EAPWritesMagazine

1

A Literary Magazine of English for Academic
Purposes, Broward College, North Campus
Volume III, Spring and Summer 2020
Editor-in-Chief
Alexandra Mason
Graphic Design
Nazli Amirghasemi
Photography
Alexandra Mason
EAP Faculty Advisors and Editors
Victoria Noorzai
Zorina Sattaur
Jack Sadler
English Faculty Advisors and Editors
Dr. Christopher Gage
William Murphy
Trish Joyce
Assistant
Armelle Saintil

EDITORS’ LETTERS
Where to begin…So much has happened since the release of
EAP Writes Volume II!
Looking back, we overcame significant challenges posed by
COVID-19 and accompanying social distancing restrictions to get
Volume II published. It was only through the tireless effort of our
magazine team members, including our new member Ms. Nazli
Amirghasemi, that we were able to meet our summer 2020 release
deadline.
Fortunately, the continuity and dedication of the EAP Writes team
has brought this third volume to fruition. Special recognition goes
to our new Associate Dean, Ariana Bianchi, whose power of strength
and support during these pandemic times has made this publication
possible. Also new to the team this year is Ms. Erika Neff, Director
of Student Engagement & Cultural Affairs from the Office of Cultural
Affairs, who has offered her department’s financial and production
support.
I am also indebted to my EAP colleagues Jack Sadler, Victoria
Noorzai, and Zorina Sattaur, who encouraged their students to write
and share their works with all of us. Moreover, as with the previous
volumes, my English department colleagues Trish Joyce, Bill
Murphy, and Chris Gage made valuable contributions proofreading
and commenting on the submitted works.
Ultimately, the real stars of our EAP Writes magazine are
our EAP students. They share their hearts and souls with us. They
enlighten us. They help us understand. They make the world a little
bit brighter. We owe them a profound sense of gratitude.
Alexandra Mason, Assistant Professor, English for Academic Purposes
Department, Broward College, North Campus

I am honored to help present the third volume of EAP
Writes! Here, our EAP students continue to impress us with the
stories they have to tell. That was one of the very first things I remember
remarking about EAP students during my first year at
Broward College, as I began getting to know some of them: the fact
that each of them has such a uniquely compelling story to tell. Now,
reflecting their hard work and dedication to academic success, these
students are excited to share their voices and stories in the English
language they have so tirelessly studied. I am sure readers will enjoy
the student entries in this volume as much as I enjoyed the process
of proofreading them.
While each of the voices here is unique, they all share some
of the characteristics we love most about the genres of writing their
works represent: honesty, authenticity, a sense of hope. Suffice it to
say, we are grateful to our EAP students for the inspiration, and we
expect that many readers will find this latest collection as inspiring
as we do!
Chris Gage, Assistant Professor, English Department, Broward College,
North Campus

People from all over the world come to South Florida,
and despite the occasional traffic, we are enriched by their presence.
Some come to visit, some come to stay, but all leave some of
their world here. At Broward College, those of us who teach try to
make our mark on our students, only to realize they make their
marks upon us. Those of us who teach English are especially indebted,
as those marks are made through the world of language,
the stories of cultures, families, and people given life in our classes.
Several of those stories are here in this edition of EAP Writes.
Stories of grandfathers, dreams, soccer games, homemade shoes,
pets, and journeys to a strange and sometimes beautiful land not
only tell us of the exotic but the familiar and remind us the strange
and similar can be found anywhere we look. Here is prose and poetry
from countries such as Ecuador, China, Haiti, Romania, Columbia,
Russia, Peru, Spain, and Brazil, showing us that people are
people wherever they come from and wherever they are; something
that’s both obvious and apparently easy to forget. Here in South Florida,
it is impossible to forget this, and we are daily grateful for the
gifts our new residents have given us.
William Murphy, Adjunct Professor, English Department,
Broward College, North Campus

POEMS
12
13
15
17
Binka Kirova
A Woman
Binka Kirova
Dream
Binka Kirova
Florida
Binka Kirova
Miss World
SHORT COMPOSITIONS
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
Yadisley Amengual
My Green Shoes
Yadisley Amengual
Differences between Men and Women in Southern Italy
Yelitza Mejias
My Three Goals for This Year
Kamar Aboulreesh
A Difficult Decision
Josy Pimenta
FIFA World Cup: A Brazilian Passion
Pedro Reyes
The San Fermín Festival
Maria Torres
If I Were a Superhero
Maria Torres
If I Were Able to Communicate with Animals
Deysi Aquino
Things That Make Me Feel Good
Joselene Alce
Communicating with Animals
Joselene Alce
One Thing I Like about Myself
Anastasia Khokholkova
Money vs. Happiness

32
33
34
36
37
38
40
42
44
46
47
48
50
51
52
53
54
55
Nicole Rosario
Facebook versus Instagram
Bianca Mondestin
My Race
Kamar Aboulreesh
The Day I Would Like to Forget
Maria Torres
Winning a Contest
Nayibe Abril
The Privilege
Abigail Arrieta
Cusco: The Capital of the Inca Empire
Tatiane DaSilva
My Childhood’s Special Celebration
Maria Torres
One Thing I Would Like to Have
Petruta Grigoriu
The Great Union Day
Dayane Tessinari
Why Brazil Loves the FIFA World Cup
Tatiane Da Silva
Brand Medications vs. Generic Brands
Pedro Reyes
Differences between Muay Thai and Kickboxing
Greily Ramirez Feliz
If I Won a Million Dollars
Maria Torres
My Favorite Childhood Toy
Valentina Andrade Olaya
Puma the Shih Tzu
Adriana Brenes
Living Together before Marriage
Katherine M. Volquez
My Dream Job
Hariany Vilchez
Becoming an Adult

56
57
58
59
60
Oksana Lipovskaja
My Dream Job
Frisnher Petit
My Definition of Success
Daniel Rincon-Casiero
The Evolution of Video Games
Blanca Cavero
My National Coat of Arms: My Identity
Daria Dzurillova
My Favorite Place
LONGER COMPOSITIONS
63
64
65
66
68
70
72
Yelitza Mejias
One Thing I Would Change in the World
Liliana Faiotto
Childhood Memories
Kamar Aboulreesh
The Worst Day of My Life
Fabienne Fleuranvil
My Mom’s Biography
Qing Zhuang
Florida versus China
Ludy Appolon
An Event That Changed My Life
Raghad Sammouneh
The Effects of Leaving My Hometown

Binka Kirova
Една жена
Една жена........
...с усмивка тъй сияйна,
ти просто си мечта,
прекрасна, нежна, и омайна.
Бъди щастлива и добра!
Греби от здравето с пални шепи!
Вземи от огънят на любовта
и раздай на всички топлина!
Една жена.........!
A Woman
A woman........
... with a smile so radiant,
you’re just a dream,
beautiful, gentle, and charming.
Be happy and well!
May you grab a handful of health!
Seize from the fire of love,
and give everyone warmth!
A woman.........!
EAP Writes
12

Бинка Кирова
Мечта
Всичко започна с една мечта.
Все още малка и наслаждаваща се на младостта,
кипяща от енергия и сила,
когато мислех, че мога да променя света.
Ухаеща на екзотични цветя,
танцуваща в облак от наивност.
С искрящи мисли аз протегнах ти ръце
и шепнех името ти страстно.
С теб аз исках да отида до край света,
с теб аз исках да живея.
Ти любов, мой блян, моя сбъдната мечта,
за теб аз пиша днес и пея.
Песента облечена е в нежни звуци.
Харесва ти нали любов?
Дори и ангелите се усмихват
и изпрашат ни стрели със благослов.
Мечтата ми за теб е музата на моят свят.
Тя е извор на емоции и творчество.
Тя е коренът към всичко най прекрасно,
Ментално чисто, даващо живот.
POEM
13

