Dear Ms.

Lizeth Avalos:
Greetings from Northridge, California, well before I proceed my name is Kevon Grant. I
am currently an enrolled freshman at California State University Northridge. On September 9,
2014 I read your essay Cuidando Los Chivos, which is about your father telling you if you
didn't study, you should go to his hometown and take care of goats (no quieres estudiar
vete a Mexico a cuidar los chivitos), and your struggle learning English as a second
language. Without any further ado, I want to let you know how much I enjoyed reading your
exceptional work.
Growing up to a different culture and language you're accustomed to, is very fulfilling
until, you have to make significant changes. Being from a different country and having to make
the required adjustments to my languages made me find your essay relatable and realistic.
Throughout your essay I was able to relate to all of the things you were told or the challenges
you face, except for one, which is if I didnt want to study my dad told me, I should go to his
hometown and take care of goats. This made me laugh while also feeling sorry for you having to
hear the same thing over and over again, base from the reading I can imagine this happening over
a million times. I like how you used your fathers words to motivate you in order to receive a
better education, because most people would jump at a chance to get away from their parents (I
know I would). Well back to the topic about why I found your essay to be relatable. I found this
essay relatable, because I can recall similar situations when I had homework and had one idea
how to begin, let alone finish. However, my parents would stay up with me however long it took
until I was one hundred percent sure I understood the work required. Despite seeing your essay
as exceptional, realistic and relatable, I found a minor problem that was disrupted to the general

reading which was, bilingual writing. Bilingual writing is rarely used in any format of writing
but I understand the usage of it to express your creativity and represent both cultures you have
now begun to live by. However, I found it to be a problem because it created a level of
uncertainty where I became uncertain I translated the word in the right context that could make
the information more insightful. I also found your usage of bilingual language to be confusing in
certain parts of your essay. An example of this is when you wrote the following, I had difficulty
understanding the language of los americanos when I first heard it being spoken by other
children and adults. I would like to know what you mean by language of los americanos and why
chose to write that particular word instead of ingles (English).
Once again, I really enjoyed Cuidando Los Chivos and I hope that you find my response
to your essay significant and insightful.
Sincerely,
Kevon Grant