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Who am I? This was the question that Glenda kept asking herself when she first immigrated to the US from Costa Rica. She couldn't speak the language. It was hard for her to commute. She didn't know anyone. She didn't have family except for her husband. She had to reinvent herself. The Glenda that she knew in Spanish doing what she used to do back home was no longer the Glenda that she was. and she had to start all over again and to build herself in English. Now Glenda runs her own business training dogs. She's teaching her fellow Americans how to work with their dogs. She hosts conversation groups and book clubs in our community. And she is the best version of herself. She is
confident. She is fluent. She is funny. She's expressive. and she is herself. She no longer asks herself, "Who am I?" And she's also a proud mom and she's able to provide to her daughter the thing that she believes she deserves. I love Glenda's story because it's a story of transformation. It's a story of courage. It's a story of persistence despite the challenges, despite the negativity that she's experienced and despite the tendency of letting fear take over. I cannot wait to share with you this conversation. Let's listen. Hi Glenda, how are you? Hi, I'm really, really good right now.
Happy to be here with you. not as happy as I am. I'm telling you, I missed you and I wanted to have this conversation for a long time and I'm glad that we get to have it here and to talk about your beautiful, beautiful, beautiful journey in English and in life. So, uh I cannot wait to hear more about your story. First of all, introduce yourself as you would introduce yourself in a conversation group or to someone new meeting you. So, well, I'm Glenda and I'm from Costa Rica. I've been here in the US for about I think seven years. I think this year it will be eight years. I came here and I basically restore my life right here. So, I didn't speak the language at all.
I thought I was speaking but no, not really. And so I have to start like learning everything from zero and even how to live here. And currently I'm living in Arkansas and here with my husband, my dog and now my daughter and yeah, she's 13 months old. Oh my god, she's already 13 months. Yes. Wow. Beautiful. Yeah. So the family grow grew and so now we are really happy with this new like chapter our lives as a parents. Yeah. Amazing. So there is so much to unpack when it comes to your journey, but tell me what it was like as a young immigrant who has just moved to the US thinking that she knows English, but something happened that made you realize that
wait, I'm not able to communicate the way I want. So tell me a little bit about that experience and the key struggles that you had at the beginning. Yeah. Well, I want to say first that my dream was always to live abroad always. So I was always chasing any like opportunity for a scholarships and to live abroad. So that was my dream. and you would have thought that because it's something that you wish you probably gonna be better or gonna be easy just to move another country. So when I met my husband and he is from the U here from the US and then he stayed there in Costa Rica for a while and then he said
hey what about if we go to the US and we start like different life right at that moment and I think this is pretty good I was in the end of my career almost on the in the last year and then my career and so I was about to you know start a new like a new like journey in my life because I was gonna earn my title and start uh my career, you know, running maybe my that was my dream. Maybe running my own like uh office, whatever. So, and that was back in Costa Rica where you were succeeding professionally. What was it that you were doing before?
