|
|
First Lessons
Carlsbad, California (near San Diego) 1988
He was from Oaxaca and had never spent a day in school anywhere. He
had applied for the amnesty program for illegal immigrants. Part of the deal
was he had to learn English. All of these men (ranging in age from 19 to 50)
who worked at this one huge tomato growing plantation came to English
classes provided by a volunteer group which was associated with the local
health care clinic, which brought me here. The men got off work at
5p.m. and by 5:30 they were in the packing shed to learn English. The
teachers taught from 5:30 until 8p.m.. The men said that they would come on
Saturdays and stay as long as the teachers would teach. When I was walking
around the foothills photographing the men's tiny hand built shelters they
would practice their newly acquired English on me,"Hello, photographer! How
are you today."
|
|
|