Sue's story

September 11, 2008

Sue had crossed an ocean and half a continent to give her children a better opportunity to fit into an increasingly globalized world, but she found her own world had shrunk.

Sue had come with her two children from South Korea so that they could learn to speak English fluently. For children, it's often astonishingly easy to pick up a second language; for an adult, it's quite the opposite. And Sue, whose Korean name is Gye Sook, found herself isolated, lonely and struggling in this strange city of London. "It was very frustrating," she says.

Sue had studied English when she was in school in Korea, but had few places to practise it outside the classroom. By the time she came to Canada, she found herself struggling to understand, hesitant to speak up and, if she did speak, awkward in her expressions.

Classed as a visitor in Canada, Sue wasn't entitled to the English language programs available to new immigrants. She looked into private lessons but found they would cost "big money."

After about six months, she discovered the Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre, an agency that receives United Way funding, had a conversational English program for anyone who wants to brush up on their new language.

The program doesn't provide formal lessons. Instead, participants might go to a park and chat or learn English idioms. They might share observations on Canadian customs or learn about services at the Crouch public library branch.

After a year in the program, Sue isn't prepared to say she's completely comfortable in English, but she does say, "It's better than before."

Next year her youngest child will be in school all day and she hopes at that point she'll be fluent enough in English to do volunteer work in the community.

Enabling Aboriginal people and newcomers to be successful participants in community life is one of United Way of London & Middlesex's areas of focus. Learn more.