Above: English at Home tutor Kinman Bailey
Heandy is bright, hardworking, driven, has big goals in mind, and all staff who meet him believe he’s going to soar.
A cardiologist from Cuba, Heandy would like to use this knowledge and ability to help patients in the U.S. But to practice medicine here, he’s got a long road ahead of him. One of the first major hurdles to overcome is English. How could he fit that in with a complex work schedule and long MARTA commutes?
Enter Kinman Bailey, an aspiring medical student who, when he heard about our clients who are medical professionals like Heandy, volunteered to teach English to Heandy through our English at Home program. Not only is Kinman helping Heandy learn English, he’s also mentoring him through the complex process of becoming a doctor in the U.S. The two already display an admirable and desirable quality in a medical professional – they are committed and diligent with their studies, averaging 11 hours of English tutoring a month.
Kinman said that when they first started studying together, Heandy was very nervous about making mistakes in front of Kinman and would only speak and write in simple sentences. However, after months of practicing with his tutor, Heandy is comfortable with speaking in complex sentences and writing long paragraphs.
We are amazed and thankful that Kinman, as busy as he is with his own life and studies, is so committed to working with Heandy to help him reach his goals.
Mentoring partnerships like this are invaluable to our clients not only in the practical sense of providing a needed service like language learning, but also in the intangible but equally important realm of encouragement, friendship, inspiration and perseverance – and who couldn’t use a little more of all that in these times?
Thank you to Kinman and all our amazing English at Home volunteers who, by giving their time, energy, and friendship to our clients, help counteract the discouragement and challenges they often face on their pathways to success in the U.S.