Personal Narrative: How Sevenoaks Changed My Life

Waving goodbye from the backseat of the car, as we pull out of my parent’s driveway. Looking out the window at the oddly, white shaped clouds. Thinking, I had never been away from my parents and my younger sister for so long, even though it was only for two weeks. I was excited and scared all at once, but I wasn’t too thrilled about the whole 29-hour drive there. Hoping that the trip would go well and nothing bad will happen to us.

Since I came to America, I made great progress not only with foreign languages but also with my adaptive capabilities. From what I saw, read, and talked with my friends, I realized that I am improving more and more. In the past two years, I learned a lot more here. This experience not only broadens my view but also enriches my life. It changed my life for the good.

My entire family was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. After three and a half years of living there my family decided to seek a better future in The United States. My father would go to the United States back and forth to work and earn money to send to us in Mexico. Eventually my mother was able to get a visa and my brother along with my little sister had an alternate way into the United States. We lived in Dallas Texas and Atlanta Georgia before settling in Howard county Maryland in a very small apartment. Luckily we were doing pretty well with my dad being the only one knowing English at the time. My father was working two jobs and I was getting ready to start kindergarten. I was very excited because the education we would have received in Mexico was nothing compared to the education in Howard County. I was excited for what was to come, but there were disadvantages of knowing only Spanish. Being bullied because of my poor English had an impact on me. I was in completely separate classes learning things that were simple compared to the regular course. I was excluded from certain activities, field trips and assemblies. I was clueless at first though as I slowly learned the language I understood things a lot more.

As far as I am concerned, moving to the United States has taught me a lot. Indeed, even though I had already come to this country several times before for vacation, there are a lot of aspects that I had not thought about. For instance, its people, their mentalities, the culture, the system especially in education. When I first arrived, I had a hard time transitioning from the French to the American system. In addition, the

The privilege to move to California has exposed me to many different cultures. This has allowed me to grow in many ways. The opportunity to listen and learn was there for the taking and I indulged. I now live in a neighborhood filled with people much different from myself My children's classrooms are filled with people from around the globe.  I also have a diverse group of friends that I very much enjoy and spend time with.

I came to US during my 8th grade and that was a life changing moment in my life. It was first time traveling aboard and that also not for a trip but for to permanent settlement. I was nervous my whole time been in the plane that how I will cope up with new environment and with bunch of English speakers. I got more. When it came pilot call for, that it's time to land on the Detroit Airport, tighten your seatbelts and be relax. As soon as the plane landed on American soil, I knew that this was the place where I’d to start a new life. Even though I knew America is the “Land of Opportunity”, everything here seemed so strange to me, the streets, the language and the people that was my first time traveling abroad.

It was exciting to think about what was ahead, but it was also heartbreaking to think about saying goodbye to what I had known before.

Children in UK take the 11 plus exam to gain admission into grammar schools. These schools have been present from the 1870's and as this article is being written, there are 232 of such schools spread across the UK. The child takes the exam at the start of year 6 in the hope of starting their new school in year 7.

In accordance to the ethical guidelines written by The British Education Research Association (BERA, 2011), the names of the children and school, where used, have been changed in order to maintain confidentiality and anonymity. KU 1.2/KU 1.5

In 1762 my parents sent me to a school run by Donald Robertson. It was in King and Queen County, Virginia. Five years later my father took me out of school and had me stay on

When I arrived here, no one in my family spoke english and my siblings had a rough time getting accustomed in school. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to start Kindergarten here and

Things have gone downhill in a matter of days, and I have simply had no time to myself to sit and ponder. Brother John has recently killed himself due to his gambling debts. Shocked beyond belief, Mother had a stroke and is now on her deathbed, slowly fading in and out of life. Eliza and I have been tasked with taking care of her until she ultimately passes away. For the record, grieving and taking care of your dying mother at the same time is not an easy task. Jane is now coming back to Gateshead. What for, I simply have no clue. Last I checked, she hated Mother with a passion. I certainly hope she does not stay too long, for I almost went blind from looking at her as a child. I wish things didn't turn out like this, but it is what it is.

I went to three different school during elementary through high school and I would have to adapt everytime. I learn the significance difference of perspective despite the relatively close distance of each school. However, despite the relatively close distance, the students were differ from each schools. Each school interact and socialize differently. The fact that it is different, I constantly adjust the way I interact and it has enable me to be socially adjust myself in most social environment. Being in different schools also encourage me to be socially engage, making new friends whenever I moved, which led me to accustomed the habit to be more initiative. Consequently, I tend to reach out to others, rather than being

My first year of junior high school was something I will never forget. My parents never really had to attend parent-teacher conferences for me, nor did they have to worry whether or not I was having trouble in school. All my report cards came home with excellent grades and conduct to go along with them. This is how the first 5 years of school went for me. When I entered the sixth grade, things changed drastically. Not only was I attending a school where my nationality was the

As the end of the night approached us, I couldn’t stop thinking about how many mixed emotions I had about starting a whole new chapter in my life. I couldn't wait to go to college, meet all new people, get a degree so that I could start my career path, but I knew that meant I had to say goodbye to my two best friends, who were moving several hours away from me. This was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do in my life. We all cried a little, and then made promises to keep in touch, and then we were off into the real world! I was very happy to be at this point in my life, but I was scared deep down inside.