I transferred from China to Irvington High about a year ago. My family moved mainly for a change in lifestyle and so I would stay in an environment where I’d have more opportunities. 

One of the first things I noticed was how friendly and helpful everyone is. The students here are kind and welcoming. They are easy to talk to, and the teachers are supportive, too. I’ve made a lot of friends since arriving, which has helped me settle in.

School life here is very different from what I went through in China. In my previous school, we started school early, around 6:30 A.M., and everyone had to wear uniforms.  Students weren’t allowed to dye their hair, wear makeup, or dress up in whatever clothes they pleased. I like how the students at Irvington use makeup and do hairstyles other than the usual pony-tail. This inspired me to dye my hair for the first time, which would have never been allowed back home. 

The hardest part about adjusting to life in the U.S. was improving my English, since it’s quite essential for everyday life. In China, I only learned how to read and write basic letters, so speaking in full sentences has been difficult at times. But the teachers and students around me offer help whenever I need it, so it’s been manageable. Also, shopping centres and malls were very close to where we lived back home, becoming a place that I’d visit often. They are much farther away here, so it can feel inconvenient at times. 

Despite the challenges, there are a lot of things that I do enjoy. I play soccer on the JV team, and it’s allowed me to meet new people and stay active. 

There are still some things I miss from China. I miss my grandma, whom I call Nǎinai, in Chinese. But nonetheless, living here has shown me a different lifestyle and I’m grateful for all the new opportunities I’ve got to experience.