Binka Kirova
Dream
It all started with a dream.
When I was young,
boiling with energy and strength,
I thought I could change the world.
I smelled of exotic flowers,
dancing in a cloud of naivety.
With sparkling thoughts,
I held out my hands to you
and whispered your name passionately.
With you, I wanted to go to the end of the world.
With you, I wanted to live.
Your love, my dream, my dream come true.
For you, I am writing and singing today.
The song is dressed in gentle sounds.
Do you like it, love?
Even the angels are smiling
and sending us arrows of blessings.
My dream with you is the muse of my world.
It is my source of emotions and creativity.
It is the root of everything most beautiful,
mentally pure, and life-giving.
My dream came true.
EAP Writes
14

Бинка Кирова
Флорида
Колко чудно и красиво
е всичко тук, като във сън
кристално синьо небе и облаци
като от захарен памук!
Със вятър галещ кожата ти,
като от коприна и жарко слънце,
греещо през цялата година.
А морето? То е неуморно диво,
c вълни танцуващи валса
и шепнещи на всички,
„Хей, виж колко съм красиво!“
А птиците на Флорида, уникални,
композиращи незнайни песни
и облечени във цветове
на несъществуващи палитри.
Америка, ти красива си като принцеса
и Флорида е твоята корона,
сияеща като ореол над теб
през цялата година.
POEM
15

Binka Kirova
Florida
How marvelous and lovely
is everything here – like in a dream
A crystal blue sky
and clouds like cotton candy!
The wind caresses our skin
like silk,
and the hot sun shines
all year long.
And the sea? It is tirelessly wild,
with the waves dancing waltz
and whispering to everyone,
“Hey, look how gorgeous I am!”
And Florida’s birds are unique,
composing unheard-of songs
and dressed in colors
of non-existent palettes.
America, you are as stunning as a princess,
and Florida is your crown
shining like a halo over you
all year round.
EAP Writes
16

Binka Kirova
Miss World
Good morning, Miss World!
How are you doing today?
I have just heard you are drinking
café ristretto in Italy right now.
Buongiorno cara mia! Come stai?
You are enjoying a fluffy croissant,
delicious macarons, and jus d’orange.
Bonjour cherie, ca va?
Your beautiful red dress was made in Spain.
Hola, mi corazón! Buenos días!
You adore Brazilian dances and songs.
Bom dia, meu coracao!
Your shiny and amazing beauty
loves fast German cars.
Guten Morgen Liebes! Wie geht’s?
You won an Oscar last month
for the best actress in a leading role.
Awesome! How incredible you are!
Good morning, Miss World! I love you!
You are welcome… always and everywhere!
POEM
17

EAP Writes
18

Yadisley Amengual
My Green Shoes
I was about thirteen years old when the only pair
of shoes which I had broke. Maybe you are thinking, “No
problem; she could buy new shoes.” However, I could not. I
lived in a poor country with an economy destroyed by years
of communism. My mother, a single parent, did not have
any money, so it was a problem to buy even the most basic
necessities. At that point, my mother had the idea of sewing
me a pair of tennis shoes from an old green leather briefcase
and two pieces of a bicycle tire tube as soles. I really
hated wearing those tennis shoes. They were ugly, but I
never complained to my mother even though I felt ashamed
in my very green shoes at school. I could not walk on a sunny
sidewalk because the heat burned my feet, nor could I go
out when it was raining because rain made the shoes wet.
Then one day, my opinion about the shoes changed. I heard
my mother talking to a friend and crying. Because she was
unable to buy me new shoes, she was angry with herself.
At that moment, I understood how difficult it was for my
mother, and I started loving my special new green shoes.
SHORT COMPOSITION
19

Yadisley Amengual
Differences between Men and Women in Southern Italy
I got married when I was twenty years old and
moved from Cuba to Italy with my husband and his family.
I lived there for fifteen years. San Giovanni in Fiore
is a small town in Calabria, a region in south Italy. There,
people are very religious and traditional. The daily life of
people in Southern Italy revolves around unwritten rules,
which are a bit archaic and macho. From an early age,
women are educated to take care of the house and of the
family. Moreover, the society teaches girls that marriage is
sacred and must be kept at any cost. On the other hand, men
are brought up to work and bring home money. Women are
criticized and denigrated for everything they do by their
mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law all the time, while men
are praised for their “hard work” to support the family. It is
not appropriate for women to work or go out alone, while
men can play cards and drink wine in any local bar until
late at night. Luckily, I cannot say this was my case. I am a
Latina, and I come from a family where women have very
strong character. My Italian family accepted me with my
culture and my traditions. We respected each other and still
have a good rapport even though I am no longer married. I
adopted the best parts of their culture, and I treasure them.
EAP Writes
20

Yelitza Mejias
My Three Goals for This Year
I think that the most important thing in life is to
have goals. They are the reason to wake up every day. I
have many goals, and, for this year, I hope to achieve three
of them. My first goal is to continue studying English,
advance through the EAP levels, and complete them all. I
want to be able to understand the language, communicate
better with people, and pass the TOEFL test. My second
goal is to pass the citizenship test. It is very important for
me to become a citizen of the U.S.A. I moved here five
years ago, my son was born in this country, and I hope to
live here for the rest of my life. Finally, my third goal for
this year is to obtain a dental hygienist license. I was a
dentist in Venezuela, and here, in the United States, I need
to pass a test in order to work as a hygienist. My three goals
are closely related because learning English is essential to
achieve all of them. I must study hard for each one, and I
know that, in the end, I will be happy to achieve them.
SHORT COMPOSITION
21

Kamar Aboulreesh
A Difficult Decision
I had a great life in the past. I used to have a life
full of peace, love, and safety, and I never thought anything
bad could happen. That was until one day when my
family’s beautiful and safe life ended. When the war came,
it changed everything and forced me to make a difficult
decision. My options were to either stay in war-torn Syria
or flee to safety with my kids, leaving everything behind.
It was a hard decision, but I chose my kids’ lives above
anything else. The day I made that decision was not an easy
day for me. I knew I would have to start my life over from
zero. It was very difficult, but I had to choose that option. I
did not want my children to grow up in a dangerous environment,
and I did not want them to be around harmful
people. I knew my choice would not be easy; I knew it
would be a bigger challenge for me than for my kids. I left
my mom, sisters, brothers, and everything behind, but as a
parent, I knew I had to sacrifice and do what was best for
my children’s safety and future. My difficult decision was
made more so by circumstances rather than by choice.
EAP Writes
22

Josy Pimenta
FIFA World Cup: A Brazilian Passion
The FIFA World Cup is one of Brazil’s most-loved
events. Passionate Brazilians wait for this event anxiously.
Brazil is the only country that has appeared in all tournaments
since 1930 and has proudly carried the largest number
of trophies (five in total). Every four years, Brazilians
count down the minutes to the beginning of the tournament.
When the games finally begin, the entire country stops all
other activities to watch the games. From north to south,
people display the bright green, golden yellow, and skyblue
colors of their flags, even on their clothing and faces.
During this gigantic celebration, people put their differences
aside, dance to loud music, and eat delicious traditional
meals together. The passion for soccer that Brazilians carry
is so profound that you will see the fans deeply sorrowful
when Brazil loses a game. The passion for the World Cup
started in 1930 and became part of the Brazilian national
identity. Since Brazil has won the World Cup five times,
Brazilians proudly display five stars on their shirts and carry
them in their hearts.
SHORT COMPOSITION
23

Pedro Reyes
The San Fermín Festival
The annual San Fermín Festival is one of the most
popular events in Spain for both locals and tourists. It starts
the first week of July and continues until midnight of the
following week. The festival has a religious and cultural
background, and it honors Pamplona’s first bishop, after
whom the festival was named. Fireworks and singing of
“Pobre De Mí” begin the festival. It is also commonly
known as the “running of the bulls,” with the most famous
event called “El Encierro“ or “Los Toros De San Fermín”
because people run through the city next to the bulls. They
wear white shirts and red bandanas, which symbolize the
red cloth bull riders wave in front of bulls. The red fabric
is also known as “la capa del torero.” This celebration has
been held since 1951, and it attracts approximately one
million tourists to the city of Pamplona. Participating in the
Festival of San Fermín is incredibly exciting as the city fills
up with joy and happiness. San Fermín is a city-wide party
that lasts for an entire week, and people come from all over
the world to celebrate it. In conclusion, the San Fermín Festival
is one of the biggest events in Spain because it brings
together people from all over the country and the world.
EAP Writes
24

