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Reflective Essay: Moving To America

499 Words2 Pages

When I ask my friends about my most prominent feature, they always mention my “Britishness”. With my Union Jack Converses and other flag covered items, I understand why. Of course, why wouldn't they comment on that? I am proud of my birthplace, and couldn't think of a better place to call home. Yet being a foreigner, I have faced a few challenges in coming to terms with who I am. Some obstacles are more comical than others, yet they all played a part in me understanding that nationality can’t be wiped away. Moving to America was the biggest challenge I faced in my life. I had to restart my entire existence at the tender age of seven. How could I cope in such a foreign country as America, with its loud people and weird accents? I was terrified. …show more content…

instead I was tossed a red bag of orange triangles that looked completely inedible. I was confused to say the least. It hit me then that although we both speak English, there was still a barrier. School was no better. Although I was adjusting, I became tired of being treated like a parrot, repeating words back while people listened in amazement. However it wasn’t until fourth grade that I understood how strange my accent was. Once my teacher found out where I was from she would make me say “tomatoes grow lovely to my garden” over and over to practically every teacher in the school. I knew she didn’t mean any harm in it, but by the end of the year I was weary of being known as “that British girl”. I therefore decided to hide my identity. Once fifth grade started, I began speaking in an American accent. It wasn’t that difficult and I sounded like everyone else. I stopped telling people where I was from, and became comfortable with this American identity I created. However, I still felt guilty. Although I enjoyed the peace, I felt like I was betraying myself by hiding my

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