During my first English class at the language center, which is managed by Amideast, we were asked to talk about a moment that changed our lives, be it for the better or for the worse. At that time, I was dealing with some family issues that had me on the edge emotionally. So when Ms. Jolene asked me to stand up and share my story, it was the first time in my life that I felt okay with being vulnerable in front of a group. I broke a barrier that day and overcame a deep-seated fear. I was one person before that exercise, and someone else entirely after it. It impacted me profoundly...
I don’t know how it worked out. I don’t know how I found the words in English to express myself, but at that moment, they just spilled out of me. I was wholly myself, sharing my story like I’d never done before. Since then, everything in my life fell right into place. I started looking for the good and prioritizing what mattered.
Now, every time I see a Facebook post about a new English class at the center, I smile inside. It changed me, and it makes me happy to see it spreading and reaching other people in Ma'an. People ask me, ‘You’re learning English?’ I say, ‘Yes, why not? I’m 33, but why should that stop me?’
To this day, there is no fear. That barrier has long been broken. Wherever I go, I can speak English comfortably. Sometimes there’s a bit of nervousness that creeps up on me, but that’s normal. That’s okay. When my daughter saw me trying during one of the classes where everyone brought their kids, she looked at me proudly and said, ‘Mom, you speak English!’ That feeling I felt in that moment is what keeps me going.
