Dear Portfolio Reader:

My English class 101 is one of my big struggles during my student life. My feelings are coming up such as fears, nervous, frustrations, and fears. These are the fourth time taking English 101. It was my portfolio one of my first struggles, I had to revised two parts of my portfolio, but instead of do it that, I took the decision to take this class again. The second time it was family’s issues as a result of that, I couldn’t concentrate in my assignment during class; my professor suggested me withdrawn from class. My third struggle was be on time in class. I was taking once a week early in the morning I couldn’t be on time on class, and I hate to be late on class; again another withdrawn for my English 101. Now, my fourth time in this class finally I am focused to end my struggles as a written. I did not learn how to write in English form, since my early years as students. I am leaning how to write well in college level every day. This time with Mrs. Pappas, it was complete new system for me to teach me as written. She is using Edublogs in class for her students, and emails as via as communication outside of class.

Mrs. Pappas teach me how to write new essays for example text wrestling. I never did one before on my entire life as student. My essay is about parenting can be challenging most of he time for new parents, also how parents are living happy with their kids. The article was “All Joy and NO fun” by Jennifer Senior. It was a long article, I read it more than twice. I had to read another short article related to the first one. Bu it was not easy for me to find one. Mrs. Pappas help me to combine the new article. She emailed a couple articles so; it was easy for me to pick one form her list. But without her help it could not done my text wrestling with two articles.

My second essay is a Memoir I edited like four times I had to work with a tutor, and Mrs. Pappas. My second one brings me some memories of my childhood; it was a challenging to bring those memories alive, since has been years ago. When, I was writing my memoir this one help me to appreciate my siblings, because without their help, I will not be here typing this letter. It was about how my parents were working all the time, so my siblings were taking care of me during my childhood. Also, they were helping mom at home with all the chores at home, and money too.

M third essay is Ethnography again it was a complete new essay for me. Maybe the third one it about me I felt emotions connected with this essay. It is about immigration how people are suffering living in the shadows most of the time. The government is saying that illegal immigrants are not good for tis country, but is not true. They are hard workers, hones, and smart people. They are trying to build their home in a safe town. I believe immigrants are all with legal or illegal papers in this country.

In conclusion my struggles with English 101 are close to end. I want done with my fears and insecurities, Mrs. Pappas and my advice help me to hand them as a English written. Besides reading the assignment and articles twice help me to understand my ideas and focus on my essays.

Evelyn Hernandez

Professor: Holly Pappas

ENG 101

Text wrestling

Parenting

Parents are important in each child life, it doesn’t matter how is the relationship between adults. Kids they don’t understand why mom and dad are mad, they only want to be with them. Parents are providing secure, stability, and bond forever through love with their kids. Become a new parent can be challenging when stress, and other issues are gaining the bottle at home.

I am happy with my son, I was disagree with the author wrote, “The broad message is not that children make you less happy; it’s just that children don’t make you more happy”(Senior). It’s saying, to be a happy mother it is not depends how many children a woman can give a birth. However, the author says children don’t make happy parents. I am not agreeing with that statement, I believe love makes people happy children are the real lovers. They just love you for what you are it is not depends on you look. I am always been thinking that love makes this world better place to live. For example, my son love me without limits, judge, or appearance, he just love his mom. When, I became a mother, I understood the real love between parents and children. Even thought, kids can said a lie, about how eat the last cookie in the jar, but they will never lie to you when they love you. People are happy they are secure of their loving ones, so love if the power of our lives. I cannot understand why parents are not happy knowing that their kids are okay and healthy. Sometimes, people are not seeing the simple things of their lives such as; it is a sunny day, temperature at 60º degrees a wonderful day. I until today, I remember sad news, when a gun shooting was in Connecticut’s school. It was unbelievable to hear the news, I could not believe it, and how an evil person could kill so many innocent kids without reason. So, I don’t want cry again, I feel sorry for those parents, it was a big loss in their lives. May be they will never recovering at all, but they will learn to live without their little lovers in this world. It is sad.

I was agreeing with the author in this quote. Besides the author wrote “As a rule, most studies show that mothers are less happy than fathers, that single parents are less happy still, that babies and toddlers are the hardest, and that each successive child produces diminishing returns”(Senior). It could be true mothers are less happy than father, but I am not agree with the author. Why the author didn’t say mothers are stressful rather than fathers. One of the reason, why mothers have a high levels of stress, because mothers are always thinking some many things at the same time, for example how to eat healthy in every meal at home, how to do exercise with kids, what places to visit the coming weekend and so on. Instead of fathers, I believe they are simpler than moms. Sometimes, it is apposite dad gets home early than mom. For example a couple living a Brooklyn NY, they have a toddlers, mom works from 8:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and sometimes more late than that. Dad works from 7:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. he gets a home before mom. Sometimes mom has to travel for days, while dad goes home every day. Both parents have a full time job, and they are living in a town with high rate of living is very expensive.