Well, I was like uh studying and so before studying and working at the same time. So I was working so hard all day and at night I was going to college and so I was in my last year and I was going to gradu I graduated already and so that was that meant a lot to me. So then I got we got married in the same year and then we moved in the same year. That was back in 2017. So in January I graduated. I got married and graduated. In August later, we moved. Wow. That was intense year. That was an intense year. It was a lot to process. And when I came here, it was like who am I? So I don't have a work. I'm not studying. And yeah, I'm learning English, but I'm terrified being here. So, I don't know how to
navigate in this new world. It was my first time in another country. And I and then I found myself that I need to learn how to take the bus, how to speak, how to get the bus ticket. Uh I didn't know how to drive. And so everything was new. the weather, the time, you know, the daylight, all those changings just came together and it was for me like a huge wave that I wasn't sure if I could like handle everything. Yeah. And I'm talking about your mood or your relationship where you felt so limited and probably dependent on your husband for so many things. were impact emotionally it was a lot so you know I was h I'm happy with my husband we were excited and everything
but the fact that to move from like being independent working and studying manage managing everything arranging everything to like be like an like a baby it was like it would be like I knew my husband to speak to me to tell me to demonstrate how to do everything and h what specifically to ask to people what specifically to look for and while he was studying because he was at that moment he was um the university getting his master's degree. So during the day he was studying and I was at home. Thankfully, I had my dog, but every everything was just completely new. And I didn't I felt like there were moments that I feel like limited, really limited, powerless. And because I was like there at home, I was taking classes in person. But every time
I went to the downtown, it was just a lot like surviving more, you know. Yeah. So, it was a lot. I just have to say that I think that immigrant experience like I'm sure a lot of people talk about it, but when it comes to the language and like learning how to live in a new place, it is a lot. Like I remember moving to Barcelona two and a half years ago and discovering every single thing. How do I register in the municipality? How do I go to the doctor? What about insurance? Right? Like questions that you granted in your you know like where you in your home country and then all of a sudden and when there is the language barrier it's even more debilitating and I absolutely relate to that especially one person in the relationship and it
has nothing to do with how good the relationship is. But when one person is all more well-versed and speaks the language, there's also like a power shift where you feel very dependent. And I think yeah, I think it makes you feel like even less, you know, productive, efficient, even worthy. And I think that I have definitely experienced that being a very independent woman. Yeah. And that is like what it's like when you immigrate even and thank you for saying that because I think a lot of people would relate to that.
Yeah. Helplessness, you know, that you feel at the beginning. Yes. Yeah. I mean it was exciting. I people would think like oh you're living another country. Come on you know. Yes, there are like great things and very exciting but that when you face the reality like to navigate as you said like to learn how even how to go to a doctor how to make an appointment but you don't even know how to speak you have to take the phone and so and explain why you need an appointment and all of that is like very simple and very like daily I think something that you do like without problem in your country, but it takes a lot of effort. I mean, a lot.
Yeah. And you need to build that infrastructure to be able to enjoy the fact that you live and it takes time, right? Like and that's something that we need to say. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. So, what was it like? How was your So, you were there, you decided you took classes, in-person classes. Um, and how was it for you back then to communicate because your surroundings was mostly English speaking, right? Yeah. Thankfully, it was a small town. It was a small talk. Small town and it was like a student town. So, it was very like diversity and really I think easy to like commute uh right there. And I learned a lot. I took a lot of classes.
I even have to take took classes with a tutor because I needed to reinforce other things like for example this is funny but I didn't know how to use the coins you know. So in every coin here it has a name that is very common to use like the pennies you know the dimes and like what yeah I like what is a penny? So I don't know what is the value of that and so I was using a lot of like cash at that moment and so I need for also for the bus but if I wanted to go to a store I didn't know how to use the check out. So I took private classes and I asked my tutor like please explain me how what the name of the goings how I can like talk to the person on the check out and if they ask me like is this is that just rehearse that. So I
I took like multiple classes just for with the how to manage how to talk about money. Yeah. and just to be prepared like ah if she ask me about this I know what this means so I can give two pennies and two dies and so all the masks so in English and that helped me a lot to like understand people but what was very tricky for me it was I think listening and speaking that I couldn't like um be like as I as good as I wanted and it was really hard for me because during that time my husband has a lot of student events and activities. So it was a student with their family, their wives and those events they were crowded and the music I remember and we have to go because you want to meet people,
you want to also make a good impression, you know, you want to socialize. Yeah. And so sometimes I felt pressure because I didn't want to like let my husband down and or let him alone and my kid when everyone was with their families. But I could go but I couldn't speak and I was like afraid like about what about if someone ask me something and I don't understand. they speak so fast and the music is too loud and you know it's and even in my own language um I'm very like maybe quiet in the beginning so social skills was another thing that I had to like learn and to get better but they don't teach that in English classes how would you say back then like if we're looking at back then what was 2019 something like that or
