Academic Explorations

schools were very small. We had a lot of fun, and a lot of activities together. We became a team. There were many times we would also play “concert.” We would get a stick and pretend it was a microphone, and we would sing and put on a show. When we were older, we did not forget each other. I have been to their weddings and now we are still all friends on social media. Those girls from elementary school were my first friends I have ever had.

My Mom Maria

Wedmara S Da Silva-Popke

Brazil, Level 2

My mom has always been always a big example for me. She sacrificed herself to always give to me and to my sister the best opportunities in the life. She had a very hard life when she was young, so she always worked so hard to give me and my sister a better education, so this way, we can have better life than she has in her past.

She was teaching us to be strong and believe in God and ourselves. She was teaching us always to be honest and polite to the others. I think I have a very good personality because how my mom raised me. I also think I learned how to be responsible and hard working with her too.

I admire her, and I always do my best to be good for her and help her. She gives us many opportunities, and she puts us always before her, and this shows how much love my mom has for me and for my sister.

I love my mom, she is always going to be loved, and she is always going to be an example to all my family. I am so happy the see how good grandma she is to my nephew and to my niece, and I pray to God, to one day my mom will have the opportunity to be a good grandma to my child too. This is one to my big dreams, and I know God is always listening to my prayers.

Young Love

You are my pain, you are my gain You are forgiver of my sin You are my way you are light In every path you are my right I am just fish you are my sea You are power in my two knees You are my eyes you are my sight You are my dream in every night You are my words you are my poem I am like sand you are the storm I am getting weak give me once shock You are my laugh you are my talk You are my sound you are song You were alright but i was wrong You are my love don’t say it´s ban I know you’re sky accept me sun I was just thorn as a small horn You are young love i was just born

Mohammad Wasim Safi

Afghanistan, Level 2

What Made Me Happy

Favour Eze

Nigeria, Level 3

“The three gifts of marriage are companionship, passion and purpose. It is God’s gift to us, designed to bring us joy and Him glory. With this gift He covered our aloneness, providing us with the hope of companionship, and the joy of connected intimacy,” said Chris Grace. Marriage is a union between two adults who have mutual understanding and agreement to be together for better or for worse. There has been a lot of events and ceremonies in my life, but the one that keeps leaving a smile on my face was the decision I made to get married. In my country, unmarried women don’t have right whether they are home or abroad, so getting married was not just a gift from God it was indeed a miracle. Also, it came with lot of joy giving me the feeling of having a life partner, unconditional love, a sense of security, purpose, and protection.

First, having a companion and someone to share life experience with is a great blessing for me to date. Before I got married, life left me with no choice other than to sometimes think that I am unfortunate since loneliness was taking the best part of me. I went to events and ceremonies alone, always the third party, while my friends were with their husbands, until he came along with promises of everlasting care, to love and to hold. For example, during the outbreak of covid-19 last year, I was infected with the virus and was very sick. He stood by me, took care of me, even when my symptoms were gone, He said “Just rest, you need it.” He did all house chores, cooked, and slept on the same bed with me, he did not stay away as instructed. According to Chris Grace, “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh— illustrates the supreme joy of being connected.” Together as one, we have shared our pain, sickness, and joy together: He is always there to listen and give opinions. He is just an amazing man, in him I found a soul mate, a companion and a faithful husband who goes out of his was to make sure his wife is comfortable and happy.

Second, the feeling of commitment, love, trust, and honesty has been my everyday experience ever since I got married. We became so committed to one another by building trust and honesty each step of the way. In my home there is nothing like inferiority complex or superiority over another, despite the difference in nationality and language. He always manifests the act of selflessness, giving without asking anything in return. For instance, immediately after I registered for my STNA classes, covid 19 broke out. Also, the driving school got canceled, so he did not only take me for my STNA class, but he also found a driving school in Akron since we couldn’t get one in Cleveland. He registered me and drove me to Akron twice a week until I got my driver’s license. This is what I call commitment and sacrifice in marriage. In addition, when I got admission to study nursing at Tri-C, knowing my old laptop was having some malfunctioning with the keys he surprised me with a brand-new Dell laptop as a congratulation gift.