Maria Torres
If I Were a Superhero
If I had the opportunity to be a superhero, I would
like to have the power to stop wars. Wars are a big problem
that we have. Unfortunately, too many innocent people
die under unfair circumstances; it is incredible to see how
countries fight for causes such as religion, ideology, land,
or government power. None of these should be a factor for
a war where innocent people die every day. There is not
much help to stop it. It is frustrating to watch the news and
see how children lose their parents, parents lose their children,
and people lose their homes for unjustified causes. I
cannot be indifferent to these things. What does the government
do about it? Many times, we lose humanity and see all
these things as normal, but they are not. If I had the power
to stop wars, I would be happy. Without wars, we would not
see the suffering of a father burying his son, families fleeing
to other countries for help, and all other kinds of suffering.
It would be a better world if we focused on humanity
instead of power.
SHORT COMPOSITION
25

Maria Torres
If I Were Able to Communicate with Animals
I love animals. My favorite animals are dogs. Since
I was a child, in my house, we always had dogs and cats. I
grew up with them. My mom taught us to respect animals.
Every animal deserves respect. I used to live in a small
town where people had dogs just to guard their houses. I
hated those people. The dog owners did not care if their dog
had an accident. I remember how I took care of them. They
were grateful. They stayed outside my house taking care of
us. Dogs are amazing creatures. My husband has a farm in
Brazil. He has a lot of cows, pigs, and chickens. If we lived
there, it would be impossible for me to eat any type of meat
because I would spend so much time with these animals.
I would love them. It would be amazing to communicate
with them. Everything would be different for me. I would
understand their feelings and their needs. I would be very
happy. Some people told me that I am weird and crazy because
I say that dogs are like children. Now I have a child,
and my opinion is the same: animals are part of my family.
EAP Writes
26

Deysi Aquino
Things That Make Me Feel Good
A good dose of gratitude every morning is very
good for everyone. One of the things that makes me feel
good is to start my day with a positive mind. Feeling grateful
for the things I have makes me value those things more.
Having a good relationship with my family is another thing
that makes me feel good. I talk to my mom on the phone
every day and play and spend time with my children. They
hug me and tell me that I am the best mom in the world. I
know that I am not, but that makes me happy because I try.
Exercising also makes me feel good. I feel more energized
to do things. I cannot exercise every day because sometimes
I do not have enough time. However, when I do, I feel very
good. Taking some time to be alone also makes me feel
good, but most of the time it is better to be surrounded by
people that I love. Traveling to see my friends and family
that I left in my country and sharing pleasant moments with
them makes me happy, as well. Finally, I laugh even when
it was not a good day.
SHORT COMPOSITION
27

Joselene Alce
Communicating with Animals
If I were able to speak with animals, I think I would
be the luckiest person in the world. I say that because I love
animals and feel their pain. With a superpower like this, I
would be the voice of millions of animals in the world. That
superpower would bring me a lot of opportunities to travel
the world and listen to animals suffering, which is caused
by humans. I would talk to them and know how they feel,
what they want us to do for them, and how they want to be
treated. A lot of animals are suffering because of humans.
They cannot do anything about it because they are unable
to talk, and they do not have anyone that can understand
their languages. That is why some of those animals become
aggressive when they feel attacked by humans. For example,
humans use animals to do circus tricks, and many dogs
and cats are being abused by humans. It would be the best
power in the world if I could talk to animals; that way, I
could be their voice and prevent their abuse. To conclude, if
I were able to communicate with those defenseless animals,
I would use that ability to help as much as I could.
EAP Writes
28

Joselene Alce
One Thing I Like about Myself
One thing I like about myself is my confidence. I
like it because it always makes me think that I can do more
than what I am doing now; it makes me challenge myself
all the time. I always dare myself to do difficult things. I remember
when I was in high school, I always completed the
exercises before the professors even got to the chapter. I always
dared myself to see what I could do best. I only asked
for help after trying to do it myself first. Being confident in
myself makes me trust that I can reach my goals. I always
have a new challenge for myself, but I do not feel like I am
competing with anyone; I am just becoming a better person
than I was yesterday. The confidence makes me trust that
nothing that I want to do is impossible. It might take more
time than I expected, but I know I can do it. I will do it
because I never give up. People that are confident in themselves
do not see that something is difficult: they just dare
to do it, and they always trust that they can and will do it.
That is the good thing I like about myself. By working hard,
my confidence will keep growing.
EAP Writes
30

Anastasia Khokholkova
Money versus Happiness
One cannot buy happiness. It is intangible. One
cannot count, measure, or touch it. Happiness depends
on specific personal choices and lifestyle. For example,
when I lived in Russia, my family used to be very wealthy.
I could afford a luxury lifestyle. I used to buy expensive
clothing and have vacation four times a year. Money was
not a problem, but I felt unhappy. I always felt that I needed
something else. I was not satisfied with my life. I had a
feeling that there was something missing. When I moved
to the USA, everything changed. I met my future husband,
and we had a baby. At that moment, I realized that this is
what I was missing. I had to start building my wealth from
scratch. I did not make as much money as before, but I
felt very happy. My husband and daughter make me the
happiest person in the world. When my husband says, “I
love you. You are everything to me,” or when my daughter
says, “Mama,” my heart melts. You cannot buy this for all
the money in the world. Money will never give you such
warmth and emotion.
SHORT COMPOSITION
31

Nicole Rosario
Facebook versus Instagram
Facebook and Instagram are the most commonly
used social media platforms. They might look similar, but
they have different features. On one hand, on Facebook,
people can post texts without needing to post a photo or
video. Also, they can make albums of photos and videos
without limitation. People can react to the posts with six
different emojis, such as thumbs up, a heart, a laugh, or a
surprised, sad, or angry face. Lastly, people use Facebook
messenger, which is a separate app, to send a private message
to others. On the other hand, in order to post a phrase,
a sentence, a paragraph, or a quote on Instagram, people
need to post a photo or video. Users can also save their
photos in different albums, called “highlights,” but there is
a limit of only one hundred posts. In contrast to Facebook,
Instagram users can only react with one emoji (a heart). If
they want to express another emotion, they need to leave a
comment. However, if people want to send a private message,
they can send it through the app without having to
download another one. In conclusion, even though Facebook
and Instagram have different features, they are the
most popular social media platforms.
EAP Writes
32

Bianca Mondestin
My Race
I am black, more precisely, black Haitian. Far from
being a simple race, being black is characterized by a daily
struggle against discrimination and mistreatment. Every
day we face all kinds of racism. For instance, we are often
followed in a store unnecessarily. It is like our skin color
identifies us as thieves. Often, someone crosses the street
just to avoid passing me or holds his/her bag more firmly
because I stepped into the elevator with him/her. They see
us as subhuman, inferior to them, or descendants of slaves
whom they once enslaved. Furthermore, authorities also
view us differently. The black community has faced a lot of
mistreatment from the police, especially some racist white
officers. For example, Breonna Taylor was killed during
her sleep because the police raided the wrong home, did
not knock, came in unannounced, shot twenty times, with
eight of those bullets striking her. Moreover, George Floyd
was murdered by a white officer who knelt on his neck for
more than eight minutes while he was begging for his life,
saying “I can’t breathe, please officer.” Our daily lives are
defined by fear, the fear that maybe today we are going to
be the next Breonna Taylor or George Floyd. Even today,
hundreds of years later, the world has not changed much
when it comes to racism and white privilege. However, no
matter how much the world shows us that it does not want
us, I would never trade who I am for anything because I am
proud to be BLACK.
SHORT COMPOSITION
33

