“My advice to other people based on my experience is first try to learn the English language in order to be able to get a great job and always try to use the available opportunities like those offered by Spring Institute.”

N’guessan Estelle Azan was born in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. She came to the United States 3 years ago as a refugee, finding a home in Aurora, Colorado.

Estelle learned about Spring Institute through an online search. She decided to enroll in English language classes through the Adult Education Program. For two years, Estelle participated in ESL classes acquiring English and preparing for her goals. Her favorite part of the ESL classes was improving her English language knowledge and skills like reading, listening, and writing. She also appreciated the opportunity to speak English with fellow students from different language backgrounds. 

Reflecting on her time as an ESL student, Estelle expressed, “…Spring Institute’s ESL instructors were knowledgeable and helpful, after graduating from ESL classes I was able to participate in Career Pathway Coaching sessions with Allie Needham, the best coach I ever met. I was supported in applying for the job, feeling confident, and getting ready for the job interview. Both ESL classes and coaching sessions have shaped me to be a great person.” 

Since taking ESL classes and participating in career coaching, Estelle now confidently communicates in English and has obtained a job as a paraprofessional with Cherry Creek Public Schools.

Estelle’s current goal is to go back to school to become an expert paraprofessional in order to lead a special education department. She shares: “My advice to other people based on my experience is first try to learn the English language in order to be able to get a great job and always try to use the available opportunities.”

“It is not important that we arrive late, but the important thing is that we arrive.”

Fatima Zahara Boubina was born and raised in Morocco, where she met the love of her life, her husband. He moved to the United States ahead of her and she and their young son joined him in Denver in 2015. She spent the following year beginning the family’s initial adjustment to a new country and preparing to welcome their second child. 

A year passed quickly, but Fatima felt confused and depressed because she didn’t have the chance to go to school or improve her English language skills during her pregnancy. She felt lost and overwhelmed without education or work experiences throughout that time. 

At the end of 2015, Fatima found a job as a hotel housekeeper. The work was extremely stressful and labor intensive with no real opportunity for upward economic mobility. After five strenuous years, she made the difficult decision to stop her housekeeping work and sacrifice her income in order to devote more time to tending to daily family needs and helping her children with their studies.

After leaving the hotel job, Fatima decided to begin working toward her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential as part of Pamoja Early Childhood Education Workforce Program, a pilot project striving to increase multilingualism among Colorado’s early childhood workforce. She already had experience as a child care professional having worked in a preschool in Morocco and Pamoja appealed to Fatima because it was flexible and accommodating of her busy family schedule. Plus, while she could engage in much of the material in her native Arabic, she also got to take English classes through Spring Institute. With a newfound sense of direction and confidence, she says, she finally felt like she’d found the right path.

As she earns her CDA, Fatima is learning more about child development and teaching methods while also gaining knowledge of bureaucratic and cultural nuances of the American education system. This is not only helping to advance her own education and career goals, it is empowering her to be a better advocate for her children as they navigate early learning and the public school system. With a third child born last year, Fatima is even more motivated to utilize her knowledge and identify opportunities for her own family and others acclimating to the U.S. to learn, thrive, and integrate successfully while still remembering and honoring their heritage. 

In early 2021, Fatima took her advocacy journey further by joining Spring Institute’s Parents to Advocates leadership training program, a series of workshops and coaching sessions where she’s applying her skills, passions, and talents to specific advocacy projects. She’s now sharing her inspiring story to touch the lives of other mothers who may need a boost of hope. She’s also surveying her community on the problems and challenges they face and engaging with decision makers and social justice advocates who care about finding solutions that lift up our shared humanity, empower wives and mothers, and strengthen Arab families. 

Fatima ultimately intends to teach at a preschool serving dual language learner families so that kids and their parents from different backgrounds can come together and learn from each other. She often asserts the maxim, “it is not important that we arrive late, but the important thing is that we arrive,” and we couldn’t be more pleased and proud that Fatima has arrived in the extended Spring Institute community! Her energy, dedication, and impact as an advocate and an educator are already apparent, and we can’t wait to see where she goes next! 

