IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers 'YOU ARE CORRECT'- Instructor Priscilla Ervin enthusiastically agrees with student Alexandrina Petrescu, originally of Romania, as she explains the meaning of a vocabulary word Tuesday at an English as a Second Language class at the Simi Valley Adult School. Fellow student Stephanie Sunjoto listens in the background. The ESL program is free. For more information, call (805) 579-6200. Alexandrina Petrescu has countless stories to tell.

The 83-year-old Simi Valley resident lived under communist rule in Romania for nearly half her life. She remembers the constant persecution of civilians, the lack of political freedom and the deaths of thousands during the anticommunist student movement of 1956.

But when she first immigrated to the United States 14 years ago, she couldn't tell her stories to anyone because she didn't speak a single word of English.

"I felt like a dead person among the living," Petrescu said.

Like many of her fellow classmates in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at the Simi Valley Adult School, Petrescu said the hardest things about living in the U.S. without knowing English were the unavoidable feeling of being ostracized and the inability to express herself adequately to those around her.

Now Petrescu is a student in the highest level of the program- English Proficiency for Advanced Learning, where students try to expand their vocabularies, perfect their grammar and prepare themselves for jobs or higher education.

They also become familiar with the most basic elements of American culture- like celebrating holidays, reading the newspaper, making doctors' appointments, building credit and getting an apartment.

Most importantly, Petrescu and her classmates, who come from many different cultures, join together daily to share their own stories and experiences as immigrants.

"Here I've found help and friendship," Petrescu said. "All the people here are patient with us. We've all come here from our countries with different customs and languages. And we can all learn something new."

Priscilla Ervin, who teaches the class, said that foreigners can often feel lonely and helpless because of language barriers.

"Many people assume that if you can't speak English, you can't be very intelligent," Ervin said. "But what they need to realize is that immigrants add to the richness of this country. Many people in our program are professionals in their home countries."

Martin Canizales, 43, is a medical doctor in Mexico. He came to the United States in November 2007 with hopes of acquiring a piece of the American dream.

"When I came here, learning English was my priority," Canizales said. "I wanted to show the rest of the people my education and my intelligence."

Since moving to Simi, Canizales has regularly attended ESL classes at the adult school. He said that doing so has helped him express his feelings about what it's like to live here.

"I want to show our community all about the culture, ideas and perspectives of immigrants," Canizales said. "We want to change the stereotypes of the ethnicities."

Canizales said he thinks it's unfortunate that "people always remember the worst parts" of the Mexican culture. So, to help break stereotypes, he said his plan is to establish a community group called "The Little Think Tank," which would come together to discuss issues and come up with ways to educate the public.

"We want to form a group of people with different cultures but working for one purpose," Canizales said. "Here we have diversity, we have new ideas, we have different cultures, and we have initiative."

Ervin said that students in the ESL program receive much more than lessons in English proficiency. They also get a tremendous amount of encouragement to pursue bigger goals, she said.

Mariam Khan, 26, has been in the U.S. for two years.

In Pakistan, she said, she didn't have to worry about getting a job or taking care of herself because her culture dictated that she stay dependent on her father. But when Khan came to America, she experienced severe culture shock.

"I never thought I could do things," Khan said. "In my country, women are not used to being independent. But here . . . I just started working. Now I believe that I can start everything myself, just because of ESL classes."

While many students in Ervin's class have joined the ESL program as relatively new immigrants looking to assimilate into American culture, some have come to better their quality of life.

Enrique Naba, 32, came to the U.S. from Mexico in 1994. He said that when he first came here, he felt he didn't need to learn English because "everywhere you go somebody speaks Spanish."

Naba said he changed his mind a few years ago, when he committed a crime and was sent to jail for 12 months. His time in jail made him realize that he needed to better himself in order to get back on track, he said.

"Now I have reliable work," Naba said. "I rent my own apartment. I speak more English. I'm starting to feel the flavor of life.

"I don't do wrong things anymore. I just have my family and all good things."

Because Naba learned English and became more responsible, he said, he was able to reduce his crime record from a felony to a misdemeanor. Learning the language completely changed his outlook on life, he said.

The ESL program at Simi Valley Adult School is free of charge and open to adults of all ages and ethnicities. For more information, call (805) 579-6200 or visit www.simi.tec.ca.us. Students interested in joining the program can register at the adult school, at 1880 Blackstock Ave., Room 305.