Schuman: English In Action creates community connections

Working as a tutor for English In Action is such a rewarding and valuable part of my life!

I spend time with an adult student who wants to learn English — to speak, to read, and to write. My students want to work and participate in their new community. Our time together is enriching and fun, sometimes playing charades or drawing pictures to understand each other. Real love develops!

Can you imagine the courage it would take to leave your country, family, and friends to start over? How hard it must be to live, work, and raise children in a foreign country?

In the Roaring Fork Valley, we have many immigrants trying to make a better life. Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and even Aspen are home to robust communities of immigrants. In those towns, social services exist to help our immigrant neighbors thrive. Snowmass is much more isolating, but that’s where English In Action comes in.

For my adult learner, meeting with an English In Action tutor is so much more than just language skills. I am a friend, an advocate, and a guide. We ask each other questions about cultural norms and nuances. We laugh a lot.

I have gained so much appreciation for our immigrant community. They are loving, giving, hopeful people, and so thankful for the time I give. I meet with my student once a week. In the summer, we often meet outside in Snowmass Village. Each pair has a match advisor. My advisor lives in Snowmass Village. She is always available to join us, supply new materials, and offer encouragement. This has been great.

My first student is a mom from Mexico, and she wanted to focus on grammar. She has two girls in Aspen High School. Four years have gone by, and we are now very close friends.

My newest student wants to improve, so that she can work in a professional capacity, utilizing the experience from her life in Columbia. Language is the only thing holding her back.

Become a tutor. Gain a new friend. I encourage all my Snowmass neighbors to give English In Action a call at 970-963-9200 or visit englishinaction.org.

Linda Schuman

Snowmass Village