by Mario Flores López
These reflections on multilingual practices are part of a cumulative project from Kathleen Guerra’s Spring 2023 ASEM: The politics of bilingualism in the US. Students were asked to reflect on how multilingual practices, coupled by the formal and informal language policies in their communities, have cumulatively shaped their identities.
I was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico where people only speak in Spanish. Therefore, my education was fully in Spanish. Since young, I put a lot of effort into school and always tried to stand out among the students. This worked out for me very well, since my first year of elementary school I was regarded as the smart member of my family and the smartest student in my grade. During my last semester at high school, I got a letter from the US consulate that invited me to go to their office and do an interview to become a US resident. The interview went well and got my residency that same week. After coming to the US, I did not think about the conflicts I would have with my identity in a foreign country and its linguistic politics. I moved to Avon, CO, a great touristic spot for skiing and outdoor activities. My neighborhood was full of Latino communities that mainly speak Spanish. In addition, the increase in the standards of living compared to my life in Mexico added to my conformity of not learning English. However, over time I came to the realization that speaking only Spanish limited my social class mobility opportunities. For instance, I cleaned rooms for people that had much more money than me and what they all had in common is that they are proficient in English. That ignited my desire to learn English to be able to enjoy those privileges that others in the country have because of their linguistic privileges.
During this time, my sister informed me of the free English classes that were taking place in the local public library. I attended these classes for a couple of weeks and realized that I had a talent for learning a second language. I decided to pursue a more rigorous and challenging education in English. Therefore, I enrolled in an ESL class at my local community college. There I met many like-minded people from many different countries trying their hardest to learn the language to finally integrate into the American culture. After a year of ESL classes, I decided to pursue a higher education degree and a job that involved using mainly English. I began working in maintenance at a local hotel and taking a full-time coursework schedule at my local community college. These were some of the most mentally challenging months of my life. I had a hard time paying attention to my teachers during lectures at school and sometimes had a hard time communicating with guests at work. I often felt criticized for my accent and the way I pronounced words. I first thought that those were silly jokes, but over time I came to realize those comments were rooted in xenophobia. Finally, after three years of school learning in English and using English in most social interactions, I still find myself struggling when speaking, listening, and reading in English.
After transferring to a private university, I began having an identity crisis and started to focus on the differences between other students and myself. Over time I made friends and realized that I am in a better place than I was when I first came here. At first, I felt that my goal had to be to work tirelessly to earn enough money to build a house in Mexico and retire there. Now I strive to achieve greater professional goals like a well-paying and fulfilling job. Additionally, I now have found a community where I feel that I belong. Looking back, most of my personal and academic achievements trace back to when I took the initiative to learn English. Despite using mainly English in school and with my friends, I have learned to balance and maintain my Mexican roots. I refuse to have my past stripped away by means of cultural assimilation.
Despite the struggles I had, I recognize the value of ESL classes to maneuver my way through this country. I recognize the importance of homogeneity in educational institutions to administer and teach everyone equally. Learning English allowed me to pursue my professional goals and to connect with more people in this country. Hence, I believe that immigrants should be facilitated and encouraged to learn English through ESL classes. Furthermore, these courses should not be to force an assimilation of immigrants into the country’s culture, but rather to enhance their chances and increase their potential contribution to the country in cultural, social, and economic aspects. The outcomes will be higher economic output and an increase in human capital which will ultimately benefit society as a whole. Additionally, this will augment the social interactions among different cultural groups. By learning English immigrants will be able to interchange aspects of their culture with English monolinguals. Lastly, people will be able to connect with other people in the country and thus create a space of belonging by facilitating communication among people from various backgrounds. Overall, by not facilitating immigrants to learn the lingua franca of the country, there is a loss of talent and cultural growth in the country. Therefore, the role of the government, in this instance, is to dissipate the gaps of opportunities through free English courses and inform immigrants about their opportunities for professional and personal growth.