that was probably yeah between 2017 and 2019. Yeah. Okay. So like the first two years how would you describe the difference between Spanish Glenda and English Glenda in terms of personality in terms of how you show up? Well, I think in personality I went backwards probably because I'm very like quiet, maybe serious in the beginning, but in my own country was like Linda who work in office who was arranging things who everyone asked Glenda for help because she knew how to solve thing where Glenda was at the uh university studying psychology so she was going to become a psychology you know all these titles in my head and then suddenly I was hearing this complaint and I don't
know who I am and like I'm so quiet. I'm so afraid. I'm uh I'm sweating because I don't know how to speak. I'm sweating. someone just get come in and talk to me and then I would like get frozen because I don't know what to say like more than I'm good. Yeah, I'm from Costa Rica and that was the only answer I could say like great and f and I'm trying to imagine like what it's like for someone who had this sense of always helping others. people come to her all of a sudden being a person who doesn't want to be approached like what does it do to your confidence and your selfworth at that time? Yeah. Definitely my steam was my self-esteem was like in the floor. I was in the floor because I felt like so dependent uh my husband and even for speaking
to explain what was in my country and to understand people and I feel I felt very discouraged just to get out of the house and because I didn't want to speak my face. I didn't want to speak even in my neighborhood. They were just afraid. Everything was completely new. Learn how to cook even how to cook my food in a new country. Even the houses, everything looks just very different. And so any sound that came out like in the house it was like what is that you know I was not used to so everything is different. What is a moment where you felt like you started building your confidence and started gaining you know fluency and opportunities to speak? Tell me about the moment where things started to shift and how and why that
happened. Yeah. What I think probably was between the end of 2018 and 19. So then we moved to another like place and we were at that moment Pennsylvania and so we moved to another city in Pennsylvania for because my husband um has had to do the inner ship and for the summer. So we moved to Pennsylvania in another place and then h I said okay I need to keep going with my English because um I need more I'm not where I want to be and so I took classes and wrote class summer classes in university and that again like helped me a lot to feel like a little confident. So because I wasn't at school, you know, taking the bus, being there like taking English class, I was with other students and so I was like,
okay, back to who Glenda used to be before, but in English and I was taking academic English classes. They were really hard and they gave me the tools to like, you know, how to speak in public. I remember that my confidence is starting to grow a little bit when we when I took these classes because I wasn't going in person and I need it was like an hour commuting to go to there. So it was a little far away and I may meet other people. I'm the teacher as I had more, you know, let's say other type of teachers and we have a lot of homeworks to do right there in the university. So, I think that helped me in some way to gain more confidence. And so, one for one of these classes, it was about speaking and listening. And our
final homework it was to make a presentation but to make like engaging presentation and we had like kind of like a jury. There were other people invalment. It was a presentation like in a big place. It was kind of like a theater something like that and so it was a panel student panel and so in front of they inviting everybody it was open for everybody so we were preparing for this like I don't know for months you know and part of this like learning it was to improve our procity something that I never heard before and so and the teacher gave us the task to watch a video in YouTube and it was one of your videos. It was
about rhythm procity and I remember that day h I was just really impressed and surprised like what is this? This is it was a new language to me but I could like feel like so related to that like oh my god is that amazing and we have to watch one of your videos but I keep scrolling and watching more and I remember also the videos about introverts and so I was just fascinated about your work and it just called me like this is what I need Jesus speaking what I'm lacking of and this is what I want to also to achieve and so one thing you know took me to another thing and after the classes they were done we finish everything and yeah I earned I got more confident and after that like huge presentation that were a lot of people right there
how was it great I was terrified. I was just so nervous and but everybody said that we did great and we didn't look like afraid. We look so confident but that was a huge thing for us for all of us. Yeah. To speak about Yeah. We did and so and it was I love the experience but that moment I thought that academic English for me it was a lot at that moment I thought okay yes I've learned a lot but I feel like I need to work in other things keep working on my in my speaking keep working like on my confidence and when I found you uh you were at that moment um with one of your courses and I remember that I didn't mind to go back to those classes um because it was
a lot committing so it was an hour and I didn't know how to drive and I didn't want to spend like an hour in the bus and so I said I need something maybe online and because my husband was working thought it was annoying and I needed to find other ways to do it by myself with your courses. It was a perfect it just fits perfectly for me like okay this is what I want to learn and I showed my husband one of your videos and he was like is she American? She sounds like an American. So he was impressed by your English and I said she's good and she's great. So, and it was not only your English, it was all everything about you that was very engaging and fascinating.
