Level 4

Arriving in the USA

Written by Wurihan Fnu

I will never forget the first time I arrived in the USA with my son. We landed at the airport in Seattle. We were a little nervous because we did not understand English. We needed to transfer to the domestic flight, but we had just one hour. I took the map of the airport, and I tried to find the terminal of domestic flights. Thirty minutes passed, and we lost our way. Finally, I had to ask a man for help with my bad English. He was very kind, and he brought us to the small airport train. We arrived successfully at the gate, and we said thank you so much to him. Most importantly, we caught our flight, so we felt better. The day was so hard for us, but we had a lot of help from other people, and they made us feel good on our first day in the USA.

The City of My Dreams

Written by Elianora Duynamalyan

Venice is the most beautiful and interesting place I have ever visited.  There were many beautiful things to see in Venice. I visited many old churches, museums, and historical buildings.  There were noisy water buses and dreamlike gondolas on the water.  I took many short trips around the Venice canals with these water buses.  I also visited the Art Biennale and saw the work of many talented artists. There are always great exhibits at my favorite museum, Ca’ Pasaro. I loved the sounds of Venice. I heard bird sounds, sea waves, street singers, and the happy voices of many tourists. They all talked, laughed loudly, sang and danced on the streets. One day, one of the noisy birds stole my sandwich. I really enjoyed the smells and tastes of Venice. There were many restaurants in Venice. I went to a seafood restaurant and enjoyed a delicious meal.  On the colorful Venice streets, you can always smell seafood. There were many cafes in Venice. I ate ice cream, drank coffee, and ate Italian sandwiches. I also liked to watch the sea and listen to its sounds. I sat and watched the peaceful sea. I was thankful that nature can be so beautiful. Venice makes me dream and will always be in my heart.

My Birthday at the Space Needle

Written by Elena Shkilniuk

I will never forget the day I had my birthday at the Space Needle. My family and I drove to Washington State. We found a not expensive hotel near a children's park in Tacoma. We had a delicious dinner, and my daughter and I swam in the pool. The next day, my family and I woke up, and we ate eggs with bacon at the breakfast inside the hotel. Then, we drove to Seattle. We drove to the Space Needle. First, we met a lot of tourists on the first floor, and we read the history of the Space Needle. It is very interesting for me because I like architecture. Second, we took the elevator to the highest floor. We looked at the beautiful view around the tower. Later we took photos, and my daughter took videos. Third, my husband surprised me. He brought me a cake with musical candles, and all the tourists sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I was very happy. I will remember this day at the Space Needle all my life.

Cook Park

Written by Khatera Sadat

Cook Park in Oregon is such a great place to visit and enjoy nature. There are many different types of trees and flowers. Each has amazing smells. People like to take pictures with the flowers. It looks great.  People especially go there to enjoy the beauty of the park and walk on the sidewalk or next to the grass. I went there and took a lot of pictures of nature, the beauty of the park, and the blue sky. We also ate ice cream which was really sweet, and then we played football. There are a couple of food carts, and they are delicious. Me and my friends went to the food cart and bought burgers. After eating our food, we swam with our friends until evening. Cook Park is a special place for people. They can go there, sit, drink coffee, and talk together. Also people can enjoy the river. I recommend people go to Cook Park and enjoy their day.

High School Graduation

Written by Maryam Alazzawi

My high school graduation was an exciting day for me. It was on June 17, 2023. I did not sleep well the night before graduation because I was very excited. I woke up early, and I wore my graduation clothes. I called my friend before I went to the bus station. I took a bus to school. At school, I met my friends and teachers before we received our diplomas. I was the first in my graduating class, so I felt very happy. After that, I took photos with my friend and all my teachers. Then my friend and I walked to the bus station to go to a park. When we walked, the people in the street saw us and said “congratulations”. After we went to the park, we took more photos and videos to remember this day. After that, we went home. It was a beautiful day, and I will not forget it.

