Voices and Reactions

“I work with many Hispanics in the agricultural community, so that’s why I’m taking it now. I go back and forth to Baja and plan to do it more. And also, it is a beautiful and expressive language. The hard part is conjugating those verbs.”

--Chuck Martin of Oak View, truck driver, 49

***

*

“I’m a deputy sheriff and I need to be able to talk to our Hispanic population. I’m also seeking my degree. I took Spanish in grade school but I had forgotten it.”

--James Adams of Ventura, deputy sheriff, 43

***

*

“I own a piece of property in Costa Rica with my husband and our neighbor, and we want to build something on it some day. I should know a little Spanish. Also, my husband has a [Latino] construction crew, and if they can learn English, which is much harder, why can’t I learn their language?”

--Renee Feresi of Ventura, 42

***

*

“I’m a lawyer. I want to communicate better with my clients. I took Spanish when I was 19--I think I got an F. I love to travel and I want to go all the way to Chile.”

--Jan Lawson of Ojai, attorney, 44

***

*

“The reason I am taking this class is to break out of a rut--television and radio every night after work. But it is also very useful in my line of work, construction. And my grandmothers speak Spanish, and I got tired of having family members translate.”

--”Steve S.”

***

*

“I work as a substitute teacher in bilingual classrooms in Oxnard. I travel in Mexico, volunteering for a sea turtle research project, working with Mexican biologists and local fishermen in Baja and the Viscaino National Biosphere Reserve.”

--Ashley Hay of Ventura, substitute teacher, 27

***

*

“I’m an elementary teacher in Fillmore with a bilingual class of 32 English and Spanish students. I want to communicate better with my students and their parents. Also, the district wants me to attempt to become bilingual. I’m trying hard.”

--Tracie Davis of Fillmore, teacher, 27

***

*

“I work for H&R; Block Premium and I want to be able to speak Spanish to my clients. Some of them have to bring a translator with them so I can do their returns, or if they have IRS questions. I feel a need to speak and understand the language.”

--Donna Burns of Oxnard, tax preparer, 45