“I’m excited to utilize my skills and experience and I know I have a lot to offer.” 

Kalthoom Amin was born in Saudi Arabia. Her parents brought their family back to their native country of Bahrain when she was two years old. She lived in Bahrain for the rest of her childhood and graduated from high school there. Kalthoom has always been passionate about learning and career development, so after high school she took a course offered through Microsoft to earn a certification in Microsoft Office. After her studies she got married. She feels lucky and thankful every day to be the mother of her three children.

After finishing college in Bahrain, Kalthoom and her husband decided to move to the United States. Arriving in Denver four years ago, everything was different and challenging, especially with a new baby in an unfamiliar land. Despite these hardships, Kalthoom decided not to give up and made a commitment to continue her education.  

Kalthoom dreams of one day pursuing a master’s degree in early childhood education. She has not been able to enroll yet because it is so expensive and she wants to focus on improving her English language skills first. But delaying that dream has not stopped her from being a self-motivated and career-minded individual. Kalthoom knows that she has a lot to offer as a speaker of Arabic and English with over 8 years of customer service experience in the retail sector and 5 years of experience in the state department of health working as a pharmaceutical material specialist. Raising her children also requires incredible work and dedication, and parenting has made her better at adapting, multi-tasking, staying organized, and managing her time. Kalthoom took an adult education English class with Spring Institute to build on her language skills in ways that will benefit her career path and help her support her children’s learning.

Kalthoom’s role as a mother has made her even more passionate about education. She recognizes the importance of being her children’s teacher and advocate in a school system that doesn’t always meet their language needs. Despite her own advanced education, it can be difficult to help her children with their homework. Because she is so determined that they excel academically, Kalthoom spends lots of time helping her kids learn and finish their homework. She wishes there were teachers more qualified to work with students who are learning English.

In early 2021, Kalthoom was accepted into the Parents to Advocates leadership training program at Spring Institute. She’s learned a lot about how policy decisions happen and how parents can speak up for themselves and find the best way to express their concerns. She feels more empowered now to stand up for her rights and speak up for her children, making sure her family has control over the decisions that impact their lives. She is also more attuned to her community’s needs, so now she is advocating to create a center to help refugee and immigrant students learn English, adjust to their new environment, and get assistance with their homework. She envisions the center as a place where refugees and immigrants can feel confident that their concerns will be addressed by other refugees and immigrants who have similar experiences and have learned to successfully adapt, just as she has.

“Anyone in need of a nurse would be privileged to be cared for by Rohullah as he beams with compassion and selflessness, and has a willingness to do whatever it takes for his patients.”

Rohullah trained as a nurse in Afghanistan before resettling more than 7,000 miles away in Colorado in 2015. Shortly after his arrival in the US, Spring Institute’s Colorado Welcome Back (CWB) program helped him secure a Certified Nursing Assistant position at a local healthcare facility. He dreamed of someday utilizing his hard-earned degree as a fully credentialed nurse, but spent several years in limbo waiting for the Afghan Ministry of Health to release his academic transcripts. Though the cost and energy of going back to school were major deterrents, Rohullah made the difficult decision to re-start his training from scratch here in Colorado so he could eventually move forward in his healthcare career.

Through the Refugee Career Pathways program funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, CWB provided extensive career guidance and financial support helping Rohullah enroll in a Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program. He was also awarded generous scholarships from Immigrant Pathways Colorado and Emily Griffith Technical College. In May of 2020, Rohullah graduated from his LPN program and soon acquired his LPN license. In early 2021, he was hired in a full-time LPN position!

If you thought Rohullah’s impressive story would end there, you’d be wrong. After years of waiting and favorable changes within Colorado’s Board of Nursing, Rohullah finally received his transcripts from Afghanistan and obtained US-equivalency for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree he’d completed there. He’ll soon be authorized to sit for his exam to become a Registered Nurse (RN). By early 2022, Rohullah will be eligible for licensure and can secure the RN position he’s been working toward for so long.

