Can we be honest for a minute? My great-grandparents didn't learn how to speak English. Both my great-grandmother and great-grandfather (from Italy) died knowing only a few key phrases in english to get them by. They knew that since they were older it would be difficult to work 18-hour days, raise children AND learn English. What they focused on was ensuring my grandfather and great-uncle and aunts excelled in school....and spoke English. My great-grandparents sacrificed understanding 95% of what went on around them, so my grandfather could have a better life. I think about that and how isolated they must have felt. I wonder how it must have been to know that your success would only reach a certain point in an unknown country....that they had no hopes for a better life for themselves, but for their children.

My grandfather spoke both English and Italian. My father doesn't know a word of Italian (well except slang and words that are inappropriate for here). Within two generations, the barriers my great-grandparents faced were gone. It is as if my family has always been here in America.

The thing that confuses me is, why do people with similar situations to mine, think the immigrant experience and the American dream would be any different today?

And the amazing part is that it is different....in a good way. Unlike my great-grandparents, the new immigrants today want not only a better life for their families and future generations, but for themselves as well. Recently while looking more into ESL, I was amazed to find that in certain parts of Long Island, the wait list to learn English was up to two years long. TWO YEARS. Logic would say that demand far outweighs supply right now.

CASA of Nassau County recently said that when they open new ESL classes, they are filled within two days. The demand is so high, organizations are having a hard time finding people to teach ESL so they are supplementing with more informal groups. While looking at my local library calendar over the weekend, I came across a section entitled "Informal English Conversation Group" where people can "come and practice English" from 7:30-8:30pm.

That is why I am sure more innovative ways of teaching English will continue as long as there is a high demand and people who still believe in the American dream.

And that's what this is about anyways isn't it? I don't know if my great-grandparents "had papers" or not. That part of my family history has never been discussed and to me seems irrelevant and foreign to me (no pun intended). What I do know are two people sacrificed their futures for a great-granddaughter they would never know. I hope that in some way, with all the opportunities afforded to me, I've made it all worth it.