He spoke what I needed like the things nobody taught me in the those other classes. Yeah. So, maybe a little bit in the last classes, but it was I needed more. Yeah. And then I just started to follow you. I started with your courses. But even though I gained confidence, I remember in your courses I was no participate. Yeah. Why do you think that is? Because I didn't again I didn't want to speak and other people listen to me and then you know and then they will were will like watch me because I don't I didn't know how to express myself. I didn't know what to
say. So I felt like I was not smart when I was speaking English and I was so afraid making mistakes and so make a video. Oh no, everyone going to see my all my mistakes and I don't want anybody to see that from me. And so I remember I went little by little even in the conversation group so I was very quiet and I always said this. I was with my camera off and I was always so nervous and when I was turning my camera on I was just sweating like that and panic because I didn't know what to say or what to say something that would sound really smart or like or to understand people and or how to have a conversation with someone Hang on. You know, it's I did I didn't want it to go blank and proud of people.
And I just want to say because this was a few years ago, five, six years ago. And your reality now is so different. We're going to get to it, but yeah. You know, knowing that not only that you're hosting groups and you live a full rich life with in English and you run a business in English, training and teaching in English. Yeah. Like I think it almost feels like it's two different people but it's you. Yeah. Has gone from that experience to where you are today which you're going to share with us in a minute. But it was important for me to say that right now
also you being able to talk about it so fluently and confidently now because I'm sure that there are a lot of people who are listening to this saying this is me. Yeah. I'm the one who's sweating. I'm the one who keeps their camera off. I'm the one who avoids even though I know how to speak. I've done the work. I'm confident. But you're like, you know, this was your reality. Um, so tell us how did you go from there to to today? I think I was able to become who I am right now with all the support I found in your community. So because even though I was quiet, yeah, I was in the word mirror behind, you were always encouraging us like to, you know, to speak to open up to like
take the challenge like open making a video and making mistakes there. And so I went to like making a video and recording probably the videos several times of course and then little by little I was like okay now in this new program I'm beyond I think everything is starting to like thrive even more because the now the challenge about becoming a host and hosting a session and preparing a session and sharing with people, other students, your like your practice that little by little were like um improving my confidence and so I started to do that even though I was afraid because I was so nervous every time I was really nervous. Uh I was with self-doubt and I didn't know what to do but I
was there just showing up like why here I am. I'm so afraid but I'm trying to do this and so and every time it was less fear so like okay this is not this is easy this is getting more comfortable with myself you know with my voice with being there with people encouraging people also like hey don't worry I don't I'm like you like I'm I'm afraid so hosting helped me a back and I started to like pursue other opportunities out of you know here in my work and then I decide okay I'm going to start like working with dogs and so I want to just interact more with people and so my husband said how you going to interact more with people if you want to take care with dogs and so I said I don't know but I wanted to do something like I can like
be more indep dependent because I worked before in um at the stores in the beginning in the first years and then I forgot that part and then I realized like ah I can do this work and they even hired me when I didn't even speak really well English and sometimes I didn't even understand instructions and they hired me like what and so because I didn't like um trust I said it didn't m it didn't matter what even people hire me I feel like I just said this is a mistake right so they saw the value in you and the value that you can provide before you were able to see it in yourself yes and you thought and also like you thought that the fact that your English is not up to par or you had an idea about how English should be you thought
that the professional knowledge that you had Yeah matter but what happened is proof that it's not true like when you have value to give and when you have knowledge that you can do it even if your English is not a C2 level you know yes you can do it now because I have proof I can tell people like you can get a job right there if you want they're going to give you a job I know and because you have value in what you are doing but I didn't wanted to do those type of jobs because that I didn't find walk through because I think it's not super clear listening to this. I know what you're doing but for people listening. So back then what was the job you were working at store like the what was Yeah, I was working like a clothing
store. I was yeah I was like folding clothes, putting everything in stacks and you know being there tidying things up in the store you know but [clears throat] I was again so afraid if a customer would come in and ask me any questions because it was really hard. So I work at two different stores, the clothing and the other one was with crafts. And the crafts it was even more challenging because there is like a big vocabulary, you know, a wide range of vocabulary about crafts like and sometimes I have to use my phone to communicate with them because I didn't know what they were looking for. And so and people come with a lot of questions.