Tokyo is a Great City for Working Parents

Written by Satoshi Endo

Tokyo is a great city for parents with children, especially parents who want to continue working. First, there are many preschools. These preschools are managed by the Japanese government and are safe and inexpensive. It only costs about $300 per month. Second, most middle school students go to school by walking or bicycle, so their parents do not have to drive their children to middle school every day. Third, high school students can go anywhere by public transportation such as trains and buses. In Tokyo, children can commute and travel safely by themselves, so this is why Tokyo is a great city for working parents.

The Worst Day of My Life

Written by Chukwuka Stanley Wefor

I will never forget the day my car broke down in the middle of nowhere. It was on a Sunday night around 9:00 p.m., and I was heading home from work. I was trying to merge onto the highway east to Portland. Suddenly, my car stopped, but I managed to pull to the side. It was very dangerous parking on that side of the road. I was very disappointed. At first, I thought it was the battery, so I waited outside in the rain to see if I could get help from anybody. I waited and waited before my coworker showed up. He asked me what the problem was. I told him that my car just stopped and would not start again. Maybe the battery failed, so he tried using his car battery to start my car, but it still did not work. He told me the fault was not the battery but the alternator. It turned out that my alternator had not been working for the past three days. I was more frustrated because I thought it was the battery. He told me that the only way out was to call 911 to get towed off the road because it was very dangerous for incoming traffic. I called 911. After some time, the police showed up, and I explained the situation to them. They helped me get a tow truck. I was happy to hear that. After some time, a tow truck showed up. That was how I got home that night. Each time I drive past that road, it reminds me of how I was stranded in the rain that night. 

Things About Apartments

Written by Arian Campos

Living in an apartment can be a good or a bad experience. I currently live in a house. The place where I lived before was in an apartment where there were more bad things than good. The first reason for living in an apartment was that it was on the third floor. It was exhausting to climb the stairs, especially when we had to carry groceries from the market, or when my mother had surgery and couldn’t climb the stairs. My second reason for this was that it was very small, and there was only one bathroom. This place wasn’t specious, and at the time, we had three dogs and a cat. Also, having only one bathroom was a problem for my mom and me. I spent a lot of time getting ready for school when other people had to use the bathroom. Finally my third reason was that the apartment did not have laundry inside. It was outside and very far away. It was very difficult to carry the heavy laundry baskets to the laundry room. After all, we moved and got something better.

The Exciting Day

Written by Abiy Siyum

The day was May 2, 2024, and I tried to get my driving license. I studied for about a week and finally got the chance to take the exam. I remembered that I did not have to wait or stand in a long line because I had an appointment. The front desk worker asked for my appointment paper, and then directed me to number 10 to take the test. I started the exam, but after finishing, I did not pass. I was so mad and upset because I had prepared for an entire week for the test. I told myself that if I did not get my driving licence, I would not go home, so I waited in the line for about 6-7 hours. Finally, I got to take the exam again, and I passed! I felt a sense of victory and determination to keep my word to myself. I went home and had fun with my friends. That was the day I felt happy. I always remind myself no matter what happens, don’t give up.

A Good Place to Live

Written by Libmar Oyaga

I think my house in San Cristobal, Venezuela was a very good place to live.  First, my bedroom was big and beautiful. I had space for my bed, my clothes, and my personal things. I loved spending time there every day. Second, my house had a big terrace where I could play when I was little. I remember playing with my brother and my cousins on the terrace.  We always had a lot of fun. In addition, my house was near the city center and many stores. It was easy to go shopping or visit different places with my family. Finally, my house was bright and spacious. It had big windows that let in a lot of light. I felt happy and comfortable living there. I think my house in San Cristobal was a great place to live.

My Citizenship Interview

Written by Julie Jung

One of the best days in my life was the day I passed my U.S. citizenship interview. Before the interview, I was very nervous and couldn’t sleep well the night before. I woke up early and got ready carefully, checking everything twice. At the office, I waited for my name and tried to stay calm. My heart was beating fast. When it was my turn, I walked in and answered the questions one by one. Some questions were easy, but some made me pause and think.The officer looked at me with a serious face. I could not tell if I did well or not. The room felt completely quiet. I held my breath waiting for the result. Then she said, “you passed. Congratulations.” I smiled right away and let out a big sigh of relief. It wasn’t easy, but I felt so happy, proud, and thankful. I will never forget that special day.