Kamar Aboulreesh
The Day I Would Like to Forget
Life can be a big challenge for everyone. We do
not know the value of time until it passes. There are a lot of
memories that I want to keep, but I wish I could block other
memories out of my mind. One of my saddest memories is
a day I would like to forget. This day was nine years ago
when I was forced to leave my apartment. It was just after
midnight. My brother-in-law called me on the phone and
said, “There is no time to carry anything; just grab your
children and come downstairs. A lot of people in the city
have been killed…. Hurry up!!!” I can still recall the sounds
around me on that day. I can still remember the phone call
from my brother-in-law vividly. I did not know at the time
that I would never go back home again. I thought I would
be back the next day, but it has been nine years, and I still
remember every detail along the way as I was driving to
another city. I would like to forget what people looked like
when they were leaving their homes to save their lives. I
would like to forget every sad minute I had in the past and
replace those memories with thoughts of peacefulness, safety,
and lovely moments!
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SHORT COMPOSITION

Maria Torres
Winning a Contest
I am a very shy person. I am not the type of a girl
who likes to be the center of attention, but my mom loves
those things. When I was twelve years old, one of my
mom’s friends organized a soccer tournament. Every team
needed a girl to represent it. The contest was to choose the
most beautiful girl from all the teams. My mom asked me
if I would like to participate, and I said, “No.” She did not
listen to me; she signed me up for the contest. I was mad at
her. She bought many things for that day. Also, she taught
me how to walk, how to smile, and everything else she felt
that I needed to know. I tried to convince her to pull me out
of the contest, but it was impossible. I felt like she was the
one who was participating instead of me. Then I realized
the importance of the contest for her. I wanted to make her
happy. I prepared every day. I worked hard. Finally, the day
came, and my mom was excited. She had a big smile all
day. It was impossible for me not to feel nervous because
there were so many people. I was very embarrassed, but
I did everything my mom taught me. She was extremely
happy when her daughter won the contest.
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Nayibe Abril
The Privilege
My son has been the best unexpected privilege of
my 25 years of life. Without a doubt, it has been not only a
privilege but also a blessing that God gave me to care for
and protect. In September of 2015, I met him: a four-yearold
boy whose eyes were full of sadness, which reached
the deepest fibers of my soul. His father (now my husband)
was a recurring customer of a Colombian restaurant where
I worked at that time. I would see them both on weekends,
always alone. Some thoughts came to my mind: “Why are
they always alone and not with a family? Where is the mom
and wife?” I had no idea why they were alone. Well, on that
September day, I decided to talk to the boy. I asked him his
name, and he, with his beautiful black eyes and a smile on
his face, replied, “My name is Erik Daniel; I am four years
old, and I love to come here to eat this delicious food.” At
that moment, the beautiful Erik Daniel stole my heart. After
weeks of talking with his father, I learned that he was a
widower, and Erik Daniel’s mother had died of cancer when
he was only two years old. I then got all the answers to why
his eyes were so sad, for I understood the pain that they
both felt in their hearts. They both gave me their hearts and,
with them, the privilege of belonging to their lives. We have
loved each other for four years since that first day. I thank
God for the opportunity, and I thank Erik’s mom for giving
me this treasure to love and raise as he deserves.
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Abigail Arrieta
Cusco: The Capital of the Inca Empire
Cusco is one of the most visited places in Peru
since many people from different countries travel there to
see its amazing monuments, ruins, and temples. It is the
city of the ancient Peruvian civilization, the Inca Empire.
Cusco represents the Peruvian identity. Machu Picchu is the
highest artistic and architectural achievement of the Inca
civilization. This sanctuary, one of the seven wonders of
the world, makes every Peruvian feel proud of their nationality.
In this city, Incan ruins and the Temple of the Sun
have remained intact despite the passing centuries. People
say, as they walk through these temples and ruins, they can
feel the magic of this city. Also, in Cusco, there is a trail
the Inca civilization used to travel called “the Footsteps of
the Incas.” Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to
walk on it, but I have heard that it is an incredible experience.
Many say that when they do the four-day walk among
the ancient ruins, descend the dizzying valleys, and then
cross the peaceful mountains, they feel energy and freedom
as if they were walking with the Inca centuries ago. Cusco
is also surrounded by Peruvian culture. The people in
surrounding communities try to explain the history of their
country to the tourists and immerse them in the culture.
They sell traditional colorful clothes and other cultural artifacts
and souvenirs. In addition, tourists can try Peruvian
food from this region and interact with llamas and alpacas,
both iconic Peruvian animals. The colors of the city have
the feel of a carnival wrapped in history. In conclusion,
Cusco is a unique city that represents the Peruvian identity,
history, culture, and civilization. The magic of this city lives
in the hearts of its tourists long after the visit.
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39

Tatiane DaSilva
My Childhood’s Special Celebration
Festa Junina is a traditional festival celebrated in the
month of June in Brazil. It is a harvest festival which was
introduced by Portuguese settlers in Brazil a few centuries
ago and celebrated in every town, city, and state. When I
was little, I remember going to the festival with my family,
which brings back many special memories of my childhood,
such as my favorite sweets, the traditional dance, and the fun
activities. Cocada (coconut bars) and pé de moleque (peanut
candy) are two of my favorite desserts served at the festival.
Cocada are made from condensed milk, shredded coconut,
and sugar; my mouth always waters when I think of this
delicious traditional dessert. Pé de moleque is another dessert
served at this festival. This is a very crunchy square bar made
only from peanuts and sugar. Besides food, this festival is
also known for its music and dance. For example, Quadrilha
is a traditional dance featuring children dancing to the folk
music. The kids dress up as farmers, and the girls wear bright
colorful dresses that are decorated with dots, hearts, and
flowers. They paint small freckles on their cheeks and style
their hair in pig tails. The boys dress up in checkered t-shirts,
paint beards and mustaches on their faces, and wear red
scarves on their necks. After eating and dancing, the celebration
continues with fun activities such as a bonfire and greasy
pole climbing. Since this festival is in the winter, people
enjoy the bonfire to get warm and socialize. The greasy pole
climbing is the climax of the festival. The pole is about thirty
feet tall, covered with wax, and money is placed on top of it.
Typically, five people climb at the same time in order to get
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the money. It is fun to watch the people slide down and crash
into each other. Eventually, somebody strong enough gets
to the top and wins the money. Thinking about Festa Junina
brings back a lot of memories and makes me feel that I had a
very special childhood.
SHORT COMPOSITION
41

Maria Torres
One Thing I Would Like to Have
The most important thing in my life is my family.
I did not grow up with my dad, just with my wonderful
mom. She had three daughters and two sons. My parents
got divorced when I was five years old. My mom went
back to my country, Ecuador, and my dad went to New
York. We were a very happy family with a superwoman
mom who worked hard for us. My older sister was married
with two kids at that time, and my older brother was married
too with three kids. One day, when I was seventeen
years old, my mom got sick. After six months, she passed
away. Through all this pain, my brothers and sisters were
the support that I needed. They talked to me about how
hard life is and that we have to accept God’s plan. I was
young, and I did not understand why this happened to me.
My brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews were the reason
I got over this. My older sister took my mother’s place;
she was amazing with us. She worried about our homework,
cooked, and did everything for us. She had a lot of
patience. She took care of us well and with all the love we
needed. My older sister, brother-in-law, two nieces, two
nephews, younger sister, and younger brother created a
very powerful and loving family. We tried to keep our life
normal, but we probably could not have made it without
my sister’s help. Seven years later, my dad brought three
of us to the United States because my other brother and
sister were married. The only thing that I want with all my
heart is to get my family to reunite again. I have gone to
my country many times, and I saw all my family, but I al-
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ways had a hard time saying goodbye. Right now, we are
doing everything to get my family to live here with us and
to give my sister all the things that she deserves. I would
like to have them here, and when this happens, I am going
to be the happiest person in the world.
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43