Rohullah’s journey has been lengthy in terms of geographic miles, time, and intensive effort. “I could not be more proud of Rohullah for his drive to relaunch his nursing career no matter the cost, the many obstacles, or all sleepless nights endured,” said Carrie Miller, Manager of the Colorado Welcome Back program. “Anyone in need of a nurse would be privileged to be cared for by Rohullah as he beams with compassion and selflessness, and has a willingness to do whatever it takes for his patients.”

Rohullah, we applaud your tenacity and commitment to the nursing field! Thank you for using your talents and expertise to care for your neighbors in Colorado.

“In all the places I’ve traveled to or lived in, my positive experiences have really come down to being welcomed by the people there…”

Myles Wallingford has been volunteering with Spring Institute’s adult education program since August 2019, supporting dozens of adult learners in improving their English skills, applying for citizenship, passing their high school equivalency exam, and gaining paraprofessional credentials. His background as a student of international development, work as an organizer for the Conference of World Affairs, passion for travel, and linguistic aptitude (with intermediate Spanish, conversational Bosnian, and basic Italian and Russian in his repertoire) have inspired and reinforced his proclivity for intercultural learning, making Spring Institute a great fit for his interests and talents.

As an avid international traveler who has also lived abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico, and Korea, Myles has gotten a taste of what immigrants and refugees contend with while integrating in a new country. “In all the places I’ve traveled to or lived in, my positive experiences have really come down to being welcomed by the people there who’ve served as a bridge to understanding their culture and kindly offered resource navigation in their particular society,” he says. “New friends taught me seemingly little things like how to catch a bus or what form of goodbye is most appropriate to use, and it made all the difference as I adjusted to life in a new place.” Reflecting on how much this has meant to him, Myles is deeply motivated to reciprocate with newcomer neighbors here in the United States.

Myles is inspired by the adult learners he volunteers with and especially admires the flexibility and adaptiveness they’ve shown through the challenges of the pandemic. He loves witnessing the “aha moments” as adult learners gain insights transferring skills into a new cultural context and fresh opportunities. “I once supported a student who worked in a bank for years in their home country and was clearly extremely savvy with numbers, but had simply never learned to use fractions before our class,” Myles explains. “I saw a lightbulb go off there in someone discovering a tool they’ll use for the rest of their life.”

Myles considers Spring Institute to be his anchor volunteer organization and feels privileged to be connected to the dedicated staff and network of supporters and participants who are collectively committed to the mission of empowering people and organizations to succeed across languages and cultures. He has recommended Spring Institute to various friends and colleagues and the appreciation is mutual for this invaluable volunteer and asset to our organization who is an integral part of greater Denver’s welcoming community.

“So many people have told me, ‘Erica, your speaking is so much better, you understand me more.’…”

Erica del Carmen Linares came to the United States two years ago from Venezuela. She started taking ESL classes a year ago after hearing about Spring Institute from friends. Erica joined these classes to improve her communication skills in all facets of her daily life, including to boost her job prospects, respond more effectively on her cell phone, and engage better in meetings with her children’s teachers.

Now an intermediate ESL student, Erica is working hard to master English grammar and build her vocabulary–all while enjoying herself. “My teacher is very fun,” she says. She finds her listening skills much improved and her communication abilities at work, while running errands, and talking on the phone are therefore getting better and better. She is proud because so many people have complimented her as she’s become more articulate and her English comprehension has developed.

Erica credits the passion of her instructor, who makes the classes fun, engaging, and collaborative, with her progress and would encourage others to join Spring Institute’s adult learning community because the classes are very professional and offer students the opportunity to work as a team. She is determined to overcome her shyness and nervousness when it comes to speaking by continuing to learn, and we know she’ll get there! Keep up the amazing work, Erica! 

“I always wanted to learn…These classes showed me my potential. They opened my eyes, and made me really motivated. I realized that if I could do this, I could do anything.”

Born in the United States, Soumaya Firdous lived in Saudia Arabia for a decade during her formative years. She studied with Spring Institute for nine months, graduating with her GED in May of 2019.

At age eleven, Soumaya and her two younger sisters relocated with their father to his native Saudi Arabia when he returned there to find work. She was always eager to learn, but her father was not supportive of her education. She taught herself to read, text, and speak in Arabic but only mastered English at a fifth grade level.

