LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – For many immigrants learning English isn’t just about understanding a new language, it’s about building a new life.
One Las Vegas woman tells FOX5 she found that life inside the walls of a library.
When Julia Cordova moved to Las Vegas from Mexico, she didn’t speak a word of English. She lived near the local library and one day, she saw a flyer offering free English classes. She showed up, terrified. But she kept coming back.
“So, I stayed there, even though sometimes I didn’t understand anything. But I said ‘Okay, I need to go home, practice review my notes and next day, come in and ask questions’,” said Cordova.
That decision to show up, even when it was hard, would change her life. Julia went from student to volunteer.
“Practicing my English, like ‘Good morning, come in, have a seat, how can I help you?‘,” Cordova said. “Adding, you know, two or three words at a time.”
Then she was promoted to full-time employee. Today she works at the very library where her journey began.
“The library has opened all my experience here in the United States,” Cordova said.
The Clark County Library District offers free English classes for adults 18 and older. Classes are in person or online, where students learn reading, speaking, writing, and listening.
“We teach culture, we teach language, we teach whatever it is you need,” said Literacy Services Manager, Gail Sorensen. “How is it that you’re going to be able to succeed? We want to help you succeed.”
Classes are for anyone who wants to learn English, no matter what your native language may be.
“It’s for people who really want to sharpen their skills to be able to achieve sustainable employment – that’s the goal,” Sorensen said.
To sign up for the free English classes, visit the Clark County Library District website.
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