Petruta Grigoriu
The Great Union Day
The Great Union Day is a national celebration
day in Romania. On December 1, 1918, three independent
countries–Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina–were
united under one Romanian Kingdom. Romania celebrates
the Great Union Day with national music, traditional food,
and military parades. Some people honor this holiday at
home by watching TV, while others celebrate it in public
places such as parks, streets, or schools. A few years ago,
I decided to experience this holiday outside. I called my
friend Clara and invited her to come along with me. Both
of us were nervous, but festive and happy to be part of
this elated, abundant culture and history. When we arrived
there, the commemoration had just started. The place was
gargantuan, crowded, and filled with noisy people who
were shouting and singing patriotic songs. Some were
wearing traditional clothes and with blue, yellow, and red
horizontal stripes (colors of the Romanian flag) painted on
their proud faces and hands. They were also waving flags,
drinking, and eating delicious traditional foods such as
smoked beans, pork, and papanasi, which is a sweet cheese
dough fried and served with a sour cherry and sour cream
on top. The music was vibrating with passion and sparkling
with cheerfulness all around us. The program began, and
traditional bands filled the stage. They were playing and
singing traditional music and songs, as well as the national
anthem, “Desteapta-te romane.” The festivities continued
with the military parade and finished with fireworks. This
joyful event made me feel proud and blissful that I was
part of this glorious country. I am proud to come from a
beautiful country with diverse landforms, ample history,
and ambitious ancestors, who fought for each piece of land,
ideals, and faith.
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Dayane Tessinari
Why Brazil Loves the FIFA World Cup
Every four years, soccer lovers stop to watch the
FIFA World Cup. Teams from around the world try to
qualify for this important competition. Closing my eyes
and thinking about the World Cup, I can hear the cheerful,
noisy, euphoric crowd yelling, “Go Brazil!” There are
three main reasons why Brazilians love the World Cup:
for their famous soccer players, for the country’s unity,
and for patriotism. The world considers Brazil the king of
soccer because of its many talents, and Brazil exports many
of these vibrant, gifted, and highly skilled players. Every
child in Brazil dreams of becoming a famous soccer player;
parents invest in their children, hoping they are raising
brilliant players. In Brazil, we say that soccer unifies people.
Families and friends get together to watch the games.
They are dressed up in green, yellow, and blue, which are
Brazil’s flag colors. The World Cup is like a national party
where people bring food and drinks and dance happily before
and after games. Consequently, the World Cup brings
out patriotism in the country. People can put Brazil’s many
problems aside and cheer for their country. Brazilians hold
the flag in their hands and cheer loudly. From north to south
and east to west, houses and faces are painted in the country’s
colors. Streets and cars are decorated with flags and
filled with proud citizens. In conclusion, the World Cup is
a big event in Brazil. I still feel this excitement in my heart
when I hear the words “World Cup.”
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Tatiane Da Silva
Brand Medications versus Generic Brands
People who buy generic medication believe they are
receiving the same type of medication as the brand name.
However, there are differences in the ways that brand and
generic medications are produced. Brand name medications
are expensive because of the marketing and research
that goes into creating a drug; this causes the buyer to pay
more. On the other hand, generic medications are cheaper
because the manufacturers do not pay the same amount for
the research of the drug, which allows for lower costs to
the consumers. Brand names always have the same amount
of active ingredients. In contrast, generic medications are
allowed to have up to 15% more or less of the same active
ingredients. Brand names always contain the same inactive
ingredients. Contrary to that, each generic medication manufacturer
uses different dyes and fillers; therefore, generic
medications can be less effective. The FDA requires brand
names to conduct clinical trials in order to be approved and
released to the population. Instead, the generic medications
are only required by the FDA to complete the review processes
in order to know if the medication is safe for release
to the public. In sum, brand medication manufacturers
must go through a rigorous process to get their medications
approved by FDA. Even with all the differences between
generic and brand medications, people still prefer the
generic versions because they are more affordable and still
effective.
SHORT COMPOSITION
47

Pedro Reyes
Differences between Muay Thai and Kickboxing
Practicing martial arts is a great way to train
the body in strength and the mind in discipline. Muay
Thai and kickboxing are two martial arts that are wildly
different from one another. Muay Thai is a Thai combat
sport that can be traced to the middle of the 18th century.
It utilizes stand-up striking and various clinching
techniques. Kickboxing originated in Japan in the 1950s,
and it is considered a hybrid martial art formed from the
elements of various traditional martial arts styles. While
both martial arts use punches, some of the punches used
in Muay Thai and kickboxing are different from one
another. Both sports use jabs, uppercuts, back fists, and
crosses, but Muay Thai uses a wider variety of punching
styles than kickboxing. The punching styles where they
differ are hooks, shovels, corkscrew punches, and hammer
fists. Kickboxing distinguishes itself in its use of
hooks and flying punches. As far as kicking techniques,
the two most common kicks in Muay Thai are known as
the thip (a foot jab) and the te chiang (a kick upwards in
the shape of a triangle). Kickboxing has a wide variety
of kicking styles that Muay Thai does not use, such as
hook kicks, crescent kicks, ax kicks, and back kicks. The
main difference between these two styles is that Muay
Thai uses a variety of elbow and knee moves that are
simply not part of kickboxing, such as jumping, flying,
and straight knee strikes. Foot thrusts are also used in
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Muay Thai, while kickboxing does not utilize them. Elbow
moves are not used in kickboxing, but they are very
much part of Muay Thai. Elbows can be used horizontally,
diagonal upwards or downwards, uppercut, downward,
backward spinning, and flying. The elbow strike is
considered the most dangerous form of attack in Muay
Thai, but it is a move kickboxing does not use. In conclusion,
Muay Thai and kickboxing are two martial arts
that are unique in style with a variety of differences.
SHORT COMPOSITION
49

Greily Ramirez Feliz
If I Won a Million Dollars
What would I do if I won a million dollars? The
correct question would be, “What would I not do if I won
a million dollars?” I would use the money to help other
people around the world. I could have my own hospital in
Florida and help those who do not have access to health
care benefits. I could go to school and worry less about
having to work hard to pay my tuition. I could focus on
my studies as a full-time student, and, while finishing my
major, I would see what projects in the health pathway I
could help improve with the money I would win. I might
go back to my home country to improve its health care
system and make sure people are aware of how important
preventive medicine is. If I had the connections, I would try
to make an appointment with the president of my country
and explain to him why we should invest more in resources
for the youth. I would own a public healthcare center in a
few cities of my country and provide free healthcare. To the
Dominican Republic’s government, I would suggest a free
education system and explain the benefits of investing in
education. I could do a lot of things to help my island, but,
sadly, I have not won a million dollars. Unfortunately, in
my country, only the voices of those who have money are
heard. If I won a million dollars, I could help the world to
be a better place and my little island to be a better country.
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50

Maria Torres
My Favorite Childhood Toy
I remember my beautiful pillow. It was my favorite
childhood toy. I always took my pillow everywhere. It was
an unusual pillow. It was big, but thin. I could not sleep
without it. My grandmother and my mom tried to wash it
all the time, but I did not like it. I always hid it. My pillow
was very important to me. If I was not at home, I thought
about my pillow all the time. One day, when I came back
from school, I noticed that my pillow had a big hole; it was
the worst moment of my life at that time. I cried all day
until my mom came home from work and sewed it. Finally,
my baby pillow was fine, and I was very happy. After some
years, my mom noticed that with time, my love for my
pillow increased, but I was too big to have that dirty pillow.
One day, she talked to me about my pillow, and I said that
I wanted my pillow with me forever. My mom got worried
because that pillow was old, dirty, ugly, and with many
patched-up holes, so she told me she wanted to buy another
one, but I said no. She tried to make me understand that the
pillow was not good anymore, but I never understood. I just
loved my ugly pillow anyways. One day, I came back from
school, and my pillow was gone. My mom had thrown my
pillow into the garbage and bought another one for me. I
was very sad. My mom talked to me, and finally I understood
her reasons. She was right, but I could not accept any
other pillow. I could never replace my beloved pillow, and I
still miss it.
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51

