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First Day
First Day at School in a New Country My family moved to the United States when I was fourteen, and I learned I would be going to a new school just two days after we had entered the country and I wasn’t assimilated to the culture or the language. Even though I took lots of English lessons when I was in China, when I learned I would not be attending a bilingual school like the other new immigrants, I was extremely apprehensive. My first day of school in a new country was extremely nervous but full of surprises. Forest Hills was the name of the school, it is resting at the top of one of the highest hills in the area, and housed in a Georgian brick building with a prominent white tower. I was brought in by my mom and my aunt. My aunt speaks a little bit of English and she helped my mother took care of registration and a plethora of things you have to manage as a new student. After all the hassles of registration were completed, my mother and aunt departed for home and I was left by myself to attend class. I was told to sit and wait, but couldn’t understand any of the other words the lady from the office said to me. I couldn’t tell whether it’s my nervousness or the school heating was too strong, my head started sweating. I couldn’t know what to do, should I keep sitting here? Or Should I go ask the lady again for help. Just as I was going to stand up, an Asian girl came up to me and started introduce herself in Mandarin:” Hi, my name is Jessica, are you the new student?” I felt like caught a tree while drowning, and was so happy that finally someone speaks the same language as I do. “Yes, Yes!” I shouted. Jessica had very long and straight hair, dark and had few high lights at the bottom, she was at my height, but very skinny. She only had short sleeve polo on and a pair of wide leg jeans. And I looked at myself, heavy chunky sweater and a legging inside of my jeans,” no wonder I am all sweaty” I thought. “We will be in the same class this period, come

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