Back in October 2005, when Gui Hong Geremia passed through a nondescript door at 580 Ella Grasso Blvd. above which was printed “This door leads to your future,” she couldn’t speak a word of English.
It turns out the sign — which sits atop a frequently swung door leading into the Board of Education’s suites of classes for its 1,000-plus ESOL (Education for Speakers of Other Languages) students — was absolutely right.
Wednesday afternoon Gui (pronounced Whee) Hong, whose native town is Sheng Yang in northern China, received the congratulations of Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo and a 2008 state award for her increasing fluency in English from the Connecticut Association of Adult and Continuing Education (CACE). She’s on the verge of going to Gateway Community College, to prepare to be an entrepreneur or an accountant.
Three years ago she met and married Michael Geremia (pictured on the left with one of Ghi Hong’s admiring teachers, Brian Knowles), a New Havener and Wilbur Cross grad who produces concerts for colleges. Geremia said the first three months were serious culture shock. Even though Gui Hong had studied English briefly in China, she arrived speaking not a word. Within three months she tried to pass her driving test. When she sensed people were making fun of her, she applied herself to the study the manual — in English — with his help.
She passed.
“When someone tells her no or she can’t do something, watch out.” That triggers, apparently a drive and absolute commitment to task that her admiring teachers and principal — Alicia Caraballo (to Mayo’s right, below) — all cited as part of the secret of her progress. While many students have the drive, said Caraballo, what distinguishes Gui Hong is an empathy and helpfulness. Her nominating letters cited all the help she gave to her colleagues in the labs and in after-school get-togethers to master English themselves.
About half the students, who come in on a rolling basis and stay as long as they feel they need to achieve their academic or vocational goals, are native Spanish speakers, and about a third speakers of Asian languages.
Much of the learning is collaborative — people stand and speak in front of each other and support and encouragement are keys to success. So Geremia pointedly thanked her fellow students for the recognition. “I have the award,” she said in an English not only grammatical but graceful, “but we all have won.”
She was referring to her fellow students, teachers, and family.
The learning goes on in the family as well. Eighteen days ago, she brought her 12-year-old son over to live with her and her new husband. Peter is a student at Worthington Hooker Middle School on State Street, she said.
How’s his English? “It’s about as good as mine when I came over.”
Mayo was so impressed he practically offered Gui Hong a job at the Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, where the BOE has just begun a pilot Chinese language program.
Her husband said that, unlike a lot of new language learners, she watches absolutely no television except the political debates. She’s intrigued by the Obama-Clinton contest and is also launched on studying for her citizenship. Part of that is American history, in which she is keenly interested.
She said she goes to China frequently, each time forgetting some English, so that she has to re-apply herself on her return. Initially her family there did not want her to come to America. “But Michael came to China three times, and my family sees he is a good and caring husband for a lifetime.”
“I help her, of course,” said her proud husband, “but, you know, occasionally, she knows how to press my buttons, like when she keeps asking me to name the 13 colonies.”