DEPARTED FROM
Shanghai, China

ARRIVED IN
Charlottesville, Virginia

YEAR
2013

AGE
15

NOW LIVES IN
Ann Arbor, Michigan

I was fifteen years old when I traveled with my parents from Shanghai, China to Charlottesville, Virginia. Growing up my dad had mentioned that it would be an interesting idea to study abroad and always suggested that I went to the states so when the time came I wasn’t that nervous I was more excited that it was finally happening. I just tried to not overthink it too much. However, I was a bit sad to leave a lot of family and wasn’t sure what to expect in Charlottesville. I didn’t realize until I got there that it was kind of in the middle of nowhere.

I was going to a good boarding school in Charlottesville and left early to try out for the preseason football team. I had the option of doing ESL in school, but I didn’t think I needed it since I was already pretty comfortable speaking and reading English. When our flight landed, a faculty member from the school came to pick me and my parents up and drive us to the school to move in. When I got to my dorm my roommate was not there already so I was alone. My parents and I went out that day to buy school and dorm necessities before they went back to their hotel. I was fluent in English but wasn’t used to having to speak it so much so it was a bit awkward to have conversations with other people although I understood everything.

Although my first day in America wasn’t very eventful, it was still exciting to be in a new environment and I was looking forward to what was to come.