Speaking English can open the doors of opportunity for immigrants

A story about 2 friends who came to the U.S. together, one learned English and prospered and the other didn't. DP

Both Worlds Eduardo Montalvo
Osceola News Gazette: More than 10 years ago, Juan and Jose crossed the southern border of the U.S. to pursue their own versions of the American dream.

Juan, also known as John, was a young man with a strong desire to prosper. He was always looking for opportunities to make money. Jose was also a very talented young man but would rather look for the easy way to get ahead.

Neither of them spoke a word of English when they arrived in this country. They came equipped with only hope and their bare hands.

After the first year, their situation was simply pathetic. They hardly survived doing occasional jobs, without a regular income, and were constantly scared that “La Migra” would find them and send them back home. With no legal documents or knowledge of English, their future was more than compromised.

They constantly prayed and asked God for guidance. They prayed and prayed, but no answer came from above.

John was the first to realize that something had to be done; otherwise he had to go back where he came from. If he wanted to get the most of the opportunities offered by this country, he had to do something different to get different results.

He enrolled in English classes at night, at a neighborhood school. It was hard for him to stay awake during class after a day’s work. In the beginning, he couldn’t understand much of this new and difficult language, but he was determined to learn. He understood that learning English was the only way for him to overcome the difficulties of his present life.
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