Books by Eric Douglas

Thriller fiction | Non-fiction: Adventure with a Purpose

  • Home
  • Mike Scott Thrillers
    • Held Hostage: Search for the Juncal
    • Water Crisis: Day Zero
    • Turks and Chaos: Hostile Waters
    • The 3rd Key: Sharks in the Water
    • Oil and Water: Crash in Curacao
    • Return to Cayman: Paradise Held Hostage
    • Heart of the Maya: Murder for the Gods
    • Wreck of the Huron: Cuban Secrets
    • Guardians’ Keep: Mystery below the Adriatic
    • Flooding Hollywood: Fanatics at the Dam
    • Cayman Cowboys: Reefs Under Pressure
  • Withrow Key
    • Lyin’ Fish
    • Tales from Withrow Key
  • Thriller Audiobooks
    • Cayman Cowboys: Reefs Under Pressure
    • Oil and Water: Crash in Curacao
    • Return to Cayman: Paradise Held Hostage
    • Turks and Chaos: Hostile Waters
    • Lyin’ Fish
  • Agent AJ West
  • About the Author
    • Scuba diving thrillers!
    • Six Questions with Eric Douglas
    • Publicity and Interviews
  • Nonfiction
    • For Cheap Lobster
    • Heart Survivor: Recovery After Heart Surgery
    • Oral History
      • Batter Up!
      • Memories of the Valley
      • WV Voices of War / Common Valor
      • Capturing Memories: How to Record Oral Histories
    • Dive-abled: The Leo Morales Story
    • Keep on, Keepin’ On: A Breast Cancer Story
    • WV Voices of War / Common Valor
    • Russia: The New Age
    • Scuba Diving Safety
  • Free Short Fiction
  • Collections
    • Mike Scott Box Set 3 (Books 7-10)
    • Mike Scott Box-Set 4-6
    • Mike Scott Box-Set 1-3
    • Tales from Withrow Key
    • Sea Turtle Rescue and Other Stories
    • River Town
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Conversing in a common language

Conversing in a common language

October 8, 2014 By Eric Douglas

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..

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Get a free, exclusive short story!

When you sign up, you can download a free Mike Scott short story collection. Theses three stories are only available to members of the mailing list. Don’t worry, we won’t spam you or sell your email address. We hate that, too.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

How I got into diving!

https://youtu.be/gKhw-4tORAM

Real Thugs: A Cult of Murder — Small groups of travelers have disappeared all over the mid-Atlantic without a trace. When bodies turn up with what appear to be ritual markings, FBI Agent AJ West is on the hunt for what might be a serial killer. Or something even more sinister. It’s a race against […]

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr

View Book

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Going to the circus! February 20, 2023
  • Cayman Cowboys is now an Audiobook! November 24, 2020
  • Halloween 2020 – as if reality wasn’t scary enough October 30, 2020
  • Real Trick and What Noise? October 30, 2020
  • Local Diving — Summersville Lake September 21, 2020

Blog posts, by category

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 ·