Takeaways from Volunteering in ESL
by Jomel Nichols. ESL Volunteer
When we moved back to our hometown of Kansas City, I wanted to find ways to get involved and make a difference in the community. My good friend, Susan, had served as a Mission Adelante volunteer for several years, and she shared how meaningful the experience had been for her. It sounded like the perfect way to give back and help others.
I was a little apprehensive since my grasp of the Spanish language is not very good. I had taken Spanish in high school and college, but that was a long time ago! Gissell was so helpful in encouraging me and helping me be confident enough to take the plunge. As I finish up my first session as an ESL volunteer, I have some takeaways I would like to share.
First of all, I love it. I look forward to Thursday nights and the chance to work with my student, Mildred. The time spent helping her learn English is the most rewarding thing I have done as a volunteer.
Second, if Mildred is a typical example, Mission Adelante’s ESL students are the most dedicated and hardworking people I have had the pleasure to know. And so appreciative too. Every time she thanks me for my time, I want to say, “No, I want to thank you for your time!” She obviously makes this class a priority, and I know she has a lot of other demands on her time. I am inspired by her dedication and drive to learn a very difficult language.
And finally, I feel like I am learning as much as Mildred is. While we prioritize speaking in English to each other while in class, we often need to use Spanish to explain some of the more complicated concepts of language. Mildred really wants to know the “why” behind things. Using my admittedly weak Spanish, along with Google translate, have helped us both better understand the nuances of both our native tongues.
I am learning so much more than I anticipated as a Mission Adelante ESL volunteer. I am getting to know someone on a personal level and hope I am making a real impact in her life. She has certainly made an impact on mine.
