The Next Chapter

In October 2019, Dirima Caridad de Pacheco and her husband moved from Venezuela to the U.S. to be with her daughter and granddaughter, who were already living here. 

Since March, she has been taking English classes with Norma Vargas at CHRISTUS Learning Center. “I have a teacher who goes beyond expectations to help students learn the language,” Caridad de Pacheco said. “I plan to learn English by practicing every day, listening to the radio in English, and focusing on English grammar.”

Prior to her arriving in the U.S., Caridad de Pacheco worked as a physician, first in urgent care, then in public and private hospitals. “I made many sacrifices to become a physician,” Caridad de Pacheco said. “I would love to continue practicing medicine here in the states, but it is extremely costly to revalidate my credentials.”

Caridad de Pacheco is hoping to use her new language skills to become a nurse assistant.