When it was time to board the plane to Canada, my friends and I took a picture at the photo studio, and then we went to a buffet to eat my last Korean meal. I put the picture in my wallet. While we were at the restaurant, I didn’t eat a lot, because I worried about being separated from my friends and parents. Also, I was afraid about to adapting to a new environment and make new friends.
When I said to bye to my friends, I was so sad, and I didn’t want to go to Canada. Many times, I said to my parents, “I don’t want to go Canada, I want to stay in Korea.” But my parents always said, “Studying aboard is not a common chance. It is a good chance for you, and your future will turn out in a good way.”
I didn’t sleep even for one second in the plane. When I arrived at Canada, it was sunny, and there were many foreigners. My brother and cousins were waiting for me at the airport.
I was looking out the window as we drove home. There were many trees and open grasslands. At that time, school was out on vacation, so, I always called my friends and parents. I was bored everyday.
When I first went to school, I was not able to speak English. When my classmates and teacher talked to me, I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to talk with my classmates and teachers. Also, I didn’t want to talk in class, and I couldn’t make English speaking friends; therefore, my English skills were not improving. I could not understand what the teacher explained. School was boring and hard to me. I didn’t want to go to school. I felt alone. I wanted to go back to Korea. Sometimes I said to my parents that “I want to go back to Korea, I don’t want to go to school.” My parents worried about me, because I liked to go to school when I was in Korea. My parents said, “Try to adapt and if you can’t adapt in Canada, you can come back to Korea next year.” I tried to adapt. Fortunately, I made Korean friends at the school, so I can adapt little bit. But I had to improve my English skills to adapt completely.
The next semester, I thought that I had to make English speaking friends to improve my English skills. So, I joined a soccer club in school. I love soccer. Soccer is my favorite sport. But I didn’t know how to join in club. So, I asked to my EAL teacher. Then teacher said, “Today, there is a try out for soccer at the school field.”
I just went to the school field. I didn’t prepare soccer shoes and shorts. But I thought that I could pass easily, because I began to play soccer since I was 9 years old. Also, I played soccer officially since I was 11 years old. I learned soccer and I played soccer everyday. I was very good. I thought that I was the best soccer player in the school. But while I did try out, there were many people better than me. So, I did my best to pass at team try out.
After try out, the coach said, “The list of people who pass at team try out will be posted at the P.E office door at tomorrow morning.” I really wanted to pass, so I didn’t sleep well that night.
Next morning, as soon as I arrived at school, I ran to P.E office door to check the list. Fortunately, my name was on the list. I was happy. When we had practice or a game with another school, I was excited, and I never skipped practice or game. While I played soccer, I didn’t feel tired. Our team was eliminated at the qualifier round, because we lost many games. But there was last game for us. Although we were eliminated, we did our best. So, we won at that game. We were satisfied even though there was no more games for us. That memory is vivid for me even now. While I was on the school soccer team, I didn’t approach my teammates, and I waited for my teammates approach to me, so I didn’t make many friends in the club. I regret that I didn’t approach them first. If I approached to my teammates, then I could make many friends.
I could learn how to make friends by my mistakes. Now I know how to make friends. I don’t wait until my classmates approach first to me. I approach them first. If I join in any other clubs again, I will approach first to my teammates. Also, I always asked to my classmates when I have struggles. One day, one classmate was watching soccer game, so I started to talk to him. We talked a lot about soccer. Therefore, we could be close easily by talking about we are interested in. It was hard to adapt to a new environment when I first came Canada, but I am almost adapted now. Also, I feel more comfortable in Canada than in Korea. There are many good people in Canada. I don’t want to go back to Korea, and I don’t say again that I don’t want to go to school. I will make many friends. I want to talk with friends in school.
2. Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
3. I am proud of writing Essay without translation.
I am proud of choosing a topic that fits with the first peoples principles of learning.
4. I want to improve my grammar.
I want to improve my vocabulary.