Upon returning to the United States, Soumaya set a goal of earning her GED. She had a hard time in an initial program where she felt the classes were over-crowded and the teachers didn’t have time to provide students with sorely needed individualized attention. She realized that what traditional students have years to learn, she’d need to learn over mere months. It was daunting, but she was ready to push herself.

Starting with registration and orientation, Soumaya knew things would be different in the Spring Institute program. “This wasn’t just a class where you went and no one really cares,” she explains. “The people who were there, including my teacher, Brenda, really actually cared. They wanted you to understand everything.” Her teacher gave the kind of one-on-one support that Soumaya felt was missing in her previous program, encouraging her inside and outside of school and challenging her sense of determination.

Soumaya credits Spring Institute’s adult education program with helping her realize that her desire to go to college can become a reality. “I always wanted to learn,” she says. “These classes showed me my potential. They opened my eyes, and made me really motivated. I realized that if I could do this, I could do anything.”

Successfully balancing her ambitious GED studies with being a wife and mother to two young boys, Soumaya has now applied to colleges and is considering going into nursing. She is also a trained Student Ambassador, providing leadership to others in the adult education community. She advises other adult students to keep an eye on their goals, not get overwhelmed, and seek support: “Take one test at a time. And try not to lose motivation. Keep yourself around things that motivate you.”

Rossana Miranda-Johnston is a Leadership Development Consultant who works with the Intercultural Training & Consulting program by Spring Institute. She was born and raised in Mexico and has lived in half a dozen countries, including the United States.

Rossana has an undergraduate degree in Workplace Psychology and a graduate degree in Intercultural Management. She also completed the Ontological Coaching certification program at Newfield Network. She has more than 20 years of experience leading group, individual and virtual leadership development sessions – in English and Spanish – for many Fortune 500 corporations in the United States, Canada, Europe and throughout Latin America. Some of her clients include Apple, Bridgestone, Volkswagen, and many more.

Rossana has collaborated with different teams to write book chapters and develop online tools in her areas of expertise, which include effective communication, diversity and inclusion, accountability, trust building, coaching, team building, corporate culture and sexual harassment prevention. Rossana loves her work as a trainer and facilitator, and she admires the mission of Spring Institute, which is very close to her heart!

Rossana lives in Boulder, CO with her husband Steven, where they enjoy growing their own vegetables, cycling and skiing. Her other favorite activities include dancing, traveling, mushroom hunting, and cooking.

Viet Pham came to the United States six years ago from Vietnam.  He joined adult education classes because he wanted to become a U.S. citizen and pass the test. He has been attending citizenship classes with Spring Institute and Denver Public Libraries for one year.

“I wanted to understand the history and American culture and the government of the U.S. [sic] structure of the U.S. government and how it operates.  I wanted to learn for daily life, for everywhere I go, and to feel more comfortable to go to the supermarket, the bank, and other daily activities.”

Viet says his teacher is very friendly, cares, and is helpful.  When he first came to class, he said he didn’t know much. But the teacher was willing to help, and he could see the improvement.  “After the class, I was able to understand the questions on the test. I became a U.S. citizenship [sic].” He wants to show everyone that if you work hard, you will get the results you want.  He took the time to learn the test and hopes to inspire others to know they can do it too.

Viet continues to pursue goals for himself.  His next plan is to study to become an auto mechanic.   When he lived in Vietnam, he repaired motorcycles and wants to transfer those skills to fixing cars.

“When people come to the U.S., no matter what age you come, when you come to the U.S., don’t feel shy.  If you don’t know, just go to English class. It will help you to learn the culture better. When you work hard, you get what you work for.  Nothing is easy, but if you work hard, you will get what you need.”  

We cannot wait to see Viet work hard in accomplishing all of his goals, and we are continually inspired by his persistence and grit.

“I am very grateful to the Spring Institute. Two years of work flew like one day.”

Inna Kolesnikova moved to the United States with her family in February 2016. When asked if she lived in any states other than Colorado, she exclaimed, “No, we came straight to Denver. We had several trips to other states and always came back home – to Denver!”

