Terrie A. Hoops

Rafa the Refugee Terrie A. Hoops

Rafa the Refugee is a real-world tale of one young girl?s journey to the United States, her adoption of a new culture, and her journey to preserve her heritage as she finds her way and settles into the USA. Rafa tells the story about how she learned the value of retaining her first language and culture while learning English. As a new refugee, it is important to learn English but never lose your oral language and literacy in the first language. You need both languages and cultures to grow and succeed. Your culture is valued and your language is a gift, and it will go a long way. Never lose your language and you will never lose who you are. This story will inspire those who have immigrated to America or those who come from immigrant families. It provides the lessons of those who courageously developed?and thrived?in new regions without forsaking their origins.