I am a foreigner, but I feel at home here. I was born in the Philippines, a very different country from the U.S. Having spent most of my life in this small, poverty-stricken country, my perspective on life and culture is different. On September 2nd, 2009, my family and I immigrated to America, leaving everything behind to chase the American Dream.
My parents have always been supportive of their four children, striving to establish a better life and finding the best opportunities for us. The sacrifices they made were monumental: my mother left her family behind while my father, who was a successful attorney, gave up his profession. Here in America my mom has no family but us. Additionally, my family's socio-economic status changed drastically. …show more content…
wasn't easy. I spent my first year living with my aunt and her family in Washington State. When I met with the registration counselor to enroll in middle school, I experienced culture shock: I felt shy and didn't speak my best. The counselor rejected my registration and sent me to a school for English language learners. However, I was already proficient in English. Ironically, my private school in the Philippines taught me more English and challenged me more academically.
Fitting in with my peers was another challenge. I was new to the country and possessed minimal knowledge about its social norms. Consequently, I was bullied, and labeled. Due to this, my family and I moved to Galveston, Texas, where my grandmother resided. Here I excelled, particularly in math, and graduated salutatorian of my middle school. In my seventh and eighth grade years I became the Texas State Champion for Chess and the Science Olympiad, in which students compete in events pertaining to the different sciences.
We then moved to Denver, where I now attend Thomas Jefferson High School. The move to Denver was difficult because I lost friends and had to begin anew, again. I was alone, and encountered difficulty adapting to a school culture that was vastly different from the one in Texas. Difficult as it was, I assimilated into my new environment quickly. Within months I made friends with practically everyone, felt wanted, welcomed, and
My parents have always been supportive of their four children, striving to establish a better life and finding the best opportunities for us. The sacrifices they made were monumental: my mother left her family behind while my father, who was a successful attorney, gave up his profession. Here in America my mom has no family but us. Additionally, my family's socio-economic status changed drastically. …show more content…
wasn't easy. I spent my first year living with my aunt and her family in Washington State. When I met with the registration counselor to enroll in middle school, I experienced culture shock: I felt shy and didn't speak my best. The counselor rejected my registration and sent me to a school for English language learners. However, I was already proficient in English. Ironically, my private school in the Philippines taught me more English and challenged me more academically.
Fitting in with my peers was another challenge. I was new to the country and possessed minimal knowledge about its social norms. Consequently, I was bullied, and labeled. Due to this, my family and I moved to Galveston, Texas, where my grandmother resided. Here I excelled, particularly in math, and graduated salutatorian of my middle school. In my seventh and eighth grade years I became the Texas State Champion for Chess and the Science Olympiad, in which students compete in events pertaining to the different sciences.
We then moved to Denver, where I now attend Thomas Jefferson High School. The move to Denver was difficult because I lost friends and had to begin anew, again. I was alone, and encountered difficulty adapting to a school culture that was vastly different from the one in Texas. Difficult as it was, I assimilated into my new environment quickly. Within months I made friends with practically everyone, felt wanted, welcomed, and