Valentina Andrade Olaya
Puma the Shih Tzu
Puma is a male dog. He was born in Florida and
turns twelve on June 4th. Since we do not have a lot to do
during quarantine, we decided to throw him a birthday party.
The theme of the party is Hollywood Nights. Puma has
an Instagram account (@pumatheshihtzu), so he is going to
celebrate with his friends. Puma is an adorable light brown
and white dog. He is very fluffy, sweet, and friendly. If a
stranger approaches our house, he is always happy to say
hello. He barks only to attract attention because he wants
water or food. Also, when my family and I are eating, he
waits patiently for us to finish eating. Puma loves food,
especially rice, but I think he is getting bored of eating it, so
we now have to put some additional sauce or other complements
in. He does some tricks before eating. He knows how
to play dead, roll over, and shake hands. My niece Catalina
taught him all the tricks. Puma hates thunderstorms; sounds
like that terrify him. His body starts to shake, and we need
to hug him to calm him down. Puma sleeps with my sister
and her husband every night at the foot of their bed. When
nobody is home, he stays on the couch in the living room.
Later, when we get back, he is always happy and excited to
see everyone again. However, right now he is the happiest
he has ever been because someone is always at home as a
result of the coronavirus. Puma is my first dog; in Colombia,
I had four cats. I fell in love with Puma the first day
that I met him.
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Adriana Brenes
Living Together before Marriage
People should live together before getting married
because it has several benefits. First, living together
is a great challenge for many since everyone has different
habits, which could make it difficult to adjust to someone.
Sharing the same home can help people to think and decide
if they are willing to share the rest of their lives with
that person and accept his/her defects and virtues. Another
great benefit is that people can begin to have an idea of
the economic expenses that living together entails. Many
people decide to marry too quickly, and if they do not have
financial stability when single, it is not very easy for them
to have that stability when married. Finally, living together
before marriage helps people understand what they really
want and what the word marriage really implies. Most of
the time, the human heart and mind are carried away by
feelings and expectations. Often, this situation can lead to
rushing to make decisions, which results in disappointment
when they do not get what they expect. This is reflected
in many young marriages ending in a divorce soon after
marriage. These reasons show why living together before
getting married can be very useful for couples.
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53

Katherine M. Volquez
My Dream Job
My dream job is to be an actress. As an actress,
I could perform in every kind of a movie. I would enjoy
participating in movies, from thrillers to romances. The job
as an actress would give me the opportunity of living many
lives at once. I could be a vampire, a housewife, a ghost,
an alien, and many more characters. I could also meet new
people while doing it. I would like to act shoulder-to-shoulder
with my favorite actors and actresses. Moreover, as an
actress, I would be paid a lot of money for every movie or
TV show, and with that money, I could buy myself “little
things” such as fast cars. I would go to premieres looking
good in a cute dress, have people screaming my name, and
cameras flashing in my face. However, I would also donate
part of the money that I earn, and I would buy my mom
a house or anything that she would wish for with my first
paycheck. I would donate my time to those in need and cooperate
with and support many charities. Finally, my favorite
script would be a movie with sharks. Movies with sharks
are my favorite, and I would like to star in one. Starring in
a shark movie with Chris Evans would be the best part of
my dream job. I know it all sounds like a dream, but I can
achieve my dream. Getting paid for what I love to do and
having fun while doing it would be a dream come true.
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Hariany Vilchez
Becoming an Adult
When to be afraid is not an option; at that moment,
you become an adult. Becoming an adult is not easy. At
least, for me it was not. When I moved to this country, my
life changed a lot. One of the things that changed was that
I became an adult. I came here when I was nineteen years
old, and, at the time, I had never had a job or responsibility
on my own. After months of living here, everything started
to get more complicated. My parents were earning very little
money and decided to stop paying for everything for me,
which I appreciate only now. At that moment, I was sad and
lost because I had never experienced having a job or independence.
I decided to look for jobs to help my parents and
be more independent. When I looked for jobs, I was scared
because my English was weak, and my heart was beating
like crazy. Finally, one day, after many tears, sadness, and
anguish, I received news that I got a job. I was happy that I
made it. After months of hard work, I understand not only
how difficult it is to become an adult but also how gratifying
it is to take care of your responsibilities by yourself and
feel independent. Helping my parents with expenses also
makes me feel happy.
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55

Oksana Lipovskaja
My Dream Job
Since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of
becoming a nurse. I think I was about six years old when
my mother was taking care of my sick grandmother and
injecting her with medication that the doctor prescribed. My
mother did not have a nursing degree, but she knew how to
take care of us when we got sick. She was my inspiration
to become a professional registered nurse. My future job
will involve a lot of duties, the most important of which
is to save people’s lives. First, nurses perform vital duties
and tests. Nurses help people and sometimes work under
pressure. In addition, nurses are there for people in their
most vulnerable moments. Another one of their vital duties
is that they can also give advice to patients under doctor’s
orders. Second, a nursing career also involves providing
spiritual and emotional support for patients and their families.
I would want patients to feel that they can rely on me; I
would want them to recover fast when they get sick. Finally,
the nursing profession also gives nurses the flexibility
to travel. I love to travel and may be able to do so once I
get the degree. Nurses learn every day. Every workday can
be unexpected and unique. I am very passionate about my
future job. I think about this career all the time. Nursing is
a lifelong, rewarding, essential, and stable career. Because
I am not a little girl anymore, I am eagerly awaiting to start
my dream job as the best nurse for my patients.
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Frisnher Petit
My Definition of Success
Success has different meanings. It depends on a person’s
perspective and definition of it. For instance, someone
who spent years in school, graduated from college, and
ended up with a good job may feel satisfied and may define
his/her journey as a successful one since he/she reached his/
her career goals. In my opinion, however, success does not
mean working hard and waking up early after barely having
time to sleep restfully. While working toward my dreams, I
also have to take care of my mental state. Success is about a
disciplined decision to think about what I want and where I
want to be in life. I need a plan for the rest of my life, make
sure I wake up every day with a purpose, and work toward
making my dream come true. Since I was young, my dream
was to become a car designer and engineer. I learned a lot
on YouTube and even volunteered at a shop by my house
so I could learn everything. When I moved to the USA with
my family, the transition was not easy. Although it was
difficult for me to adjust to a new culture and learn a new
language, it did not stop me from holding on to my dream.
I wake up every day with a purpose; no matter how hard it
may seem, I will never stop chasing my dream.
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57

Daniel Rincon-Casiero
The Evolution of Video Games
Video games have evolved over the years. In the
past, graphics were underdeveloped, and it was hard to
make it look real. Later, the industries invested more in the
platforms and content of the games instead of their presentation.
To reproduce their video games, people used analog
technology, such as a cassette, a plastic box with a motherboard
inside and an opened part read by the console. The
controls needed to have a cable to function. During those
days, the market was controlled by Nintendo. Nowadays, a
new, digital, and high-resolution generation of technology
allows us to perceive the games in a better way. For example,
individuals use CDs or digitalized versions of games
to play. They are more compact and lighter than before. All
the controls are wireless and use a cable only when they
need to be charged. In addition, the popularity and inclusion
of video games have increased over the years. People are
playing video games more often, and it has become popular
among all ages. With the evolution of video games, people
can find this hobby more interesting and comfortable when
they want to try it. In conclusion, the evolution of video
games has made a big impact on today’s society for its
constant development in making the video game experience
more vivid.
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Blanca Cavero
My National Coat of Arms: My Identity
My national coat of arms represents the preciousness
of Peru and its three natural kingdoms. Peru’s coat of
arms is divided into three parts: two kingdoms at the top
and one at the bottom. At the top left, there is a vicuna on
a light blue background. This background represents the
Andean skies. The vicuna represents the typical animal
of the Andes; also, it represents all the fauna of Peru. At
the top right, there is a Peruvian cinchona tree on a white
background. The cinchona tree represents the diverse flora
of Peru. In the bottom half, there is a gold cornucopia with
coins on a red background. This cornucopia has twenty-five
golden coins for the year of its approval, 1825. The cornucopia
represents the mineral wealth that Peru boasts. Also,
there are Peru’s flag in the corners of Peru’s coat of arms
and a civic crown at the top, which represent all the people
who sacrificed their lives for Peru. Writing about this
makes me feel proud of all the things that my country has
accomplished. To summarize, Peru’s national coat of arms
represents the country as a whole because it has the animal
kingdom, the vegetable kingdom, and the mineral kingdom.
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59

