Learner Spotlight: Tânia

We invite you to meet Tânia, our featured student this month in our “Learner Spotlight”.  Featured adult learners represent the Literacy Council’s programs, including authors from Reflections: Voices of English Learners, the Literacy Council’s literary magazine, as well as adult learners in other programs. Tânia contributed multiple stories to the eighth edition.

My name is Tânia H. I came to the United States from Brazil 2 ½ years ago. I did not speak English when I arrived. I wanted to learn English to talk with my husband. He is American and does not speak my language. In 2024, I got my driver’s license. I also had some small jobs. I go to an American church every week. I made good friends with people from other countries. We speak in English together. My goal for 2025 is to become a U.S. citizen. I know it is hard, but I am learning and growing. I am also very thankful to the Literacy Council and its volunteers for helping me learn English and for them making my life easier.

We hope you enjoy Tânia’s written works, “Sunflowers”, “Peanut Paçoca, With Love”, and “The Ideal Driving Age” . View all of our students’ stories on our Reflections: Voices of English Learners web page. Below is an excerpt of from one of Tânia’s works.

“Peanut Paçoca, With Love”

I will tell you and teach you about the history of the food that makes me happy when I make it. In all my childhood, my father made Peanut Paçoca. It is our favorite dessert.

My father farmed peanuts every year, so my siblings and I have learned how to make this dessert. We gathered the peanuts, to hull them, and then roast them. After that process, we put them in the big mortar and mixed cassava flour, sugar, and salt. We pounded all ingredients with the pestle and mortar, using a piece of wood that is called a pestle hand. We have a lot of fun because we used two handed pestles and pounded together at the same time.

Nowadays and after we sold our farm, we could make that paçoca in the blender. That food, besides being nutritious, warms my heart.

Read the rest of Tânia’s story and more student stories in our 8th edition of Reflections.