American culture, English class helps international families adapt

  • Published
  • By Scott Knuteson
  • Air University Public Affairs
Nearly 70 spouses of officers from more than 45 countries graduated Oct. 3 from the International Dependents' English Course at International Officer School. The course, which lasts six weeks, provides cultural insights and English language training to international officers' spouses or adult dependents.

"To speak English was my dream," Loubna Triki said. Ms. Triki, who is from Morocco, has been in the United States for only two months, but said she learned a lot during the course.

Classes were held three days per week and focused on basics such as phonetics and conversational vocabulary related to shopping, ordering food and banking. Volunteer teachers offer their time to make the classes possible.

"These courses are important, not just for the friendships they make with United States citizens, but with each other," said David Albert, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and course volunteer. "You can't put a price on that."

Mr. Albert volunteers his time year round and said the hardest part of the course is helping the students learn about each other's cultures.

"[The cultures] are not better or worse, they are different," he said. "I think this course opens their eyes to see that, as different as the cultures are, in the end we are all people and are all basically the same. Once they recognize that, the rest of the course is easy."

Adda M. O. Montaño, who is from Bolivia and speaks Spanish and Quechua, said she thought the most difficult thing to learn was pronunciation.

"The class has made life [in the United States] easier," she said.

"I think it is important because she learned a new language," said her husband, Maj. Fernando Gary Montaño of the Bolivian air force. "In my country, if she knows English, she can have more opportunities. It's also an opportunity to meet new people."

"It helped us learn more about the American living style," another student, Monica de Cevallos of Ecuador, said. Asked what she thought about living temporarily in the United States, she said her family is very excited.

"I found out my husband was assigned to Air War College with only three weeks notice," she said. "So things were a little hectic. But we were very happy."

Before the class, Mrs. de Cevallos spoke a little bit of English, but said she has become more fluent over the last six weeks.

International Officer School has many volunteer opportunities, including teaching the International Dependents English Course. Interested parties should call 953-6914 or 953-6915 and ask for Maj. Patricia Rhodes or Ms. Elisabeth Titrud.