It's not like clothes, do you have this size, that size? So he was like, "How do I use this or what do you think we can do with that?" Right? Yeah. And all the time they were like, "Let me just find my boss and so he can help you." I was always trying to hide when they opened when the door the business open because I didn't want people to like come right to me and ask me questions. So I did that for sea six months half time working both in both stores and it was a great experience just to prove that I could get a job if I wanted but I didn't mind to do that. I it helped me but really deep in myself I was not happy doing that.
Yeah. And so I didn't feel like happy and I said, "Okay, I'm gonna keep working on my English." And then we like um I want I started to learn like um how to drive. That was during the pandemic. And then the pandemic started and like everything was shut down. No driving classes. And so I was like just with you practicing and I was desperate to find myself, desperate to feel like independent, desperate to like you know empower in some way and I knew I didn't wanted to go back to a schedule working and I said what about if I do my own business and so and because I like dogs I Yeah, I'm going to give it a try. And then because I just thought if I could just find something that make
me feel so fulfilled and happy, I think this is going to be enough because uh I wanted to do other things but it didn't work because there were other people also who didn't have me and so they were criticizing my English and so they discouraged me to do that. So that was good in some way because it took me where I am right now. And I remember I started with this with the dogs and I found that I was not spending a lot of time also with the dogs. I was spending a lot of time speaking with the customers and so they didn't speak Spanish. So in some way that pushed me to be more like outgoing, more confidence, you know, to show my best like listen to them and asking the right questions and then they would start
speaking and speaking. So it was like oh okay now it feel like I was back again and that was we are talking about like probably four years later. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. And then everything is starting to grow. Business, the customers were growing and then I found myself really busy. Um, and just to like and to summarize everything. Um, I decided like, okay, this thing about the dogs is fun, but they want to do something else. I really like to be my own boss, you know, manage schedules, everything, talking, texting with
people, writing to people. It took me like a while just to like find the right words to communicate with them. And so just for one thing, I started to go other things. But in the meantime, I was practicing my English in the community and trying to gain the confidence to speak and to speak on my feet. That was other thing. And to be confident there and rehearsing thing and doing teach and learn about dogs and so just to like gain have all the tools to like rehearse and use them in my real life. And then I said I want to do dog training. So I don't know any I didn't know anything about it and so I just started to like everything from scratch and I started said telling people sometimes
telling people that I was interesting on that and they were like because we have a good relationship. They trust me. And so I started working with the dogs. I started taking other classes with my own dog and learning and studying everything and so and this is how right now I'm doing and I'm very happy that everything work out so well because this is something that I can keep doing now with even with my daughter. Wow. And so I think sometimes I feel like okay this is it. This is what is happening right now to be at home with her and to and feel like also independent. And now the story is different because now I can speak there.
