==U.S.A.==

"Your driver's license, registration and insurance cards please," ordered the policeman. I glanced at him with fear and gave him an international driver's license which I brought from my country. "What is this?" he asked, but I couldn't explain because my English was not enough at that moment. It was a turning point in my life and made me learn English.

This incident happened on the highway. I was driving a borrowed car from New Britain to Hartford. It was a winter day and the roads were covered with ice. I was supposed to take Exit 44, but at one moment I realized I was in the middle lane. I frightened myself, "What shall I do when I get lost?" I didn't know the road; I just began to drive. I passed across the line quickly. I could have hit another passing car, but luckily I didn't. I noticed lights on the police car behind me, so I stopped my car. The policeman came to me and asked about the documents. I didn't understand almost anything, but I knew the word "license", so I gave him my international driver's license. I couldn't explain that the car which was driven by me was borrowed from my friend and anything else. He ordered me to follow him. We stopped at the closest gas station and he called the Police Department. Someone who spoke Polish explained to me that I had to pay the ticket and the owner of the car would pick me up because the policeman wouldn't let me drive anymore.

In spite of my resolution about learning English, I hadn't had enough time to learn. I had just come to the USA and as a newcomer I had had to work a lot to save some money. I couldn't have gone to night school because I worked the part time job too. The time had gone fast and I hadn't done anything to begin to learn English.

One day I met someone who was very important in my life. Her name was Krystyna. She told me about herself, about her learning English. I began to study with her. My teacher encouraged me to learn English. At this point I realized that money couldn't be the most important in my life. To live in the USA without English is very hard. I felt uncomfortable whenever I was asked about my English. I was answering "I'm sorry I don't speak English."
Krystyna made me crazy for English. I liked her lessons very much because whenever she introduced a new verb tense she used songs which I loved such as "Have I told you?" "Imagine", "Who is going to..." We watched clips from various TV shows. The lessons passed quickly. This is how I got hooked on English.
Krystyna made me take an English placement test at Tunxis Community Technical College. I passed it well, so I decided to take some classes. I like English more and more every day. Thanks to this, I am more confident and I take care of everything myself.

I continue to study English and I love it so much that I am not going to give it up ever.