Starting high school is stressful enough as it is, but is no match for the challenges of starting high school after moving from a different country. In spite of language barriers and culture shock, though, many of M-A’s immigrant students have found personalized communities on campus. Hear from some of them below.
Luke*
Luke, a sophomore, journeyed to the U.S. during the summer of 2023. Originally from Guatemala, he and his family traveled by foot, bus, and car, facing numerous challenges along the way in hopes of a better life with new opportunities. At times, they slept in mountain clearings to avoid detection and deportation.
“There were coyotes, and some people died,” Luke said. Once in the U.S., he faced a new set of challenges, ranging from language barriers to finding reliable transportation to school. Despite the difficulty of learning the language, Luke’s dedication to improving has helped him progress in Level One English.
Fitting in socially was also difficult for Luke. “At the start, I felt lonely,” he said, but he started making closer connections as he got more used to the area.
M-A is vastly different from the small, one-room school Luke attended in Guatemala, where students took nine classes a day. He appreciates the opportunities that M-A provides to students, but wishes the school could help ease the transition more. “I wish there were more Spanish-speaking teachers and classes taught in Spanish.” he said. He also hopes to fully learn English to be able to communicate more effectively.
*The name of this interviewee is a pseudonym to protect his confidentiality. His quotes were translated from Spanish.
Ambre Arnaud
Sophomore Ambre Arnaud has been at M-A for one year, since her dad’s work brought her family to California. Moving to the U.S. has been both a challenge and an adventure for her. Coming from France, she’s found M-A’s class offerings very diverse. “There are a lot more art classes and specific subjects that I’m able to take,” she said. “There is no such thing as a marine biology course in France.”
Arnaud has also embraced the opportunity to experience new cultures and improve her English. “I am speaking English every day, which has definitely helped me improve,” she said.
In this new environment, she has made new friendships, and has become an active member of M-A’s dance team. “I was really scared at first to not have friends, but I made some really fast, so I’m happy about it,” she said.
Jessica Sutton
The move from New Zealand to California was a big adjustment for senior Jessica Sutton, especially considering the two places’ differences in weather and size. “California is almost three times the size of New Zealand, and it’s just one state,” Sutton said.
In New Zealand, both English and Māori are spoken, and Sutton was used to casually mixing the two in conversation. “There would be times when I needed to use a word in Māori to say something, but then realized that no one would understand me,” she said. The shift forced her to rely on English more than she was accustomed to.
Another hardship that came with moving at 17 years old was adjusting to traffic and learning to drive on a different side of the road. “It was very hard for me because I didn’t drive back in New Zealand, and it felt awkward and wrong to be on the left side,” she said.
The school system was also a major change. “When I first came, it took the administration team three months to try to understand the New Zealand system,” Sutton said, which led to some lost credits during the transition. “Math in New Zealand was just math class, with different units in algebra, geometry, trig, and all that, but here, each math subject is its own course,” she said.
Despite these obstacles, Sutton has settled in not only at school but also on the road, recently passing her drivers test.
Adam Ho
The transition from Taiwan to the U.S. was both exciting and challenging for junior Adam Ho. The difference in daily routine was a big culture shock for him. “In Taiwan, you go directly home to your tutor after school. Around here, there’s a lot more movement after school. Students meet up a lot, and there’s more time to do things that they enjoy,” he said.
“Because Taiwan is an Asian country, there’s a lot of pressure to do well academically,” he said. Ho has appreciated this newfound, more calm approach to life in the U.S. “I feel really relaxed here, and enjoy having more time on my hands,” he said.
Though adjusting to a new culture and language hasn’t been easy, Ho remains optimistic about making friends and finding more hobbies.
One thing that he would change about M-A? “The lunches. Taiwan lunches were amazing, and the ones here are not my favorite,” he said.
Queenie Heish
Junior Queenie Hsieh moved from Taiwan a few months ago due to her father’s work. “It was a very abrupt move,” she said. “One day my mom was like, ‘We got the visa.’”
In Taiwan, Hsieh went to an international school that primarily taught classes in English, helping her have an easier transition to the U.S. After attending a small private school where everyone knew each other, M-A’s large population and campus came as a shock. “You won’t ever know every single person in your grade,” she said.
In Taiwan, students are more pressured to study and put a lot of stress on academics, while M-A feels more relaxed with fun classes. Hsieh especially liked her math class and quickly began to settle into the school environment.
Hsieh initially struggled to socially adapt and meet new people at M-A. “I didn’t have friends or people that were my age at first,” she said. However, Hsieh’s ability to adjust and find a sense of belonging at M-A speaks to her resilience. “It was kind of rough in the beginning, but I found my group,” she said.
