Monday, October 5, 2009
reflection
My family and I moved to California from Korea in 2001. I was in seventh grade and it was very confusing, because I did not know why I had to move to California. I had difficult times with learning English. Learning a new language was very challenging. When I first came to America I did not speak English at all. While I was in school, I did not understand anything at all what my teacher was saying, and had no idea what I was learning. My teacher helped me a lot to complete all the assignments, but it was still hard for me to complete all the required assignments. I attended ESL class, and moved to regular class after two years later. ESL class helped me a lot to learn how to write, read and speak in English. Even though I was in regular class, I felt I was not belonging there. My classmates would make fun of me, because I was only Asian in the class. I was very insulted by other kids, but there was nothing I can do about it, because I was the only Asian kid who did not speak English fluently. I had hard time in my junior high years. There were some of the nice kids who would teach me how to do my homework and be nice to me, but majority of the class ditched me. They treated me as if I am from another planet, and I was hurt deeply inside my heart. The situation got better after I graduate junior high school. My high school had lot of Asians, so I felt I was belonging there. Now I think back, it is because all the kids were immature back in the junior high years.
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I can relate to you in being the only asian kid in my class because where I lived the majority was Mexican, Blacks, and a lot more Asians, but not in the classes I were in. But it's good that you get to learn from different people's culture.
ReplyDeleteI like this because you didn't let it get to you but it hurt you. In the end it got better for you.
Your story really does relate to Firoozeh's. I agree with you though, it was probably hard for you at the time because in junior high kids are immature.Its really great though that you learned english and adjusted to California. It must have been really hard to feel like the oddball. It is hard to adjust to a new place.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about feeling all out of place. I come from a hispanic family, so of course they all speak spanish. I understand it way better than i speak it. When my cousins speak to me in spanish i feel so out of place I just smile and nodd my head, hoping they will ask the question to someone else. Even though they are family I still feel out of place. Over the years i have improved my spanish speaking skills and can intereact with other people. Im glad you over came that and have adjusted to living in California.
ReplyDeleteThe story was very interesting. I know how you felt when you were the only asian person in your class. I had the same experience when I started going elementary school where all kids were white and mexicans where I was the only asian in the class. I am glad that esl has helped you improve in English.
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