A Student’s Story

By Tutor, Lindsay Miller

Enkhjargal Erkhembayar, a native of Mongolia, adopted the nickname Jenny since she arrived in Nevada County in June of 2004. She got her drivers license using the Russian she had learned during the years her country was occupied by the Soviet Union. When Jenny found employment here at a local Fish and Chips restaurant, she was challenged to quickly learn some Korean so that she could communicate with the owners. Jenny had also been taught some English in school, but she found it stressful to keep up with the speed Americans talk and to make herself understood as well. Jenny enrolled in the ESL Adult Education course where she met many other foreign born adults eager to improve their English. The friendships Jenny developed with her fellow students helped her cope with the homesickness and loneliness she felt being so far away from her family and Mongolian culture.

Jenny was encouraged by her ESL Adult Education instructor to sign up for a Literacy Council tutor. She met Lindsay Miller, in July of 2006. It didn’t take long for Jenny and Lindsay to bond both as friends and as a tutor-student team. The two women worked together weekly for about a year to increase Jenny’s vocabulary, and improve her skills in reading, writing and pronunciation. In the fall of 2007, Jenny felt ready to seek technical training for new employ- ment. Through Adult Education Jenny applied to Citrus Heights Cosmetology School to be come a manicurist. During the ten week course, Lindsay served as Jenny’s nail model at practice sessions and at the California State Board Exam in late November.

This is a photo of Jenny holding her license, and her doing Lindsay’s nails in one of the two salons she is currently working. Jenny is excited about her new profession and eager to continue to improve her English as she interacts with her clients. Jenny is trained to do full service natural nail care, full service acrylics, gels, silk, fiberglass wraps, and full service pedicures.
 
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