Inna learned about Spring Institute through Facebook, from the instructor of our Hospitality WorkStyles class, and she decided to register for the class even though she felt her English was at an “elementary level.” Shortly after completing the program, Inna was hired by The Spring Café. When asked about herself, she said: “I am very grateful to the Spring Institute. Two years of work flew like one day. I was surrounded by a large family. Work has never been a burden to me. Every day I received new skills in the language and also learned new skills – barista. It was not easy for me to make a decision to leave a job in [the] café…”

So after two years, Inna made the difficult decision to leave The Spring Café to become a full-time student at Emily Griffith and complete her nursing degree. She has always wanted to be a nurse “and take part in the birth of a new life” as a midwife.

We will deeply miss seeing Inna on a daily basis, but we are so proud of her accomplishments. She has also agreed to help a few times per month during our Café Conversation events, so please stop by and say ‘hello.’ She would be happy to see you!

“Despite the challenges I love my job and consider myself a bridge between clients and their medical or legal professionals.”

Graciela Vodicka is an English-Spanish Interpreter for The Interpreter Network by Spring Institute. She is originally from Rosario, Argentina and immigrated to the United States in 1970 to begin her family. She started her journey in the U.S. in California and has moved around between Colorado, Seattle, and Florida.

Graciela is a certified medical and basic legal interpreter, and she is also certified to interpreter for the Adams 12 school district. In March 2017, Graciela decided to improve her knowledge of medical interpretation, and after researching several companies, she decided that Spring Institute was her best choice. She felt that the 40-Hour Bridging the Gap training gave her “the knowledge and confidence to work with medical professional[s].”

She has encountered various challenging medical situations since taking the training. “Despite the challenges I love my job and consider myself a bridge between clients and their medical or legal professionals,” she stated.

Graciela’s goal is to learn at least two more languages so that she can serve a larger part of the community, and she is currently learning Italian. Recently, she joined Spring Institute’s Adult Education program as a volunteer teaching assistant in a beginning ESL class. She is passionate about traveling, cooking and running. A few of her strengths are communication, empathy and consistency. She has three children, three grandchildren, and a dog named Sofie (who is also bilingual)!

“Opportunities were scarce, but now I see myself as one of the most successful people from that camp.”

On October 19, 2017, Ali Abdullahi arrived in Colorado from a Kenyan refugee camp along with his wife and children. A native of Somalia, Ali and his parents fled their country when he was young in response to the civil war. “I was raised in the camp,” said Ali, “Opportunities were scarce, but now I see myself as one of the most successful people from that camp.”

In February 2018, Ali heard about the Paraprofessional Pathways course at Crawford Elementary, his children’s school. This 12-week training for future K-12 teaching assistants is offered by Spring Institute in partnership with Aurora Public Schools (APS) to meet the district’s need for more school staff who reflect the cultures and languages of its students. Before coming to the U.S., Ali was a math teacher for students in grades 4-7 and also served as a volunteer English tutor. He had been thinking about returning to teaching, this time in the U.S., so he decided to join the class, hoping to learn more about the possibility of working in his own neighborhood community.

As the course progressed, Ali’s favorite part was the classroom style, which was “totally different” from his past school experiences with teacher-centered classrooms. “The thing I appreciate the most is the interaction between the students, with the teacher as a facilitator,” he shared. Students in Paraprofessional Pathways receive cultural orientation on the U.S. school system in addition to test prep for the district’s employment exams and support with their job search.

“Everything in the class was helpful: mathematics practice, seeing people from different backgrounds, learning about the culture of the U.S., and the U.S. format for the cover letter, resume, and job applications,” Ali remembered. Ali’s teacher also referred him to services providing him with computers for his family and evaluation for his college credentials.

In May 2018, at the conclusion of the course, Ali passed his required exams for APS and started interviewing for school positions. With his teaching experience and cultural knowledge, he will be a valuable asset. Ali speaks English, Swahili, Arabic, and Somali. “The best resource one can make use of is time,” is Ali’s advice for others in a similar position. “And avoid bad company. For every successful person, it is his company that makes the difference.” Spring Institute wishes Ali the very best as he leaves our company for now and continues his career journey.

