Multilingual Learners

Mukhtar Abdullahi – Somali and Mai Mai Liaison

“I was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. My parents moved to Kenya when I was 3, then left for Michigan as refugees. We moved to Vermont in 2009 when I was 13. I actually went to Winooski Middle School for a year, where I met my fellow Liaisons Dalib and Faridar! This program helped me adapt to life in Vermont and it really helped my parents when they needed help with translating important papers and understanding what was happening. One of this program’s biggest values is placing people together from similar cultures, but also from other ones. Participants are from Iraq, Nepal, and many other countries, everyone feels so welcomed. I find that in Winooski, people are very respectful of where you come from and want to hear your stories. If you have a problem they want to help you. Actually, people in Winooski and Somalia are very similar – they are respectful, kind, and willing to offer a hand if you need any help no matter who you are or what your background is. I love my job because it is a friendly environment and people treat me with respect and dignity!”

Abeer Alzubaidy – Arabic Liaison

“I am from Iraq. I was a math teacher for middle and high schoolers in Iraq in public and private schools. The war situation made us leave Iraq with my immediate family. I arrived in Vermont in 2008. I liked it right away, the first thing I felt the difference was the quality of the air. I thought, “Wow”. It’s calm and safe. People seem like they’re always smiling. The best part of my job is making a difference in families’ and students’ lives. Guiding them and helping them figure out their next choices so they can make good decisions. It makes me feel like I’m really helping them and makes me feel really good. I feel welcome in Winooski because our students and their families make me feel welcome. They really need help learning about the culture here and being successful here and I am making a difference.”

Dalib Bulle – Somali, Mai Mai Liaison

“Dalib, now 35, was 18 years old when he came to Vermont with his family. The second oldest of seven children, he was born in Somalia, where his parents ran a successful farm until civil war broke out in 1991. But he remembers nothing from his native country; all his childhood memories took place in two refugee camps in Kenya — Dadaab and Kakuma — where the family lived for over a decade. … In July of 2004, Dalib, his parents, and his five younger siblings were approved for resettlement, and they arrived in Burlington. (His older sister, who already had a family of her own, applied separately, and her family was also approved to come to the United States around the same time.) Dalib, who had learned English in school, went to work right away for the Winooski School District, where he still works today. As a Multilingual Liaison, Dalib helps make connections between Somali families, the school, and the community at large.”

Via Somali Immigrant Opens Doors so Others can Follow, VT Digger

Tul Niroula – Nepali and Hindi Liaison

“I’m Originally from Bhutan, but in December 1991 I went to a refugee camp in Nepal and stayed there until 2013. It was a bad experience, with very limited resources such as nutritious food and health care. I arrived in Vermont in the spring of 2013. In the beginning, I didn’t know anything about the United States. There were a lot of cultural differences. Many things are just the opposite of how they were in Nepal. I was always involved with community work, even back in the refugee camp. When I started working for the Winooski School District I was glad to be a help to the community. I already knew almost all the Nepali and Bhutanese people since we lived in the refugee camp together for so long. Many of the parents of Winooski students were my former students in the camp. It was easy to communicate with them. Many parents call me ‘uncle’ which is a sign of respect.”

Faridar Ko – Burmese and Karen Liaison

“I’m originally from Burma (Myanmar) but I grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand. There was genocide and racism and civil war so my family had to flee to Thailand. I moved to Vermont in 2008 – when I came to Vermont I felt very welcomed! I started in 9th grade in the Winooski school district. I didn’t speak any English except greetings like, ‘hello, and how are you?’ I felt safe and not worried about not having food on the table. My work in this program makes a big difference for the families I work with, who feel welcome when they recognize someone from their community. They don’t need to worry about having other people misunderstand them.”

Padam Thapa – Nepali and Dzongkha Liaison

“I’m from Bhutan where I was an accountant. In 1992 we left our country for a refugee camp in Nepal due to ethnic cleansing, human rights violations, and political oppression. I arrived in Vermont in January 2009. My placement was in Michigan, and I didn’t have any family members in Vermont. We were the first people from my community to be relocated to the United States. After the long flight, we were so tired we were sleeping on the ground in the New York airport. Soon after, we were greeted by four Vermonters – they gave us some money for food and told us: ‘if people don’t take care of you, come to our home and you can stay with us.’ Our case manager met us at the Burlington airport so we were fine. But the four Vermonters found out that we’d arrived and for years they showed us great kindness. They took care of my two daughters too. They asked us to call them if we needed a ride or anything at all. I never expected I would be as welcome and treated so nice. If you have a bag full of rice you might find a few stones – these people were that rare. I’m new to this job. It is interesting to meet the different teachers and students. Mostly I do outreach for their parents and I’m learning a lot. The Multilingual Liaison team is so wonderful – I never want to leave. Everyone here is good people!