Mary Elizabeth Burgess

The Immigrants Mary Elizabeth Burgess

Publisher Marketing: Celie, teacher of ESL students, works with Gioi from Vietnam, Daniyel from Israel, Suk from South Korea and others, convinced she learns more from them than they from her. She persuades Chau to relate his family's escape from Vietnam, which he refuses to put into print. Celie will never look at a grain of rice in the same way again. What will happen to Valeria whose family came from Bogota to escape the danger of drug lords? When Celie learns Valeria likes to swim, Celie invites her to accompany her to swim at the Y. She notices Valeria is gaining weight yet has complained of morning vomiting. Celie's best friend, Frankie, tells her a Walmart is coming that will bulldoze her cottage as well as Frankie's condo. Maybe George Washington Carver's beautifully photographed renditions of Celie's Sears and Roebuck Craft House will save the day. Celie begins tutoring Kai Zhang, an adult Chinese refugee. When he gets discouraged at his progress and Celie tells him it could take up to ten years to become fluent, he says, "I sure hope Teacher long life!" Celie invites her colleagues to celebrate the start of a new term with a picnic at her cottage on Labor Day evening. One teacher describes their school as "the melting pot," but Celie demurs, asking, "Do we really want our immigrant students blending in like everyone else and giving up their own cultures completely?" The group acknowledges the privilege it is to be inspired by those whose courage and resourcefulness are tested as they adjust to a new language, new foods, new everything. At nine they break into song, and Coach says, "Morning comes early. We have to wrestle the huddled masses tomorrow." "Yearning to be free," says Lila. Celie thinks, Ain't it the truth?