Word Picture
As I walked into my first day of kindergarten I was more nervous than ever. I had just told my mom that I did not want her with me in class the first week of school. This was something I had not experienced before being alone without my parents or my brother in a new country, the United States. It felt as if I was an alien visiting the world for the first time. A daunting yet very exciting moment in my life. The only English I knew going into that first day was from the jingle Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. The few words that are in this song did not get me far but it was a start and at least I was able to impress my teacher because she knew I was foreign. The first couple of days were anything but easy but I was able to catch on to gestures and some phrases such as, “Can I use the bathroom?” Although it was challenging I did not give up and was able to find a couple of people to hang around. One of the kids, Jack Lundhagen, really went out of his way to help me around the school and teach me things I did not know. With all the help I received along the way I was able to catch up to my classmates academically and socially.
Great post! I can't even imagine what it would be like to come to a new country only knowing a little bit of the language! I thought you did a good job of explaining to the readers how you felt in ways we might be able to understand even if we hadn't gone through the same experience. Great use of the alien metaphor as well!
ReplyDeleteYour vivid descriptions of your inner emotions reminded me of my third grade because I've also had a similar experience like this. I really liked the comparison with the alien and the detail about how you only know one jingle song; I think it adds a little humor to the whole writing and creates a uplifting mood.
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