“I was a little bit disoriented after graduating high school. I was a conditional resident at the time. I wanted to go to UT. But because of my status, I would have had to pay non-resident fees. Our family could not afford the tuition. And I couldn’t get financial aid because of my status.

“It seemed like all I was hearing was ‘no.’ I was starting to feel like college wasn’t a possibility. So I spent that next fall working at Chick-fil-A. I knew I was smart. And I knew my parents wanted me to go to school and do something. So finally I was like, OK.

“I woke up one day and decided I would go to Lee College. We lived close by, so I crossed the field and walked to the college.

“I didn’t know where to go. But I met a groundskeeper. His name was Jesse, and he spoke Spanish. I told him, ‘I want to come to school here. Do you know where I need to go?’ And of course because I’m Hispanic, he was like, ‘Oh, mija, yes. You can come to school. Yes, you are going to come here.’

“He got off his little tractor and walked over to me and said, ‘Do you see that building over there, Moler Hall? You need to go in there, go to the counseling center, and ask for Ramon. He’s a counselor. He’s going to help you. You tell him that I sent you. You can come to school here.’”

— Ahime Ornelas

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• Bilingual student lived in two different worlds
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“I attended elementary schools that had a bilingual program up until fourth grade. That’s when I transitioned to all English at San Jacinto Elementary. I remember it being a shock. I went from doing very well in class and being very verbal to going into a classroom where I felt intimidated. I felt that everybody was smarter than me because I didn’t speak as fluently as they did. So I just got quiet.

“I didn’t feel like I could compete academically. Even though I still felt I was smart, I had lost confidence. I stayed on par as far as my assessments. I would pass everything. I just didn’t blossom. I wasn’t a leader.

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“I’m Indian American. My parents emigrated from India after my dad found a good engineering job over here. It was about two years before I was born.

“I was bilingual at a very young age. Since my parents really emphasized education, I was prepared for school from that standpoint. But I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to integrate socially. What was I supposed to wear? How was I supposed to fit in? I didn’t know what the social cues were going to be, so I kind of had to pick that up myself.

“Through the years, I’ve become pretty well adjusted. But even today, I’m still trying to balance my cultures. I travel to India almost every two years. I’m going again this winter. But it’s always a little odd for me because the cultures are so different.

“My friends and I founded an international club at our school. We all celebrate our diversity and promote cultural awareness. Through that, I have become more confident in talking about my heritage.”

— Divya Singh

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• ‘I feel like I’m more than just my grades’
• Student finds balance in Indian, American cultures

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“I’m going back to school to become a bilingual teacher so I can work with younger kids.

“We speak English with our daughter. But my mom only speaks Spanish, and I grew up initially only knowing Spanish because I was around her while my dad worked all the time. That made it hard when I went to school. It wasn’t until fourth grade that I finally tested into full English.

“I know they have bilingual programs in the schools now, but I think they could be better. Some kids are still struggling with the language barrier. I’d like to be part of helping them make that transition so they have the tools they need to be successful.”

— Genesis Torres

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• Mother, daughter pay a visit to ‘book heaven’

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“I’ve always enjoyed helping people. When our church has food drives I help with the paperwork, like assisting people who can’t read or write, or translating for people who can’t speak English.”

Are you bilingual?
“I don’t speak Spanish fluently, but I’m getting better. Growing up, my parents mostly spoke to us in English. Now, it’s kind of late, but I want to learn. Our neighbors speak Spanish, so I try to talk with them as much as I can. In the past three years since they moved here, I’ve learned quite a bit.

“I’m studying to become a health information technician, where I’ll be dealing with paperwork for doctors and nurses. They say if you learn to translate, you can earn up to double the money. That’s one of the reasons I’m trying to learn more and more Spanish.”

— Sylvia Casco

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“I’m going back to school to become a bilingual teacher. I love working with kids and I’m bilingual, so it seems like a natural fit.

“They have an opportunity to learn so much when they’re young. I want to be part of that.

“I wish my 7-year-old son had picked up the language better. But now that I’m speaking Spanish to my baby, my older son seems to be more interested. It’s important to me, so I’m trying my best.”

— Luci Gonzalez

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