It really is difficult to learn a new language.

Violeta and I had the same realization last night at Paragon as we worked with Rafael from Chiapas. As we taught him the names of colors in English, he taught us the names of colors in his native Mayan language of Tzotzil. I can assure you that he has a much better chance of becoming a Clemson English than I do of learning to speak Tzotzil fluently.

Strange sounds. Odd positioning of the tougue on the back of front teeth. Sounds that do not resemble sounds that I have any familarity with.

To many migrant, English sounds like Tzotzil to me. It can be overwhelming to constantly hear strange sounds when all you want to do is be able to pay for your groceries or pay your cell phone bill. Why not just go back to where you came from? A land where Tzotzil or any of the numerous Mayan Dialects are spoken? 

Of course we know the opportunities for a better life are here. It makes it a little easier (perhaps) to experience a completely different language when you know that it is just something you have to tolerate in order to provide income for your family many miles to the south.

One of the main goals of the OSY program is to provide migrant works with some basic language and lifeskills that will facilitate their interactions with locals as much as possible. Although I do not think that it's a written goal, I do feel that one of our particular OSY program objectives is to bring awareness of some of the challenges that migrants endure on a daily basis.