Finally, marriage has given me someone to lean on, feeling secure, protected, emotionally and physically, because challenges are always there. For example, last semester was my first time to study in the United States It was kind of stressful and overwhelming, coupled with lots of assignments, internet issues because I was not too good in operating internet. He was there to guide, help and encourage me. He taught me most things I know today and until date he is still teaching me. Furthermore, it got to a time I could not handle work and school together, he asked me to drop the full-time job and work part time, so I go to work twice every week, and every other weekend. When am sick God uses him to take all my worry and anxiety aways with his kind words of comfort and hope saying, “It is well with you.” That is why I call him my bundle of joy. (Meaning my loved one).

In Conclusion, my marriage was, and it is still a testimony, a thing of joy that I will be ready to share over and over again. Among millions of people that exists in this planet, it’s as if the universe conspired to make us man and wife. It’s a beautiful feeling that I feel deep inside, it’s a feeling that will last forever. It gives me joy, peace, and lots of beautiful memories of having a wonderful life partner. I am so happy each time I know that there is someone always waiting for me to come back home when ever am outside. Someone to lean on and be encouraged by when it feels like life challenges are never ending. In addition, getting married creates a beautiful memory about marriage in me, for it was not just about having a life partner, is about finding the right person for me, because I strongly believe that there is someone somewhere that is destined for every person, for me it came with lot of joy giving me the feeling of having a life partner, unconditional love, sense of security, purpose, and protection in life.

Work Cited Chris. G. (2015, July 17). The three gifts of marriage: companionship, passion, and purpose. Biola university. Center for marriage & relationship. hhtps:// cmr.biola.edu/blog/2015/July/17/three -gifts-marriage-companionship-passion-and-purpose/

those who live alone

those who live alone are frightening they measure life by their loneliness they cook as if for solitude not a bite less not a bite more they fasten the back chains of dresses themselves cursing from the first to the last heaven then they rejoice they did not need anyone

Elona Culiq

Albania, Level 3

those who live alone are frightening they set the tables nicely they cook good meals always as for holidays and they sit down to eat alone with their favorite music in the background or in the worst case when they feel nostalgic they rummage through the digital walls of friends’ life

those who live alone are not afraid of the dark they do not get disturbed when the cake is burned in the oven do not bother about stacks of unfolded clothes or for a delayed coffee with friends

they are fine they are alone

they get used without realizing it with absence of another plate on the table closing the back chain of the dress with one hand and combs their hair with one hand before going to bed with one hand stretching the bundles of a hard day

those who live alone are frightening they go to the park alone they walk alone they drink coffee alone they talk to themselves they quarrel and swear with themselves about the paths they should take and they finally decide themselves about it they lie on the grass then they read let’s say 232 pages of a book without ever interrupting themselves

those who live alone are frightening and the most dangerous to live with

Looking Forward

The Future for Myself, My Family, and the World

Altina Ago

Albania, Level 1

I wish for a bright future for myself, my family, and the world. For myself, I want to have a new career in the medical field. I would like to work in the hospital. After two years I will be a US citizen, and this makes me happy. After many years I want to visit Europe and Australia. I would love to visit foreign countries. For my family, I have so many wishes. Actually wishes for my family never end, but above all, I wish for health and happiness for them. First, I want my two kids to finish school, and go to the best universities. My daughter is eleven years old. Her dream is to be a model. My son is nine years old, and he wants to be a soccer player. I want them to realize their dreams. I will support them all my life. Second, I hope my husband will start a new job. He is trying very hard to start next year. He wants to have his own truck. He worked in our country for ten years, so he wants to work here too. After twenty years I imagine my family being bigger with grandchildren. I love kids, so I will be a lovely grandma. Finally, after all these wishes for me and my family, I wish no more viruses in the world. I think if this world continues like this, happiness in people’s lives will disappear. People are depressed, and they don’t enjoy life. I wish for peace in many countries in the world. Last wish is for nature. People want this world to be a paradise, but they are destroying nature. They should be more responsible, for the place where they are living. These are my hopes for myself, my family, and the world.

