Mariia participated in Literacy Network’s workplace English program for two years.She reflects on her experience and shares her exciting plans for the future.
My name is Mariia and I’m originally from Ukraine. When war started in Ukraine, I got opportunity to come here to United States.
I got offered English as a second language classes at my workplace, at ETC in Middleton. I thought it was a great opportunity because I was working a lot, and it was very nice to have classes two times a week. The classes were amazing because there was different kind of cultures there, different people, so it helped me to listen to different accents and understand them, communicate with different people, different cultures.
My teachers were amazing too. They were supportive, very enthusiastic, and they helped us a lot and they were very kind, did different interactive teaching styles, different PowerPoints, games. It was so fun, and it was very helpful for me.
In Ukraine, I was in medical university, but I didn’t finish it because I came here and work started. I just started nursing program at MATC here in Madison and my goal is to become a nurse midwife. I always wanted to help women. Literacy Network classes actually helped me with improving my English and to go through all my prerequisites and everything.
I just want to try to build my life here and improve my English and become an expert in what I’m planning to do.
Learn more about our Workplace English Program.
*Lightly edited for clarity and concision.