I can take the phone and I can write messages. I can drive and uh if someone comes here I'm I'm not getting afraid to speak with them like oh what I'm going to ask because before I remember I wrote down all the questions I need to do just to practice and practice it don't even think about that it's like ah okay I'm going to call in and I'm going to talk with them and I'm going to see what they want I'm going to explain why I do and so over all this time I just de develop like my method and why I like how I like to do it and do it little by little. So now it's is it's different having a baby but um it's allows me to have a life be independent and be with my baby. So, you've you've really created your dream life, one that you
never thought would be possible, where you are your own boss, you create your own schedule, you have clients that respect you and want to work with you, you make money independently, right? You are communicating and providing value. Going back to the beginning, it was like who was, you know, Glenda in Costa Rica and you're like, people asked for help. I was, you know, the person people go to and here you are. Yeah. Being that person now, but expanded, right? Not changed, not limited, just expanded. And um and I think this transformation is like I told you before we started this call is like one of the most beautiful, inspiring transformations that I've
seen. And I want to ask you, what do you think are the one or two key characteristics or qualities that you have got you to where you are today? It was courage probably. Yeah, courage. It was one of the things that it held me to like a step, you know, and dare to do things. And so I'm be even though I was really afraid literally like nervous my voice would be shaking you know and because I remember yeah I remember every time I was on the camera I was just shaking or talking with people I was just in my voice it was always shaking but this value that just to show up to be there and be brave and have
courage to do it. Uh it's something that I started to like okay uh to embrace and just you know it's like you cover your eyes and then you jump something like that and just yeah trust just you're going to figure it out. So that is a that is the key to figure it out and that was something that it took me time to understand that I didn't need to know everything and I didn't need to be ready because um for everything in my life it was like I'm not ready. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how I'm going to do it. So, how you going to like um like host a conversation group? How you going to host a book club? I didn't know how to do it. I'm going to And so I and then I just I found this like butter in
my mind like to those negative thoughts thinking like you know, you don't know why like you have no idea what you're doing and they going to notice. Yeah, they're going to see that you have no clue. What are you doing? And so I was always finding that like I know I don't know, but I'm going to see I'm going to do it anyway. And so that was my approach with everything. And so you and also my husband, they were there and my side like always like he can do it, he can do it. Like no, I can't. And so he can do it. And so always like helping me to how to figure out and so then I get I learned that uh this was a skill like you could figure out things and so by your own and I know if I don't do it I don't have
proof and so when once you have the proof that you were able I don't know to speak to that person and to explain things if you were able to do it once that is the proof enough. So that is something that I will try now to remember like I have the proof. I have to make this proof just to tell myself I can do it. And so this is now my approach even now as a new mom is it's the same thing like other things I had to learn to do it and you know you don't now with a baby it's hard to plan and so everything I just learn is out in the on the flow and even with English and so if I wouldn't have starting the business for example uh I would like have friends like maybe not to communicate with people maybe to tax um
know other like places I can go now with the dogs now I'm doing the comp competitions and so and the world is with a lot of opportunities that uh they are there but you have to just be brave to take it because otherwise going to stay there in the corner one billion% and I want to acknowledge the mindset that maybe you are like this is me this is what I but this is a very healthy mindset of looking at the things that you are able to do even if it's not perfect as proof you can do it and a lot of times people who do things and it's not perfect they use it as proof that they meant to do it and that puts you into two different directions, right? Like if you use that as proof, it was not great. I was sweating. I got stuck. I couldn't understand. Okay,
proof that I can't do it. And then it ends up being, you know, staying stuck, staying limited, having the life that you want versus I can do it. This is, you know, this and you keep on doing it. And I know, you know, I've known you for years and I know that you've had a lot of situations where you did get, like you shared, like criticism or responses from the surroundings and you didn't let that stop you. So, I think this is incredible. Yeah. And remember, I'm perfectionist. So, a recovering one in rehab. Yeah. In rehab, right? Um, you know, I got to I'm going to tell you that I got to meet Glenda twice. Once in 2022 and once in 2024 in two meetups, one in New York and one in Barcelona.
And I remember when he told the story, I remembered the message that I got from you after the 2022 New York meetup and how you shared that it was the first time that you traveled on your own, that you had to do everything on your own. And even though the meetup was great and amazing to meet the community, for you the biggest win was to proving to yourself that you can travel on your own, that you can be in charge of it, that you don't have to be dependent. And I thought that it was such a beautiful way to look at that experience and the courage that it must have given you to do more and bigger things later on. Yeah, definitely. Those experience help me to like do that. I remember that for the first meet up and I had the crazy
idea to go and then my husband he didn't hesitate and he said go and I said you're I love your husband he's like I don't know if I can do it he can do it and so it was like okay if you say so this is just crazy and so it was my first time traveling alone and so Even though I had more confidence, I knew how to speak everything. I everything I'm every time I travel, my husband is in charge. So I don't like do all this like mapping things or like where we have to get how to get this nothing because I just trust him and just follow because I like it too. I also like it. So yeah, of course I like it. If you have to do it then you will do it.