Daria Dzurillova
My Favorite Place
My favorite place is far from here. It is about five
thousand miles away. It is located in the heart of Europe. It
is a beautiful spot on Earth hidden in the middle of nowhere.
You would most likely not find it. It is so beautiful
that every time I step there, it takes my breath away again
and again. I keep this perfect place as secret as possible
because I do not want it to be discovered. I want it all for
myself. I want it to remain the same as the first time I saw
it. This place is almost untouched by people and civilization,
so it appears like it is locked in time. It is so far from
everything that nights are so dark you never imagined that
such a dark shade of black can exist. The night sky makes a
perfect background for the stars to shine brightly. It ignites
your imagination and makes it wander. This place is so silent
at night that it almost hurts. During the day, this place
is breathtaking. The majestic, panoramic views of pure
nature and its perfectly green rolling hills and valleys are
soothing and pleasant to watch. It is also quiet and calm. It
is truly amazing. Oh, and the smells! There is nothing comparable
to the smell of this place. It is so specific, fresh,
and crisp. During the summer days, it is loaded with many
floral and natural scents. I love it so much that it is worth
to wake up early in the morning to take a breath of such
clean and fresh air. Only my family and I know where this
hidden gem is. The beauty of this place is burnt into our
minds and hearts forever. Slovakia will always be tied to
my best memories.
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Yelitza Mejias
One Thing I Would Change in the World
When I think about the things in the world that
I do not like, many come to my mind. Each day, this
world becomes more of a place that I do not want for
my children. The one thing I would love to change in
the world is the possession of firearms. Violence in
the world is increasing. Every day, in the news, we
hear about incidents involving the use of firearms.
It is terrible when schools are attacked by
shooters, children die, and families are devastated.
We live in a world where if someone has a gun, he/
she can just enter a supermarket and shoot people as
if it were a video game. It is happening because strict
enough control or a regulation of firearms does not
exist. Nowadays, anyone can obtain a gun, regardless
of his/her age, mental health status, or background.
In countries like Venezuela, gun violence is the most
common cause of death. It is the main reason why I
made the difficult decision to immigrate. Children can
have a gun and kill you only for a pair of shoes or a
cell phone.
If I could, I would eliminate all the firearms in
the world. That way, nobody would feel afraid of having
a gun pointed to his/her head. I have experienced
it, and it was horrible. The world would be better
without violence, and eliminating the firearms could
be the first step.
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Liliana Faiotto
Childhood Memories
When I was four years old, I liked to play in the
backyard of my parents’ house. I have many memories
from that time, but there is one specific memory that I will
always remember. I was playing with my toy pans, when
my grandfather came and threw those toys on floor.
My grandfather was a very elegant, tall, grayhaired
man, and he always wore a gentleman’s hat. He
would take that hat and throw it at my toys. Everything
got scattered, and I remember getting annoyed. However,
it was also funny, so we laughed a lot. After he threw his
hat at my toys, we started a conversation and, each day,
he told me a different story. He liked to tell stories of the
time when he lived in Italy. Even though he lived there
during World War II and fought in it, he always thought
of a funny story about the soldiers. He told stories about
soldiers who wanted to bathe in the rain or soldiers who
hid chocolate inside their shoes only to find their shoes
full of melted chocolate later. Also, he told stories about
soldiers singing songs while using pots, forks, and spoons
as musical instruments, or soldiers cooking at campfires
and burning the food. So many different stories!
Today, I know that many stories that my grandfather
told were from his own imagination. Nevertheless,
their importance does not come out of the stories themselves.
The memories that I have of my grandfather, the
jokes, and the time we spent together are important. When
we have such good memories, we have a good life.
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Kamar Aboulreesh
The Worst Day of My Life
It is easy to take the conveniences in life for
granted. Something as simple as peace and safety of
one’s surroundings can often be overlooked. It is not
until something threatens those comforts of our lives and
the homes that we have built for ourselves and our family
that we realize their true value. This is the lesson I have
learned, and it is a lesson that began nine years ago on
the worst day of my life.
It began when I was forced to flee my beautiful
country, Syria. The day I left was the day I left my soul
behind. At first, I did not feel the emptiness or sadness
of leaving because I acted purely for survival. Yet, once
I began to settle, and the chaos of surviving began to
quiet down, all I could do was remember. It was not just
a home I had left behind, but a lifetime of memories:
memories of my childhood, birthdays, weddings, loved
ones, the good times and the bad. All these memories
and experiences made me who I am today. It is not just
those memories I lost, but also the city I loved so dearly,
Darayya.
Although time has passed, and I have learned to
love the new life I have created from scratch, I will never
forget what I left behind that day. My country is a lot different
now than it was before the war, but I am optimistic
that I will one day be reunited with all that I left behind.
I hope to be reunited with the warmth of my people, the
noises of my city, and the sound of my native language.
The pain and hardship that I went through on what I call
“the worst day of my life” have given me strength. I am
thankful that I can maintain my optimism for the future,
and I sincerely wish for a positive change soon.
LONGER COMPOSITION
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Fabienne Fleuranvil
My Mom’s Biography
In the lobby of the General Hospital of Port Au
Prince, a pregnant woman was screaming. Ten minutes
later, she gave birth to a three-pound baby girl. Nobody
could understand why the baby was so small even
though the baby was not premature. Her mother decided
to call her Marie Jean. The baby was my mom.
My mom grew up in a big family of three boys
and two girls. She was the head of all the children. She
would fight, curse, and even work for her siblings. If
anyone had a problem with her siblings, she would
fight and beat up the other kid. Her life was not good,
though. As a matter of fact, she had to quit school to
work so she could help her mother and the other kids.
She always dreamed of traveling to a developed country,
but life was too hard for her. She saved money to
accomplish her goal while she was working for a large
sewing company.
One day, she met a young man named Jacky.
They were friends for a couple of months, and then they
fell in love. A year later, at the age of nineteen, she gave
birth to her first child. She thought life would be better
for her, but that was not to be. Ten years later, she found
herself with six children, low income, and a cheating
boyfriend. In addition to that, she had to take care of the
kids almost solely by herself. After the former president
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Jean Claude Duvalier had left the country, Haiti was in
a great economic depression. The country was divided
in three parts; it was like a civil war. As result, my mom
and her twenty-three-year-old daughter had to flee to the
Dominican Republic because their house was set on fire.
That tragedy was her worst nightmare ever, and
she had to leave without her five other kids. She left the
children with a relative who was living in the north side
of the country, Cap Haitian. In 1994, she had to move to
Turks and Caicos Islands because of continuous persecutions.
She started working as a maid for $6 an hour
during the day and in a restaurant as a cook at night. She
had to do two jobs to take care of herself and to send
money for her children in Haiti.
In 2002, she finally came to the United States of
America, which was her biggest dream. She started working
at McDonald’s. While she was working, she went
to home aid health (HHA) classes to get her certificate.
Then she worked for an assisted living company for two
years. Now she is working at Broward Medical Center,
where she has been working as a patient care aid (PCA)
for twelve years. My mom is a hero. After everything she
went through, she has always kept her faith that one day
things will be better for her. Her life got better ever since
she moved to America. If she had never made those sacrifices,
I would not have been able to write these sentences.
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Qing Zhuang
Florida versus China
I have been living in Florida for two and half
years. When I got here, I realized that this place is very
different from China. There are three aspects that I find
particularly different.