Another article was “What Makes a Happy Parent? By Emily Nauman. She was saying that happy parent is depends on “The upshot? It seems that being happy (or not) as a parent depends on characteristics o he parent and child, such as personality and age, as well as details about their situation, like socioeconomic status and family’s structure” (Nauman). Again, I am not agree with the author, I don’t understand why parents complain for take care of their kids, when they are not rich, I believe only the riches can have a nanny at home to take care their kids; but not everybody can effort it. Kids love who they are close to them.

“Children’s Museum of Manhattan a nice place, but what it really needs is a bar” (Senior). It is just a dream, how a mother can said that children’s museum with bar, no way, no one can be agree with the author when mention that, alcohol with kids, she was so stressful, she needs a glass of wine, but never in children’s museum. I believe the author is arguing how parents are happy when their actions are complete different for example, parents are argue all the time. She said, “From the perspective of the species, it’s unmysterious why people have children. From the perspective of the individual, however, it’s more of a mystery than one might think”(Senior). I don’t think its a perfectly a mystery, why people have children. In my case, I was hoping to become a mother, after my 30s, I was dreaming to have my own family, my husband and I, we were having the same dreams. We were starting feel ours lives empty, it was not a reason to be at home after work, or going to a park with a dog, we were feeling alone, even though both we were doing chores at home. We were talking about having a child, our first one, we were dreaming about it. One of the reasons could be, because we feeling old, empty, or bored without any kid, most of our close friends had kids. My husband and I, we were the last couple of our families to have a kid. We share the same opinion about every stage in our lives, 20s college and parties, 30s could be a good age to start thinking to have babies, maybe late 30s.

However, I believe Neuman said important fact of happy parent, she said “And as the authors point out, happy parents often mean happy kids: Research has shown that happier parents engage in more positive parental behaviors and also influences positive outcomes in their children, like their child’s motivation, achievement, and relationships with peers”(Neuman). I think one of the reasons why parents have to forget their issues as couple or employee; it is because their kids will learn those behavior from their parents, good or bad mood, and it would not matter how others kids will treat them. As parents we must watch up our mood, and behavior in front of our children.

All Joy and No Fun (Senior), is about all the stress of parents are having, when they decided to be parents, but this article is not saying about the simple things in our lives as parents, when our kids are sick we wishing those to be okay. As a parent we need to understand that kids don’t need perfect parent, kids only need their parents to guide them in their life. The other article What Makes a Happy Parent? (Neuman). It was all the stages of parents’ lives. It was what stages of kids makes a parents happier than others stages of kids. But my conclusion with those two articles are not agree with the authors because, parents becomes a guide of their kids, without exception

Works Cited

Nauman, Emily. “What Makes a Happy Parent?” Greater Good. The Science of a Meaningful Life, 19 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.

Senior, Jennifer. “All Joy and No Fun Why Parents Hate Parenting.” New York Magazine (2010): 1-12. Print.

Evelyn Hernandez

Professor: Holly Pappas

English 101

Memoir

Family Size

My parents are from Guatemala; in my country it is normal to be part of large families mine gave is one of those. Large families are about seven, eight, nine kids per family. My mom gave birth to four girls and three boys. Being part of a large family wasn’t good at all, in my opinion but in my case, one kids is okay in my own family size.

Being part of a large family was not great for me. My mom and dad had to work extra time every day. So my oldest sister was taking the role of my mom all the time. For example, she was cooking dinner for the whole family every day. As a result of that I had to listen her all the time, she was always saying mom is not home so, you better go to do your homework before mom get home. Also, my oldest brother did the role as dad at home, he did not finish his high school for working and help my parents with money, to supply what it was necessary at home. When I had to take turn as oldest sister with the rest of my siblings the youngest ones, they were two more kids, after me. At least someone was playing with me all the time my youngest sister. I was happy with my youngest siblings. My next sister is only one year younger than me, so all the time my mom dressed us same styles and colors in everything, I did not like my mom’s decision, but I did not have other choice. We looked like twins, but we were so different from outside, our skin color is complete opposite. I am like a brown color and she is white, but my mom did not care how different we were, even our hair texture, I had black hair and she had light hair color. Now, I asked me how my did it , if we were totally different each other. In our personalities were almost the same, we were playing the same games all the time, I was happy to have some with me, all the time. We were sharing bedrooms, toys, shoes, and clothes.