You won't you have to do the work. Yeah. Yeah, it work. And so I remember just to go quickly. And so I remember in the airplane when we like took off, I was just cry because I for me it meant a lot. They were like, "Oh my god, I'm here alone. I really I was so happy there. I was writing down a letter for you." I remember. And so I was just in tears and I got to the airport. I didn't have pro didn't have problems. how to take the taxi, tell the taxi the driver how to get my hotel. And once I check in on the hotel and then I asked him if I could like leave my luggage there, I just went out and I remember I was walking there in my hell. I think it was in New York. It was in this huge like surround by huge
air buildings and I felt like so fulfilled really fulfilled like this is my dream. It was like Yeah, it was like those happy ends in a movie like that is how I felt New York was there and it was just a huge accomplishment for me. I was so happy. I could like just be I remember it was just with a big smile walking there. Wow. So happy just the fact that I got there by myself. I did everything. My husband didn't do anything. He didn't book the flight. He didn't book the hotel. Anything. And so I was just really happy because it wasn't only traveling by my own. It was what it meant for me in this new country and for me for my English. Like finally like I'm I'm able to do all these things by myself. So I saw more opportunities
for me and it was an amazing experience and I think the um you know the cherry on the cake it was meeting you and being there with everyone in the community and meeting them in person. It was like it's my award. Glenda, wow. Thank you. First of all, thank you so much for sharing your story and your the lowest moments but also the highest moments of your life as an immigrant but also as someone who is making English her home as well. You know, we immigrate to a new country but we also immigrate to a new language, right? and to make that our home. And I'm so pleased to say that you were able to do that. Uh, and now it feels like it is an expansion of you. And I
loved seeing every minute of it. What would you say to someone who is where you were five years ago, seven years ago? Someone who is afraid of their own voice, who sweats when they who's afraid of not understanding, therefore they're hiding. What would you say was hiding because they're afraid? Well, I would say first, I think surround yourself with the right people. You know, I think the community makes a lot of difference and it had a huge impact on me. So I didn't have friends in this country. I did I had only my husband and my job. And I met good people you know but when I was in the me with you I met other people like
it was they were like me. So they were like trying to find a way to improve their English. they will have the same struggles like communicate another language if also living another country. So when you are surrounded by the right people who makes you feel like um let's say supported and also loved and they see you with love you know with compassion like yes I know what you're doing I know what you are right now but there's the same people like they are walking the same path that you are they going to take you and they're going to encourage you like and they're going to cheer you up with every step. So I think the community has a great a amazing value a huge impact and all of us we
need we need people with us even if we are shy we need people even if you are intro you need you like to be with people so uh I think community and I would say also like yeah again brave being brave is something that you have to like embrace it. And you can start with just a small thing like I don't know [clears throat] speaking oneonone with a new person or maybe turning on your camera or maybe like start that crazy idea about to run a business. But you have to try it because it could work but if it doesn't work you don't you never know going to know. So I think yeah I think I would say that will be the key and lastly I would say just trust the practice but do it consistently. So that is something that even with dogs,
I've learned that they don't know how to do it and they have never learned how to do that. But if you keep repeating and repeating, it's going to get in their brains and even in your brain and one day we're going to just do it. Like I think that is something that it had me a lot. So even though you feel like I'm doing nothing, I'm just here like answering questions or I'm just here like repeating myself, that is going to pay off. Yeah. Don't don't move on until you nail it, until you get it because then it's just going to create more frustration. I love every single piece of advice that you share here and I'm behind it 1,000%.
Glenda, thank you so much for sharing your story and your insights and your you're so generous. not just here today but also inside our community. You've done so much for other people. You've inspired other people. You got them to practice. You instilled courage in them simply by being courageous but also for saying the words that mattered at the time that it mattered. So, thank you so much. I love you very much and I love your family and I hope to see you soon again uh very soon. And um and that's it. Thank you. Thank you so much. It was an honor to be here and thank you so much for giving me this space to share my story and thank you because you were one of those people who like was right
there by my side. And so thankfully uh I found you and so thank you for like helping me to get out of my shelf. We are all winning from that. Thank you so much Glenda. Thank you.
