A young lady excited to see a huge metal fly high up into the clouds. At the age of 12 I left Korea, my homeland, leaving the childhood friendships, memories, and identity, guided by my parents who have committed to become a missionary. The missionaries who committed to work without any payment. I was simply excited, too naive to know what leaving meant. I landed on the black rock, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, under a blazing sun, approximately on the other side of my "home”. I was happy child who knew how to say "hi", "yes", and "no" in the language of this foreign land. I had no clue what this beautiful lady with dark hair and skin or a tall lady with green eyes and blond hair were saying; I just wanted to ask where the restroom was.
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Biting sun was undervalued, deep endless and meaningless water that reminded me that I had nowhere to go. I set down at the desk taking hours for 30 minutes of homework. Every time I spoke, I shrinked because of fear and shame. Kids ignored my opinions because I could not enunciate the names of historical figures. I made two best and only friends during the first 3 years of my new school. They were sweet, intelligent, and spoke my mother language. Now some of my friends in Korea or the students from Korea ask me: “how do you speak English so well?” I tell them without any hesitation, “survival”. Being able to embrace this complex language and culture was a matter of survival for me. The moment I got a visa stamp on my passport through the custom in the airport, I have unconsciously accepted the life long challenge. Around the age of 14, I had no problem surviving in this country. I could find my ways on my own, I could understand what this beautiful lady with dark hair and big eyes are saying. I did not stop myself at the survival; I pushed myself beyond the standard and expectation. Now I am a junior in high school constantly challenging myself with AP classes maintain at 3.9 GPA, proudly ranked in the top 10%. I plan on majoring law or pre-law in college, and go to law
Biting sun was undervalued, deep endless and meaningless water that reminded me that I had nowhere to go. I set down at the desk taking hours for 30 minutes of homework. Every time I spoke, I shrinked because of fear and shame. Kids ignored my opinions because I could not enunciate the names of historical figures. I made two best and only friends during the first 3 years of my new school. They were sweet, intelligent, and spoke my mother language. Now some of my friends in Korea or the students from Korea ask me: “how do you speak English so well?” I tell them without any hesitation, “survival”. Being able to embrace this complex language and culture was a matter of survival for me. The moment I got a visa stamp on my passport through the custom in the airport, I have unconsciously accepted the life long challenge. Around the age of 14, I had no problem surviving in this country. I could find my ways on my own, I could understand what this beautiful lady with dark hair and big eyes are saying. I did not stop myself at the survival; I pushed myself beyond the standard and expectation. Now I am a junior in high school constantly challenging myself with AP classes maintain at 3.9 GPA, proudly ranked in the top 10%. I plan on majoring law or pre-law in college, and go to law