Immigrants coming to the United States illegally draw a lot of attention and rancor. And I will be the first to say that the entire situation is handled dismally. But illegal immigration tends to overshadow LEGAL immigration.

There are still thousands of people coming to the US legally, with all of their paperwork in place, with the goal of finding a better life. Often, these people make their way here from places beset by war and conflict. These people are exactly like previous generations that built the United States.

Recently, I was invited to talk to a group of immigrants in Charleston who were forming a “conversation club”. They were studying English as a Second Language (ESL) at the Garnet Career Center and wanted to practice talking…to each other and native English speakers as well. In the group, there were four people from Syria (two of them children), two from Iran, and one each from Afghanistan, the Czech Republic and Cameroon. The organizers told me there were others, but that they couldn’t make it that night. The club meeting took place at the Charleston branch of the Kanawha County Library.

I was pleased to hear all of them say their reception in Charleston had been positive. They liked the city. And everyone said the people they had met were nice. A few had issues with the weather, but several had never seen snow before moving to the United States. One happened to arrive in Charleston last January; in the middle of a snow storm and right before the water crisis. (Frankly, I’m surprised she stayed. Most of us who were born here wanted out.)

I was invited to talk to the group because of my own experiences traveling. One of the first things I told them was I remembered being in Russia and being nervous about going out to get cash or get something to eat on my own, afraid my language skills wouldn’t be good enough. I was embarrassed and didn’t want to draw attention to myself. There were times it was easier to wait until the next day when a friend would come and get me, even if it meant going hungry for the night. I got some knowing looks. I’m sure more than one of them has had similar experiences. One girl mentioned she had been shopping when the cashier asked her “Credit or Debit”…a question we all know very well. Except, the cashier said it so quickly, the student had no idea what she was saying. Even when it was repeated.

If you happen to meet someone on the street with an unusual accent or who looks a little bewildered, ask them if they need help. Smile. Make them feel welcome. And if you’re interested in helping the group practice their English, you can contact the library to find out when they need someone to come in for a good conversation..

A few days ago, I listened to a group of women discussing footwear. They discussed the best places to buy them and different styles. Typical conversation at a coffee shop or the mall? Not even close. They were discussing work boots.

I use the facilities at the West Virginia State University Economic Development Center from time to time, giving presentations for the Creators Program and using the co-working facilities. On a recent visit, I met Misty Mayville and learned a bit about the Step-Up for Women program she runs from there. I was intrigued enough by what I heard to go see them at work.

Step-Up for Women gives women the skills to work in construction. They get hands-on experience with carpentry, plumbing, electrical work and more. The women leave the program ready to join a union apprentice program (for example) or get to work. Obviously, there’s a lot of on-the-job training after the class, but that’s true for any employee.

The program also covers topics like effective communication, budgeting/credit, resume writing, where to look for work and interviewing. The class even comes with gym membership because they need to be fit enough to do the job. Each semester, the program starts with around 16 women although inevitably a few drop out for one reason or another. The program lasts for 11 weeks and is totally free. They even help the women out with clothing, tools and mileage expenses.  There are programs in Martinsburg, and Morgantown as well.

The women were busy building a 10×12 foot storage shed while I was there, but I got a chance to talk to Heather Cain of Cross Lanes for a few minutes. Cain has a Bachelor’s Degree and has worked as an accountant and as a blackjack dealer. But she said she wanted to do something with her hands and work outside.

“Like a lot of us, I’m a single mom and in my last job I was working nights. I slept all day and didn’t have time for my kids,” Cain said. “For me, family is more important than money. There aren’t a lot of jobs working midnights in construction.”

Her short-term goal is to get her apprentice license as an electrician and eventually she wants to own her business as a general contractor. Cain also noted that sometimes women feel they get taken advantage of with mechanics and contractors. “I’ve got a lot of things to do around the house. Now I can do them myself.”

Cain even recommended the program to her soon-to-be 18-year-old daughter.

In an election cycle where, inevitably, politicians talk about “jobs” in the abstract but really don’t have a clue what it takes to create them or train people to do them, Mayville and her crew impressed me. They wanted to work.

For more information on the Step Up for Women program, visit the website at wvwomenwork.org or call 304-720-1402. And, if you’re interested in buying the storage shed, it’s for sale. Call Mayville to discuss price and delivery..

My father-in-law is fond of the phrase “growing old isn’t for sissies” or variations of it. He used it on me recently when I got a new medical device. I really hadn’t planned to tell this story, but judging from the reactions several friends have given me when I told them, I think I have to.

I have a hearing aid.

For most of the last year, I’ve been getting headaches and have been a bit more tired than normal. Sometimes my ear bothered me, but I thought it was just waxy buildup. Or an ear infection. Or one of several other self-diagnoses. I thought the headaches were caused by eye strain and got stronger reading glasses. That didn’t help.

Finally, it got bad enough that I really began paying attention to the problem and I realized I had tinnitus. The constant ringing and headaches were making it difficult to concentrate and my writing productivity dropped off considerably.

When I really thought about it, I realized the ringing noises were primarily in one ear. After some medical exams and false starts, we determined I have some degree of hearing loss in my left ear. Not sure why…other than possibly it is my “driving ear”. I’ve always loved to drive with the windows down (and no, I don’t hang my head out the window like a dog…at least not often).

So, now I have a hearing aid. It’s really helped considerably. I don’t say “huh?” nearly as much. And I can actually hear the television…most of the time. The headaches are almost entirely gone. Best of all, my focus has returned. My hearing aid even comes with a built-in background noise if I want to use it to distract me from the ringing when I’m reading or doing something quietly. I really haven’t needed it, but it’s like having my own muzak.

The most interesting part has been the reactions I’ve gotten from a number of my friends. Several friends have told me that they thought they were just going to have to struggle with hearing loss. That it was just part of getting older. I typically have to show them my hearing aid because they don’t see it normally. Hearing aids aren’t cheap, but my insurance paid for quite a bit of it.

I make a lot of jokes about my hearing aid, but in general I don’t think of it as being any different than wearing glasses. Instead of suffering from eye strain, I get headaches from ear strain. Simple as that.

If you’re struggling to hear, or with headaches or tinnitus and think it is just something you have to deal with, don’t. Talk to your doctor. Hearing aids are smaller, more effective and more affordable than ever.

Growing old may not be for sissies, but we don’t have to accept it gracefully either..