So I went to the PSC office and very kindly Laura and Megan helped me find my tutor. After 1 month of my visit my tutor Arnavaz called me to schedule our first meeting. Of course, I was nervous but she made me feel comfortable and confident. Working with her changed my life. First, I started growing in my job and eventually became the General Manager at the store where I worked. Second, I can now go run errands, or go to my daughter’s school, and talk with others without feeling intimidated.
After 6 years of tutoring I’ve grown into a confident English speaker this wouldn’t have been possible without the help of my lovely tutor. Even though our tutoring is finished I’m happy to say that she has become one of my best friends. Now, new challenges await me as I study in College and work to accomplish a bigger dream.