My Story

Amith Gurung

Nepal, Level 2

My name is Amith Gurung and I was born in Nepal and that is located in Asia. About my family I would like to say that I’m very happy that I was born into this wonderful family who has always loved me and always has been there for me. They are very lovable and kind. They work very hard every day and night just so that we have food in our table tonight. I speak Nepali and English but Nepali is my native language. I went to Thomas Jefferson for middle school. I also went to John Marshall School High School and that’s where I finished my high school and got my diploma. I only have one favorite subject and that is history. I just love learning about history and want to know more what had happened in the past. In the past I had worked in the company called produce packaging where you cut fresh vegetables and pack them and transport those goods. Currently I am not employed. I am learning English so that I would be able to interact with native speaker more and also thought it would help me in my jobs in future. I live in United States of America permanently so it would be mandatory for me to learn English. My goal is to learn English as much as I can. My dream is that one day hopefully the sport of soccer will take me somewhere high. I do not have any special talents but I do have hobbies and that are playing video games and going to fishing. In my free time I like to mix things up I don’t always like to do the same thing over and over again. Sometimes I hang out with friends and family. I spend a lot time with my relatives also because we are always there for each other. I would like to tell my family and friends that I love them very much. I’m sure they do to.

Thank you very much.

Who I Am Today

Andreia Georgescu

Romania, Level 3

The person that I am today is working toward becoming a nurse. The four promoters of my path are my mother’s illness, working as a home care aid for eight years in Italy, studying to become a social worker, and working in a factory. The first and the most influential impact that has given rise to form me today was caring for my mom.

I was seventeen years old when I was catapulted into a nightmare. One day, my mom received the most terrifying news that she has cancer. No one is trained how to face this kind of situation. Suddenly, I had to become an adult. I moved overnight from the teenager world into a world of adults. I had to take care of my mom, my house, go to school, and all this situation was amplified by the most heartbreaking emotion by losing the most important reference point of my life, my mom. Her calvary ended after five months because she passed away, but mine continues because doesn’t exist a due date for mourning. My ability in taking care of my mom led me to make a decision when I had the opportunity to find a job such as home care in Italy.

I was twenty-six years old when I decided to emigrate my first time in Italy. My experience with my mom’s illness gave me the chance to work for eight years as home care for elderly people. During this time, I realized that taking care of people is fulfilling. Seeing their gratitude for what you do, support them in their physical needs, and even mental support because I listen to them when they need to talk with somebody. Knowing that I can relieve their loneliness I feel I am like a cure for them. Spending day by day with them I’ve matured my decision to become a social worker to be helpful for many more people. And finally, I decided to enroll in a university to become a social worker.

My decision to become a social worker was the result of my experiences in taking care of people. I’ve studied three years, and once I finished my studies, I was in training for more than one year. I’ve started this academic adventure with an explosive enthusiasm. Once in the field of my training I realized that I didn’t feel that kinds of sensations that I was expecting to feel, something was missing. What was missing has a name, its name is interaction. I love to interact directly, face to face with people not through papers where they are assigned such as case number. With a heavy heart I dropped out my last three exams. Meanwhile, as I was studying, I met my husband who had lived for twenty years in the U.S. In this way I decided to emigrate for the second time.

In 2016 I came in the U.S., and after three months I started to work in a factory. During this occasion I met my best friend here in the U.S. and we spent every day working together, getting to know each other. Working and spending at the same time with my best friend was such a good period of my live, but professionally I was feeling

unsatisfied. Working with machines was so depressing because they are just an accumulation of irons, make a lot of noise, and spending eight hours every day, interacting only with them I felt so empty inside. Only because of my friendship I continued to work there, but I was feeling incomplete. Another reason that scared me to change my job was my inadequacy in speaking English, but one day suddenly, I decided that I would’ve put all my efforts for finding my real job. And finally, I decided to face all my concerns about not being able to speak perfectly English and consequently not have-new prospects for my future. My determination helped me to begin my new job as a PCA (patient care assistant) in a hospital. And this is only the beginning of working toward my goal, becoming a nurse.

Along our path we have to deal with unexpected events, and our lives depending on how we react at them, and what we decide in that moment. Before my mom’s illness I wanted to become for my mom desire a lawyer, but after her death my internal emotion have taken over the future events in my life. I can conclude that my cardinal points to become a nurse are my biggest loss of my life, my mom, my dear people I took care of, my failure becoming a social worker, and my discontent for working in a factory. I’m only at the beginning but I’m on my right way.