VOICES

 

We Are Not So Different

October 1, 2017 | ISSUE 8

By Wei Zhao

 

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Anyone that migrates to a new country may feel strange or have unsafe feelings. Here in Flushing International H. S, we are all immigrants, also there will be different ways of school in their native country, and we all  had similar feelings. Therefore, I interviewed three students in our school to share how they felt when they first started school. 

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Tiffany, she is a 10th grade student. She came from China, she has been one and half years in the U.S. Before, she was shy and quiet in the class, because of just starting school, there were new faces in her class so that she did not know how to begin speaking with them. She felt sad and unhappy. In a one time, she shared her annoyance with teacher, after a conversation, she felt better. Then, after a few months, she slowly got used to differences. She slowly integrated into this class from different countries. When classmates had problem, she would try her best to help them to solve it. Right now she joins the Art and Craft club with friend, she creates Handicrafts in this club, then sell it in order to help homeless people. When I ask her question, “ When you grow up, do you want to stay here?”  She smiled to me, say, “ Why not! I have friends here, also there are many opportunities to support me to have a good future. Why Should I not stay here.”

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David is a 10th grade student. He came from Spain, he has been two years in the U.S. When he just came to U. S, his first impression was people spoke English so fast, he could not understand what were people talking about so that he wanted to become like this to speak fluent English. For now, his oral and listening skills are become better. Recently, he faces a challenge to and wait for him to solve. It is the Math regent, it almost coming in the January. He  wants to pass it, and get a good grade in the Math regent. Math regent may be a first challenge in his high school stage, it also can be first challenge of other students, if you try your best to do it. Then, you will face a good return waiting for you.

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Santiago, is an 11th grade student. He came from Colombia, he has been two years in the U.S. In our school, 11th grades will have an internship in the second semester, students will have different feelings about that. Santiago, he thinks the internship will give him some pressures, because he never interned before, he is afraid of he can't do better, but he will try his best in the internship. It represents that people never know what type of things they may encounter that have never been done, things that have never been seen, People often be brave to encourage themselves to take the step to face it, the result will be a gift to surprise you. 

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Despite their differences, the students faced many of the same challenges. They have all just recently come to the U.S. At first, they had no friends in this country and felt lonely. And, they had many things they did not understand. These factors made them nervous and sad. But then they came to FIHS and  they made friends at school. They learned how to communicate with friends and classmates. They had desire to learn how to speak English. Soon, their oral and listening skills are getting better. Their experiences are like most immigrant students who came to the U.S. They all thought culture was a big difference from their country. Especially in our school, the classes have so many different countries people, different languages, cultures, religions. It is really a big challenge. 

 

But as time goes on, they start to like this country. A country that gives them a new International Culture. Tiffany says, “ I want to stay here when I grow up, because I will have good friends here so that I do not want to leave here.” David says, “ I will stay here, I can find more opportunities to find the good job.” Santiago says, “when I grow up, I want to stay in the U. S, because I like this country and I will have better life here.” Therefore,  in a new environment, we do not need to be fear, we should encourage ourselves to do new things. As times passes, we will get used to the new environment. Then, everything will become better.