When I dreamed of my own family, since my youngest years of my life, I was dreamed how my future husband would look like. How many kids I wished to have as a mother. I remember, I always was saying to my best friend Nora, how many kids we wished to have in our own home. In my case, I was saying two or three kids, no more than three. In my childhood, I was missing my parents all the time, but they were so busy making money, they were trying to give us as much as they could. At home were so many limitations like no family vacation. The oldest siblings were working too, so they had to help at home. Being a child in a large family wasn’t good for me, because my mom did not have time to spend with each child at home.

My dreams as a mother came true, when my son born in 2011. I am so happy with him, I spend time at home with him, we read book, we going to library each week. However my pregnancy was not easy, I was having diabetes. My journey as a new mother becomes hard, continuous check ups and ultrasounds each month. I had to pinch my fingers four time a day, to check my sugar levels, my diet was regulated by a doctor were tough, I decided not to have another child. Sometimes, I was to have a girl but I never dream with another member on my family.

In my own family, we are three; I am so happy with my son and husband at home. I believe small families are good. Maybe in contrast of my parents, but now I have chosen, how many kids I want to have. Only one is okay for me. I make my own decisions of the size of my own family, can be the missing of my mom in my childhood, Being three at home, it is easy to spend time each other, when my son is sleeping my husband and I, we are watching movie at home. I am all the time with my son; I read a book every night in his bedroom. No one at home can play my role as mother.

Evelyn Hernandez

ENG 101

Professor: Holly Pappas

Ethnography

Living in the shadow

Moving from Central America to the U.S.A. it is not easy decision to take, when a person is leaving behind the comfort zone in his/her life. More over it is even more complicate to come to a new country an illegal way. It is walking to the desert for days, and it is paying a some else for take care of their lives for a couple of days. It is dangerous journey for any person to come to American dream. Most of the time illegal immigrant are leaving their home, because violence in their towns, or the lack of educations so as a result of that, it is complicate to have a job in their countries. Maybe can be the reason why illegal immigrant are hungry for work; they have been waiting for an opportunity to have a job. In the United States they found that opportunity to have job, and build safe lives for their kids. However, an illegal immigrant are paying a high price to living in the shadow everyday; sometimes member of their families are passing away, and they are not able to seen them for the last time.

First identification is the United is a social security card. A person living without those nine numbers, is like living in the shadow, Those numbers give you access to apply for driver’s license, but someone going to Motor and Vehicles building is a big risk. Another important card is, “Green Card” it is like a license to live in the United States, without this important card, it is not able to fly and come back to their native country. If one want to apply for green card it is not easy just to fill out green card application, and that all, It is necessary to have a list of argues why immigrant want to have access to have license to live free in this country. The process of the application takes time, and money as the time, for a consult to reader and approve it a green card.

However, for a single person living an illegal immigrant life, it is a tough living every day. Also it is living in the shadow all the time. If the person is lucking to have a job, the most secret thing is one has to know your real immigrant status. It is usually for an illegal immigrant to use some else name, and social security card fake. No one goes to Motor Vehicles for driver’s license, without a legal I.D. so as result of that name illegal immigrant is driving without it. More over an illegal immigrant is not able to go a public building such as Courthouse. If someone is living like as immigrant today, it is living in fear, most of the times. Illegal person is afraid to suit someone how taking advantages of their statues. Another of the reason employee take a risk to hire an illegal immigrant, it is because they like to work hard, sometimes without vacation for years, or days off they like their check each week.

A couples day ago I met a beautiful lady from Honduras. She is an illegal immigrant living in this country for about ten years. I interview her for this assignment. When I asked how is to living in this country without legal cards. Her answers made felt pretty bad for this questions she said “No tenes una idea que es vivir con miedo todo el timepo” it means “you don’t have any idea how is to live in fear all the time”. Also she said “I don’t want to go back to my country for any reason, mine kids born over here, they like their school, and my job is okay for me”. I worked ten hours, sic days a week, so I am happy with paid check every week. Sometimes I just wish to have vacation in my country, stay there for a few weeks, I wished to be with my mom when she pass ways two months ago. I was sad, angry, upset, and disappointed to being able to buy a fly ticket and stay with my mother her last days or hours of her life. It was not money my big issue, it was not having a green card. She understood the high price to live in shadow all the time.

Besides the sad news of her mother, she continues to work hard everyday, she is leaning how to live with the pain of the loss of her mom. She has a sister in law, who drop off her to work every day or sometimes she uses Uber service for her transportation. Her kids are really good in school even when she never goes to any school meeting during the whole year. The main reason of missing meeting at school, it is her work she has the first shift from 6:00 AM. to 4:30 P.M. Monday thought Saturday. Every Sunday she goes to eat a nice restaurant to spend time with her kids.

Being part of this society it is not easy for one, it is doesn’t matter if you are illegal or legal immigrant. People will understand why immigrant are coming to this country even with the risk of their lives, when they decided to move and leave their conform zone, behind them.