# data[].attributes.body
Ola! My name is Igor.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello  my name is Yolanda and I was born in Mexico. I have been living in the US since 2014.  I didn't speak English when I first got here so I took ESL classes. Later I was invited to work in the ESL office as an Instructional Assistant  at ECC. Two years later, I applied for a contract position and I was transferred to work at CE Mesa. Since then, I have worked for the ESL office. So far, it has been almost nine years. I really love my job, as it gives me the opportunity to help other people who were in my position.
I am passionate about education. I like to learn new things and I also like to challenge myself to improve every day to be a better professional and person.  I try to stay healthy and active. I travel when I have opportunity but my goal is to enjoy life no matter where you are and what you do.
Family is very important to me and I try to spend as much time as I can with my family.

# data[].attributes.body
My name is Zeinab. I am from Iran and I have been living in the US since 2015. Initially, I was living in Irvine, and in the Summer of 2017, we moved to San Diego with my husband. I fell in love with San Diego ever since.

I usually go to Torrey Pines and hike the hills while looking at the ocean. I really like hiking and traveling, and I am dreaming of a day when we can travel to the south pole and visit the Penguins there.

Last Fall, I took two VESL classes and I learned a lot from those classes so that I want to share this experience with all other students. Since January I have been working here at ECC as a Project Assistant, and I hope to help the student find the right place and start their journey of learning, and also assist them at every step. I enjoy collaborating with the amazing people here at ECC.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi, my name is Jessica Ramos -Bahena and I am a Mexican-American, and a first generation college student. I am Bilingual, speak Spanish and English. I have traveled to Mexico, Rhode Island, and Spain which has broaden my horizons. I fell in love with my culture and the language. I was born and raised in San Diego, California. I enjoy going to the gym, hiking, and spending time with my family.

In 2017, I graduated from San Diego Mesa College and received my Associate's Degree in Arts for Transfer in Psychology. In 2021, I  received my Bachelor's Degree from San Diego State University in Interdisciplinary Studies in three departments: Spanish, Communication, and Counseling School Psychology. My future goals are to receive my Masters Degree in Marital and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego.

I've been a student of Continuing Education since 2010. I was working in the Student Services in 2021, and am now working for the ESL department. I love working in the ESL department, the students are very appreciative and respectful. Because of my culture background, personal experiences, and my education, I have a passion to assist people with disabilities to return to work or go back to school.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, everyone. My name is Liliia Kobasa. I came from Ukraine 3 years ago. I speak Ukrainian, Russian, and English. I like going hiking and long walks at the beach. Also one of my passions is zoos. It is incredible how in one place you can see animals from all over the world. I can spend hours just by watching them, learning their behavior. San Diego Zoo is my favorite so far.

Since I came to the USA I have attended ESL classes from the Beginner level. We are very lucky to have SDCCD in our city and the possibility to study for free. Because of ESL classes in my life now I am Advanced level student  and even got a  job in a College.

I am a newly hired IA on the ECC team. Since I started working I have met very kind coworkers, who are very patient and hardworking people. Our students are very lucky to be served by people like you. Thank you so much for what you are doing. I feel proud to be a part of the ECC team.

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My name is Liz Rodriguez. I was born in San Diego, but I spent most of my childhood in Tijuana, Baja California Mexico. When I came back to San Diego I registered into the ESL Clases. After that I started working as an Instructional Assistant for the VESL class, then I got my Instructional Assistant contract on 2004. I enjoy working for the ESL Department. This job was my first job and I love it. I love spending time with my family, I also love to travel and see new places.

