A new edition of The Literacy Review is out, and the University Settlement Adult Literacy Program has four students who have their work published in it: Elia Cheng, Jesus Gomez, Xiu Lin, and Galyna Nyzhnyk.
The Literacy Review is an annual journal of writing from adult literacy programs throughout New York City. Edited by NYU Gallatin students, the book is distributed at a celebration that includes readings by the newly published writers. The faculty adviser for the Literacy Review is NYU Gallatin Professor June Foley, who also teaches an advanced writing class here at University Settlement.
Last week, our student writers were invited to the Literacy Review celebration at NYU. Jose Gomez (pictured above) read his story to everyone in attendance. You can read it for yourself right here:
A RAINY, CHILLY, BEAUTIFUL DAY
Jesus Gomez
It was Wednesday morning, a regular day, but it looked particularly beautiful to me. It was raining, and it was a little bit chilly. I took the bus to my work. The bus ran on Fifth Avenue next to Central Park. There was a lot of traffic, and the bus moved very slowly. I thought it was a bad idea to take the bus because I don’t like to arrive late for my work, but when I looked through the window, it was beautiful as I saw the rain, and the leaves from the trees turning different colors. It was amazing that for one moment I could forget I was going to work and that I was late for work.
I hadn’t felt something like that for a long time. I remembered the days growing up in Mexico when I played with my friends in the rain. Nobody cared about being wet or getting sick. After we finished playing, everybody went home, and my mother was very mad. She told me, “If you get sick, don’t tell me. I don’t want to hear that you are sick, and you don’t want to go to school.”
I told my mama, “Don’t worry. I am not going to tell you anything.” After my mama finished talking to me, I took a very hot shower. Then my mama made me hot chocolate and called me to the kitchen, where I drank my hot chocolate. I went to the living room and lay down on the sofa for hours. I felt great.
Finally, the bus started moving faster, and I could see a few people walking down the street. Everybody had an umbrella. But I saw one old lady with a little kid who started playing in the water. He opened his arms and started jumping. I said to myself: This is what I’m talking about. Sometimes you need to enjoy the day, and it doesn’t matter if it is raining, sunny, or snowing. You can enjoy every moment. This was my beautiful day. That was when I felt happy. When I remembered the day in Mexico, it was a good memory that motivated me to write this essay.
To read more, click here.