The environment is different. There are few tall
buildings here; most buildings have only one or two
floors. There are also few pedestrians on the sidewalk
here, just a few runners and dog walkers. The road is
very wide with a beautiful green environment. I like the
clean environment and the clear air, but I do not like the
place with few people. It seems that I will be lonely in
the future.
The food here is totally different from Chinese
food. When I first got here, I did not know how to cook.
My husband and I often went out to eat. The first American
food I tried was sausage pizza. The pizza is sourer
and harder than Chinese pizza. Even McDonald’s and
KFC are different from their Chinese versions. What
puzzles me the most is that the Chinese food here is also
different. It does not taste good. I did not know what to
eat at the beginning.
The customs are also different. There are seven
statutory holidays in China and ten in the United States.
I am curious about the holidays here because all customs
are fresh to me. My favorite holiday here is Christmas
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Day. Before Christmas Day, people will decorate their
houses and their Christmas trees. Every time I pass by
their houses, their creativity amazes me. Many houses are
delicately decorated. It reminds me of the Chinese Spring
Festival. Before the Spring Festival, we would decorate
our houses with couplets and lanterns. I like this festive
atmosphere.
Above all, these are the main differences between
China and the United States that I know.
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Ludy Appolon
An Event That Changed My Life
When I was sixteen years old, a wall in my
neighborhood collapsed and killed everyone that was in
the way. During that time of my life, I was struggling
with health issues. It had an impact on my academic
growth, my social life, and my personality. I was constantly
at the doctor’s office. I felt that it was not fair
for me to go through all that at my age. I was missing
school every week because I had to go to the doctor’s
office. Being sick also made me a little bit rebellious.
One day, I had a doctor’s appointment at 7:30
a.m. I woke up that morning around six o’clock. I got
ready for my appointment, but when it was time for me
to leave, I could not find my wallet anywhere. I was
upset because I needed money for my visit. No one in
the house had any money to give me. It was evident that
I was going to miss that appointment. I gave up looking
for my wallet since I should already have been walking
to go to the doctor’s office.
It was about seven o’clock when we heard a
loud noise. Everyone ran outside to find out what was
going on. It was a wall that fell down and killed everyone
that was passing along the wall. It was the wall
that I was supposed to walk by to go the doctor’s office.
If I had found my wallet that morning, I would have
been walking by that wall at that time and gotten killed
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with everyone else. When my aunt heard the news, she
passed out. Everyone in my house was speechless, crying
and hugging me. I did not cry, but I felt different in that
instant. Everything seemed like the pieces of a puzzle
fitting together.
Since then, I have such mental strength that
absolutely nothing will surprise me. I believe that event
changed my life. I have a motto that everything that happens
in my life is for a good reason.
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Raghad Sammouneh
The Effects of Leaving My Hometown
Because my home is the story of who I am and
a collection of what I love (WallQuotes.com), I had to
write my own story and explore what collection I really
love. That would never happen without moving away
from home. Leaving a hometown is not an easy task.
Leaving a big family and a huge number of friends to
explore a new life was hard; however, I can now say
that after seven years away from home, I have achieved
my ambition in many aspects. Leaving my hometown
has had positive impacts on my life by opening my
eyes to new cultures, pushing me outside of my comfort
zone, and by changing my world view.
The primary effect is that it opened my eyes to
new cultures. New cultures mean new languages, new
people, and new places. Moving away from home put
me in touch with people from all around the world. I
had to learn new languages to be able to interact with
them. This experience taught me that no matter how our
backgrounds, our languages, and our traditions differ,
we still can find a way to understand each other. In
addition, having the chance to visit famous sites in Turkey
and in the USA expanded my knowledge about the
world and gave me an understanding about the history
of these countries.
Another effect is that leaving my hometown
pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I had to face
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new situations and difficulties without having the support
of my family and friends. It also made me experience a
different lifestyle. It was challenging to be immersed in a
whole new experience, but in the end, I understood that
without moving and changing the routine I used to live
in, I would never comprehend how endless the possibilities
are and how big this world is (“8 Reasons Why You
Should Move Away from Your Hometown in Your 20s”).
Leaving my hometown also changed my worldview.
It made me adjust my perspective toward my life.
It taught me that home does not only mean where I was
born and raised. It is wherever I feel comfortable and
happy. It is where I can work on my dreams and achieve
them. In addition, it gave me the opportunity to have the
best of both worlds: a lovely hometown, and the land of
my dreams. It also taught me how to be flexible to adapt
to different circumstances no matter how hard it will be.
To conclude, leaving my hometown was quite
tough, but I chose to look at the bright side to see the
benefits of it. Living far away from home immersed me in
new cultures, expanded my experiences, and changed the
way I look at the world. I believe that this decision was
the best for me because I gained a lot from my journey
far away from where I used to live. Although I am happy
with my current life, my love for my hometown will never
fade away, and I will come back to visit one day, but
this time with different perspectives. “Chase your dreams
but always know the road that will lead you home again.”
(McGraw, “My Little Girl”)
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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Abigail Arrieta is from Peru and speaks Spanish
Adriana Brenes is from Mexico and speaks Spanish
Anastasia Khokholkova is from Russia and speaks
Russian
Bianca Mondestin is from Haiti and speaks Creole and
French
Binka Kirova is from Bulgaria and speaks Bulgarian and
German
Blanca Cavero is from Peru and speaks Spanish
Daniel Rincon-Casiero is from Venezuela and speaks
Spanish
Daria Dzurillova is from Slovakia and speaks Slovak
Dayane Tessinari is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese
Deysi Aquino is from Peru and speaks Spanish
Fabienne Fleuranvil is from Haiti and speaks Creole and
French
Frisnher Junior Petit is from Haiti and speaks Creole
and French
Greily Ramirez Feliz is from the Dominican Republic
and speaks Spanish
Hariany Vilchez is from Venezuela and speaks Spanish
Joselene Alce is from Haiti and speaks Creole and French
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zJosy Pimenta is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese and
Spanish
Kamar Aboulreesh is from Syria and speaks Arabic
Katherine M. Volquez is from the Dominican Republic
and speaks Spanish
Liliana Faiotto is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese and
Spanish
Ludy Appolon is from Haiti and speaks Creole and French
Maria Torres is from Ecuador and speaks Spanish
Nayibe Abril is from Colombia and speaks Spanish
Nicole Rosario is from the Dominican Republic and speaks
Spanish
Oksana Lipovskaja is from Estonia and speaks Estonian,
Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian
Pedro Reyes is from Spain and speaks Spanish
Petruta Grigoriu is from Romania and speaks Romanian
Qing Zhuang is from China and speaks Mandarin
Raghad Sammouneh is from Syria and speaks Arabic
Tatiane Da Silva is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese
Valentina Andrade Olaya is from Colombia and speaks
Spanish
Yadisley Amengual is from Cuba and speaks Spanish and
Italian
Yelitza Mejias is from Venezuela and speaks Spanish
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If you would like to contribute to future issues of EAP Writes, talk to
your EAP professor or send your own piece of writing of any literally
type such as poems, short stories, essays, or dramatic pieces, to eapwrites@broward.edu.
You can write in your original language; however,
you will also need to provide its English translation for it to be published.
You must be a current EAP student.
If you would like to become part of the EAP Writes team, contact
Prof. Alexandra Mason at eapwrites@broward.edu. We are looking for
a group of EAP students intereasted in becoming part of the team of
editors and artists for the next EAP Writes issue.
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The opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the editors, faculty,
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