# data[].attributes.body
Greetings, everyone! I'm Judy and I'm from Seoul, Korea. (My Korean name is Hyeyoung, so if you want to look me up please type my Korean name) I've been living in San Diego for a year and 3 months now. I moved here to be with my husband who was born and raised in Southern California. I thought this transition would not be too challenging for me because I believed I was familiar with the western culture. But little did I know that living in a foreign country is not only about learning a new language and some new customs. I felt like I was back to being a kid who could not do anything without her parents. I had to learn how to do everything from making doctor’s appointments, choosing good grocery stores  to how the tax system works here. Because I was well settled back in Korea, I was a bit put off by these new changes. Then, I started taking an English class at SDCCE last fall, and I was so happy to learn that I was not alone. Also meeting people from all over the world added excitement to my daily routine. I only started working here last week, but I love how we get to collaborate and work as a team even though we are from all different parts of the globe. Thank you so much for your warm welcome and support, everyone. I’m really grateful for this wonderful and unique opportunity to be part of your team. I’ll do my best to be a great asset to you all.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone, my name is Hector. I'm from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico; but I've been living in San Diego for 10 years. When I came to this country my first educational ambition was to improve my English, which led me to enroll in the ESL classes at the San Diego College of Continue Education.
Without a doubt, this decision made me improve my English and built my confidence to be able to express myself in another language, but more importantly, it taught me that making mistakes is part of a learning process.
I can say with certainty, that I have personally experienced the difficult adversities that an immigrant person must deal with when adapting to a new country, but I can also proudly say that I have overcome them; and teaching that to the students that I help is my goal in this job.
I'm currently studying at SDSU, and I plan to continue studying until I get an M.A.
It motivates me to know that my story can inspire many students who are starting in this country like me, but all the things that I did and I'm doing, is not something that only certain people can achieve, but with effort everyone can, and my job more than anything is to help the student find that effort and motivation to start being inspired by their own story and not someone else's.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone, my name is Paola Ramirez, I am from Cali, Colombia. I came to the United States eleven years ago. The place where I arrived and I had the opportunity to meet was Philadelphia, I lived there for seven months and the truth is that I am not a person who likes cold weather so I made the decision to go to Sarasota, Florida and live there for five years. and a half. And then I went to live in Tijuana, Mexico where I lived for two years and finally moved to San Diego than where I am today.
I like to help people especially because they remember me when I arrived in this country for the first time; when looking to enter to study and be part of the system.
I like sports in general and eating; also I enjoy to walk with my pet.
Finally, I am happy to be in this working group and I hope to see you soon physically.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Vanesa Espinoza. I'm from Mexico. I'm glad to be working with all of you. This is my first job here in the United States. Let me tell you that when I was interested on this job, I didn't feel confidente because of my English, but teacher Ingrid who was my teacher at that moment, pushed me to do it. I had two job interviews, the first one was in West City campus, and the second was in ECC with teacher Carolyn, she gave me green light to continue. After some months, in Summer 2020, I started working for CE being part of the ECC team.
I'm grateful with all the teacher that I've had during all this years being student (It hasn't been easy). I've learned a lot by them, even for all of you ladies, Liz, Paola, Mayrely, Lily, teacher Carolyn and Sheila, Thank you! I admire your intelligence, patience, some special skills with computers and teaching.
My family is my world. I have 3 children, I enjoy spending time with them. In my free time, I like to cook, preparing their favorite food, I push and support them to do sport.
One of the family plans, it's to travel and know different places in Mexico and the USA, and, why not? maybe one day we can travel to Paris or Venice.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Irma Garcia, I was born and raised in Mexico, my native languages is Spanish, I'm still learning English, I've been living in East county almost 9 years.
I studied Electromechanical Engineering and Industrial Maintenance Technician, at Instituto Tecnologico de Tijuana(ITT) and Universidad Tecnologica de Tijuana (UTT), I'm currently working at Home Depot in Customer Service and ECC as a Project Assistant.
I love helping clients in a multicultural community, because it helps me find different forms of the communication to help with the enrollment process and other issues.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sheila Davis from San Diego (and P.I. / Japan)

# data[].attributes.subject
Sheila Davis from San Diego (and P.I. / Japan)

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Sheila Davis. I was born in San Diego and finished high school here. But I lived in the Philippines (3 yrs) and then Japan (7 yrs) in my Youth. I'm fascinated by other cultures. I speak Tagalog (Filipino) fluently, some Spanish, and a sprinkling of Arabic.

I am a VESL teacher and serve as the Assistant Program Chair at ECC. Teaching is my passion and supporting teachers is my joy. Please let me know if there is anything that our ECC Support Team can do to help you.

Sheila Davis, sdavis@sdccd.edu

# data[].attributes.body
Hello everyone, I'm Saba - short for Fatemeh Raisesmaili - and I'm originally from Iran. I immigrated to San Diego in 2021, and I must say, I've fallen in love with this city. The weather is fantastic, and the natural beauty, especially the beaches, is simply breathtaking.
The journey of immigration has been quite challenging for me. After working in Iran for over a decade, I had to start from scratch in this new country. The language, culture, job requirements, and costs were all different, and I admit I was scared.
However, taking ESL classes and continuing education courses at the community college has been a turning point for me. They've helped me feel like a part of a community - which is crucial for any new immigrant. My teachers, especially Beth Bogage, have been a tremendous source of motivation and guidance. With their help, I discovered the Project Assistant position and prepared myself for the interview, which I was fortunate enough to land after months of job searching.
Now, I feel like the community college is my home. Working here with an amazing team, students, and teachers has been an enriching experience. The ECC team has been incredibly supportive and friendly, making me feel like a part of a family. I'm grateful for this opportunity and committed to supporting and creating a positive experience for students like me.