“Most importantly, I kept my eye on my goals – to become a pharmacist again.”

Hanadi Al Haidari was a pharmacist in Iraq before fleeing her country after war. “My family and I chose Jordan as the best option to save ourselves from death,” she said. Although it provided a safe haven, living in Jordan was difficult because there was limited access to work, healthcare, education, and basic needs. Hanadi recounts, “We tried to make ends meet and live a very basic life, but we waited with anxiety, fear for the future, and daily challenges to survive.” Hanadi and her family waited several years for an approved refugee resettlement application, and when it came, she was relieved. More than that, she was ready for the challenge to succeed in the United States! “Most importantly, I kept my eye on my goals – to become a pharmacist again,” she exclaimed.

She connected with the Colorado Welcome Back program by Spring Institute in 2016. Colorado Welcome Back staff helped Hanadi understand the steps to become a licensed pharmacist again and helped her find meaningful work in her field. We are happy to report that Hanadi is now employed as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) with Denver Health and as a medical interpreter for The Interpreter Network by Spring Institute.  In 2018, we were honored to have her as a guest speaker at our 4th Annual Spring Intercultural Champion Awards. Indeed, Hanadi has accomplished so much already, but her journey is not finished. Her eyes remain fixed on that one goal…

Great work Hanadi and keep pressing on!

“I want to start my own business so I can be an employer and provide jobs for others.”

“I’m from Estonia. I’ve been here for 3 years. In Estonia, I worked as an accountant. Here, I stay at home. But I live at the end of Aurora, so it’s pretty far away and I feel very lonely. That’s why I decided to come to this class to meet some new people.

Spring Institute’s hospitality class has made me stronger and given me more power to believe in myself. I feel more confident. I think I will recommend this class for my friends from Mexico. They can come and get more education and experience with Natalia or with any of the other teachers.

I want to start my own business. Right now, I make my own soaps. It’s my dream to sell my soaps in different shops like Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods. I want to start my own business so I can be an employer and provide jobs for others.

If I was to meet a foreigner who just moved to Denver, I have one piece of advice. Go and start to learn English; not with books, but with people. Learning is through communication. My English got better through communication, especially through Spring Institute’s class. Of course, I traveled a lot and always communicated in English. But it really improved when I would go out and practice it.”

“I’m not scared of speaking English anymore. Before, yes. But now, I understand, so I speak. Life is easier when you speak English.”

“Respect’, ‘love’, ‘school.’ Those are my favorite words in English and the values by which I tell my kids to live. I have an 11-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son. I’ve been here for 18 years and I’m still here. I’m married with two kids and I’m happy. My life is good, for sure.

My daughter told me, ‘Hey Dad, in my school, there’s a class in English. Come on, let’s go!’ So I decided to attend. My wife and sister-in-law speak a lot of Spanish because they learned from me, but I spend most of my time at home speaking English.

I work in construction. I’ve been working with the same company for eighteen years. In five years’ time, I hope to be a foreman at my job. I also want to buy a house for my family. Studying more English in the future will always remain my goal. There’s just so much to learn. I speak English at my work, in the store, everywhere. When I came to this classroom, people were afraid to talk and I tell them, ‘Talk! Speak! Whenever you talk, you will get better.’

I’ve been in this class for 3 months and I really like it. The first class, I was nervous. And now, I speak and write more English. I need to learn writing because there’s a lot of problems when I can’t write. I’ve learned a lot, for sure. I need writing if I stay in the United States.

Life will be easier when you speak English. Before, I couldn’t read or write. Sometimes I would be given paperwork at my job and I could barely fill out the form, only my name. This is why I’m here in the class. I need it. It’s really important.

One of my accomplishments is that I’m still here in this class. In January, I’ll be here again, and maybe move up to the next level. I’m not scared of speaking English. Before, yes. But now, I understand, so I speak.”

“The students here have helped and supported me more than I could ever imagine. It’s like a family. If they see you advance, they’re happy for you. If they see that you’re down, they’ll tell you what to do.”

