ELL experiences

It’s hard for anyone to fit in a foreign country. When I first came here, I felt extremely upset, but also curious. When I went to the beach, there were a lot people there, and they were so outgoing. I felt embarrassed when I saw them swimming and surfing, but I admired the way they acted, and I hoped one day I could do the same thing. I felt puzzled when I went to school. I couldn’t understand the teachers’ words. I felt nervous when I heard there was a test.

“Oh, I have to remember some unfamiliar words,” I thought.

I’m sure the kids here would think I was ridiculous if they heard this. I felt I was dumb because I didn’t act like them. They spent lots of time enjoying and goofing around with others. But I just stayed at home. I was so homesick for a long time, but luckily my teachers and my friends helped me out. In Hawaii, when I see a bunch of Chinese people, in school or in the market, I feel excited. I like to go to Chinatown because it resembles my hometown. I like their businesses. I go to cultural festivals to feel my culture because here, my family doesn’t celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year.

I made friends with other people, and I’m not feeling lonely anymore. However, I feel uncomfortable when others give me things. I feel a little guilty, and I feel I owe them something, even though people tell me that in America, it’s normal to give. They just want to give; they are not expecting you to give some presents in return. Now, I enjoy my life here, even if I’m still not the same as the locals. When I feel homesick, I like to go out to feel the sunshine. I know everywhere will turn to heaven in my heart.

-MeiHui He (11)

It was really difficult to be in an unfamiliar place. I remember when I first came to Hawaii; it was on March 30, 2007. I didn’t want to come here, but my parents told me that America would give me a better education and a good future life. I didn’t feel comfortable in America when I arrived. I didn’t like the culture and the way people acted. For example, I didn’t like the food that the school made for us. It totally made me sick to see strange food that I’ve never seen before, so I didn’t eat much, and I would be hungry the whole day in school. Secondly I couldn’t fit in with the locals. I was totally different from what they were. I had no friends in school. They didn’t want to be friends with someone that was different from them. That time I really hated school. I just waited until the bell rang and went back home. The last reason I didn’t like to stay here is because of the language. I couldn’t understand anything when I first came here. I was just like a dumb person. That time I really wanted to go back to my home country of China with those friends that were never mean.

Four years from now, I feel really comfortable and I fit in. I think it is a good and free country here. The first reason I like here now is because I have made a lot of new friends. I am doing what they do, and act the way they are. I like the way they live without worrying about things too much. People here all live happily. Another reason I like here now is that they are not shy to show and dance. They are all brave enough to show their body. The last reason and the best I like here is the freedom for kids. We can do everything that we will like to do. I play a lot of video games and have a lot of fun. Also, there is no pressure in school, and there is a lot less homework than what I used to do in China. We had to take a lot of time in order to finish all of our work. Also the school has a better way to teach us things. I can get a better education here. Overall I think I will graduate from a good college here. After I graduate, I will go back to China and find a good job over there. I think when I go back, though, I will never come back because I miss my family and cousins a lot.

-Xiao Ming Nian (10)

Moving isn’t easy for anyone. Moving can be a time for some great new things, like your own room, new cell phone and new places to explore. But it can be also a time of sadness and stress because you might have a hard time to find new friends just like your friends before. At age 15, I moved here to Hawaii. I felt excitement because I knew that things were going to be better, just like having a new room for me, having all stuff that I’ve been wishing to have. And I felt excited because I might see beautiful places, and I wanted to see how America looked.

But behind those excitements were my undefined feelings. I felt sad because I wasn’t used to living in a new surroundings. I missed all my friends back in the Philippines, and I missed all the good memories. It was hard for me to adjust but I didn’t have anything to do but to get used to it. I needed to accept that this would be my new life. Since moving here to Hawaii, I’ve seen unfamiliar things and I’ve learned new things. First, I’ve seen a lot of beautiful landmarks going around the island, like Rabbit Island, the Blow Hole, etc. Second, I met new friends that can always be there for me in times of need. Finally I learned that if anything happens like this to you, like moving to another place, you should be brave and try to adjust yourself so that you won’t’ feel sad.

In this time, I still feel sad. But more common now is happiness because I’ve already adjusted. Just love what you have and it will make you comfortable the whole time. One more thing you should think is that God won’t do things without reason.

-Mark Anthony Corpuz