Elvira Jimenez gets nervous before going to work. Bussing tables at Duarte’s Tavern isn’t what sets her heart pounding each morning, however. It’s speaking English to the customers. What if she misunderstands, and brings a patron something they don’t want? She practices the English in her head, and practices saying each sentence aloud: “Excuse me, can I take your plate?” “More water?” “Your waitress is coming.” But sometimes, in spite of all her work, the words still come out wrong. “I give customers water and bread. But I want to have a conversation with them. It’s hard when someone asks, ‘How is this cooked? Is this good?’ and I want to answer them,” Jimenez says. “I know a lot of words but I don’t know how to put them together.” She’s getting there. After four years of taking ESL classes at Puente without a single break (starting as a beginner and ending up in the most advanced class, before deciding to step down a level to take it slow), Jimenez clearly understands much of the spoken English that surrounds her and can offer limited replies. It’s hard work – very hard. “Right now it’s not comfortable. I try tell myself I can do it, but I still feel that pressure,” she says. Learning English is one thing. Gaining confidence is … Continue reading The fight to learn English: Elvira’s story