“It was my New Year’s resolution to get my GED and I am so excited to have accomplished it! I started volunteering at the school where my son and daughter attend. There was a little girl in my daughter’s class who had a bit of a learning disability. I worked with her one-on-one and helped her learn the alphabet. It was so exciting to see that I contributed to her learning growth. I feel so excited to know that I have helped other kids learn. I enjoyed volunteering so much that the teacher told me I should just work here. She said that I needed my GED, which I didn’t have. But as soon as I heard about Spring Institute and that they offer GED classes, I thought, ‘I have to do this.’

I’ve been in this class for about a year now. The students here have helped and supported me more than I could ever imagine. It’s like a family. If they see you advance, they’re happy for you. If they see that you’re down, they’ll tell you what to do. Miss Heidi has done so much for me. She’s pushed me and I feel like if I don’t do it, I’ll fail her and everything she’s done to help me.

Hopefully next year, I will finally be working at the school. This job would help me pay for graphic design school. I’m very artistic in certain ways because I like to think out of the box. I like the challenge. In five years’ time, I hope to have a business where I can be using my graphic design skills.

I’m on my last test and I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it this far. My husband has been one of my biggest supports during this process. He has pushed me to continue going to class, take my tests, and keep on studying even when I fail.
The most important reason for getting my GED is for my kids. By going to school, I am showing them that education is important and that they shouldn’t drop out like I did. When I do my homework, they do their homework with me. When I pass my tests they tell me how happy they are that I did it. I just feel that going back to school, I am doing something right as a mom.”

“Our dreams come true when you believe in exactly what you want. If you just sit around and dream, it will never happen. You have to do something.”

“Whenever I come home from vacation, I always say, ‘Home sweet home.’ It’s my favorite English phrase, so I say it all the time. I really love Colorado. I first arrived in America a long time ago as a Russian exchange student in university. I went back to Russia after one year and then returned to America. When I came back to the States the second time, I really thought I would be going back to Russia permanently. But I met my husband and he changed my life.

My husband and I moved to Colorado in 2011. We have a 5-year-old daughter who goes to Kindergarten right now. We have our own company and I do all of the paperwork, working from home. Since my child is now in school, I started to have more free time at home. I wanted to do something new for me…something interesting to meet other people.

That’s why I decided to attend the hospitality class at Spring Institute. Since I have a master’s degree in tourism and hospitality management, it was quite interesting for me. This class also is a great way to improve English speaking skills. One of the reasons why I first came to America was because I really wanted to learn English. English is the international language and allows me to meet people from all over the world.

When I came to America, I didn’t have anything here. Now, thanks to God, I have everything. But it was through hard work and gaining a lot of experience. If you are new to the country and are struggling, never give up. This is just an opportunity for you to see what you can do, how  you can do it, and then you will realize that those problems were the best way for you to grow. Our dreams come true when you believe in exactly what you want. If you just sit around and dream, it will never happen. You have to do something.”

“I knew that I wanted to continue practicing medicine in the US, but I had no idea it would be so difficult.”

I am a doctor from Iraq. I came to the US in 2008 when I was forced to leave my country because of the increasingly dangerous war. I knew that I wanted to continue to practice medicine in the US, but I had no idea it would be so difficult. Medical knowledge is the same everywhere – it’s the system that’s so different. A teacher at my children’s school introduced me to Spring Institute’s Colorado Welcome Back (CWB) program and they helped me navigate the system.

I passed the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) on my first attempt. I was so excited, but then I had to apply for a residency. When I applied in 2014, I only received one interview and I didn’t match. Ben at CWB told me I needed more US clinical experience. I was very motivated not only to become a doctor again, but to practice in my field of pathology. I built up my network and resume by doing lots of volunteer work. When I went back to CWB, Ben helped me edit my resume and personal statement. I spent lots of time doing practice interviews with the whole CWB team.

That practice paid off because when I reapplied in 2015, I got 6 interviews. I’m happy to say I was accepted into the pathology program at the University of Southern Alabama. I am feeling great that all my hard work paid off and I can’t wait to start my residency!