[originaltext] When I first came to the United States, I was told that I sho

When I first came to the United States, I was told that I should apply for my social security number. So I took the bus down to the Social Security Office. The office was busy, with several people waiting in line. When it was my turn, the officer gave me a long form and told me to fill it out and return it to him. I took my form, found a seat, and sat down to fill it out.
    I read over the form several times, but, to my frustration, I still could not make any sense out of it. I felt terrible, and began to doubt my ability to survive in America. "Oh, dear," I thought, "If this is so difficult for me, how will I ever get through school?" After trying again and again to read and understand the form, I finally said to myself, "Even with all the years I’ve studied English, I haven’t learned enough vocabulary to fill out a basic form. But I must apply for a social security number. There is no way around it. I will have to get help." So I reluctantly approached the officer for help. "Excuse me, sir. Could you help with this form? I’m a newcomer here, and I can’t understand it." The officer looked over the form, and said in surprise, "Oh no, I’ve made a mistake. This form is in Spanish. Here, take a new form." Was I embarrassed! He gave me the new form, and I filled it out in a few minutes. Two weeks later, I received notice of my social security number.
    I have been in the United States for two years now, but I still can’t forget that embarrassing moment during my first visit to the Social Security Office.