A Chance for a Different Future

My parents’ decision to immigrate to America from China during my last year of high school gave me a chance for a different future. The last year in high school is very important to all Chinese students because if they do not do well on the last year’s final exam, they cannot continue to college and have to go to work. I spent my first seventeen years preparing for the last year as the only chance to continue education after high school; however, I immigrated to America during that last year. These changes in a new country affected not only my future but also my life. Immigrating to America has affected me in three ways: I became a bilingual student, I also improved my self confidence in order to gain friends, and I expanded my scope of knowledge. One effect that I experienced after we immigrated to America was becoming a bilingual student. As a foreign student, I could not speak fluent English and write well in school. So I had to adapt myself to the American educational system. First, I tried my best to understand American teachers as they talked and wrote in class. I also translated my entire textbook in Chinese. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to do my homework regularly because I had to go to work after school. Also, I read very slowly, so I spent triple the amount of the regular study time on each subject. Luckily, by having this hardship to learn my high school subjects, I gained the language skills and became bilingual. Another effect that I experienced after I left China was not having friends. Although I met some good teachers and classmates in school, they did not see me after school. I no longer had as many friends as I did in China. I felt lonely and helpless when I needed someone to talk to because my parents worked every day until midnight. Not having any friends limited my activities and changed my personality. I became gloomy and dejected when I was alone; however, the hardship of not having a friend helped me realize that if someone expects to have a friend, she should have a