“They gave me an empty warehouse and said, ‘Juan, you have to make it work’.”
That was the challenge Juan received five years ago when his medical supply employer in Spain sent him to open a new outlet in the U.S. For anyone, this would have been a daunting assignment. But for Juan, who spoke very little English at the time, the task felt almost impossible.
“I had to have my wife help me with calls to pallet suppliers and to open bank accounts at the beginning because she spoke more English than I did.”
Determined not to let language be a barrier, Juan turned to Literacy Delaware for support. He credits his tutor, Barbara, for helping him transform his life.
“She made me in the position I am today. Starting a new life is a challenge when you come from another country. Barbara makes everything very easy for me. She got me here with my English. Before, I couldn’t do anything myself. She’s my angel.”
Says Barbara of Juan, “I'm so fortunate to have him as a student. He sucks up information like a sponge.”
Today, Juan continues to manage the U.S. branch of the medical supply company on his own. “My employer can’t believe how much I’ve improved my English. I knew some numbers and had studied some English in school, but I wasn’t a good learner. Now I am able to call people I work with and can call other companies.”
Juan's accomplishments extend beyond his career. He, his wife, and their baby recently bought their first home, which he is busy renovating while preparing for the arrival of their second child. From contacting the realtor to working with the mortgage company, Juan handled every step of the process by himself, completely in English.
And he’s not stopping here. Juan continues to meet with Barbara to further develop his skills. “I had a clear goal when I started: to understand English and speak some. Now I can understand and speak more, but my goal is to speak more clearly and to be able to write. I can read English, but I’m not as good at writing.”
Despite the many obstacles he has faced, Juan embraces each new step with determination. “I have had huge challenges, but I like to be able to try different things all the time. Challenges are what keep me alive.”
Advancing literacy through training, tutoring, English language acquisition and advocacy for all Delawareans.
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P.O. Box 2083
Wilmington, DE 19899
302-658-5624