Author Archives: leilaaluka

Something that resonates with me among the stories I hear in the media, especially after my summer experience, are stories of refugees fleeing their countries and coming to the United States. One story that I heard and think people should know about is a boat of 114 Haitian refugees that landed in the Florida Keys.Continue reading “What Resonates with me in the Media”

Overall, my experience was rewarding in so many ways! It was an opportunity for me to get outside of my comfort zone and interact with the people of my hometown with a concentrated purpose in mind. Volunteering with the English Café has allowed me to challenge myself and my capabilities, as well as gain moreContinue reading “Reflections on my Summer Experience”

The main areas that I inhabit on a daily basis are spaces at my job, whether it be the playground or the different buildings that camp is held, and Northwest Regional Library, which is where my experience is held. I inhabit the library more frequently than most other spaces I go to, and it hasContinue reading “Daily Spaces and New Faces”

As of right now, my “cultural environment” is very diverse and broad. The community I’ve joined at the library consists primarily of people who have immigrated to the United States, as well as people who work at the library and have been very open and friendly to me. I do feel like I’ve joined aContinue reading “A Brand-New Cultural Environment”

In my community, “solidarity” is seen in many different ways. My experience is educating English-learning US immigrants, so the issues that the students face vary. Issues within the English learning community can be small, such as bonding over the struggle that comes along with learning English, tricky grammar rules, and troubles with pronunciation. The issuesContinue reading “Solidarity in an English-Learning Community”

I wake up around 6:00AM and get ready to go to work- I work as a summer camp counselor. I take a shower, put my uniform on, and eat breakfast either in my house or in my car on the way to work. Once I clock in, I start my day off by playing gamesContinue reading “A Day in my Life!”

As I’ve spent time volunteering at the library, one of the biggest structural inequalities I’ve become more attuned with within my community is the lack of adult education opportunities within my hometown, primarily beginning resources for newer immigrants. Initially, I started my experience by helping with the intermediate level classes, but after Week 3, IContinue reading “Structural Inequalities”

Hey everyone! This past week, I completed my first two weeks of volunteering at the English Café at Northwest Regional Library. I can definitely say that this style of volunteering is a completely new experience for me, but I’ve also learned a lot from it. My transition into becoming a classroom assistant for the EnglishContinue reading “My First Week at the English Cafe!”

Hey everyone, welcome to my blog! My name is Leila Aluka, I’m a first-year student from Pompano Beach, Florida, majoring in International Affairs. This summer, I’ll be volunteering at an English Café, which is a free program offered through Broward County Libraries to all people who wish to improve their English-speaking skills. The English CaféContinue reading “Hey! I am Leila!”