Moving to a completely new place, especially a new country, can be frightening. For Reyna Maybeli Perez, moving to the United States was one of the best decisions that she made for herself. She has been living here for a little over three years, and during that time, she has explored her identity and her professional interests.
As a dedicated employee at Food4Less for the past two years, she has worked as a cart attendant and on the maintenance crew. Currently, she works as a cashier, a role that reflects her increasing confidence in interacting with others. After participating in English Advance, Reyna recognizes more than ever that mastering English is truly essential for both her professional and personal advancement. She notes that the program has been vital not only in her professional growth but also in helping her speak with a diverse group of clients at work.
Reflecting on the challenges of learning English, Reyna highlighted how the program has helped her bridge the gap between speaking and writing English. She explained how the English class has helped her professionally, because “connecting words isn’t quite the same when you write them down as it is when you speak them aloud.”
Although learning a new language can feel intimidating at first, Reyna’s journey highlights the importance of the learning process. English Advance is designed to help students like Reyna feel more comfortable and confident using their English skills in the workplace. Before starting the program, Reyna shared that she felt very nervous and scared about taking an online class for the first time. As she progressed through the English course, she gained the confidence to ask more questions and to advocate for herself. Her transformation from a hesitant learner to a confident self-advocate demonstrates the transformative impact of the program.
Reflecting on her overall experience, Reyna expressed her gratitude, sharing, “Thank God, I’ve been assigned to both supervisors and my manager Frank, who have helped me throughout this process, acting as mentors in a way. They speak to me in English and prompt me on how to respond, and I feel that this is something that is good, as it allows me to keep practicing and improving.” Even though the language barrier was initially a challenge, the encouragement and support Reyna received from her supervisors, manager, and her teacher allowed her to thrive and feel inspired to keep fulfilling her journey towards her English proficiency!
The Forum would like to thank Genesis Mencias-Varela, Workforce Advance Intern, for capturing this story.