Cheng (China, Age 16): English 423

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My name is Cheng, I was born in a village, many other villages setting around us.  In our village, we have TV, electrictronic, and computers. We didn’t threw garbages everywhere or polluting the environment, because we don’t have so much people live here, so the place where I lived has blue sky, fresh air, and we can see a lot small mountains there. I had played in mountains many times, there are so much sheeps and cows, we all farmed there. I have a big family, three cousins and one of my own brother, our parents leave us very early, I’ve never met them before. Because all of our parents were not at home, our grandparents take care of us. I loved dogs, I had a lot dogs and cats in China. We got a well in the yard, it’s not very deep, but I still afraid of it, because it’s so dark and full of water. I had a great memory in China with my brothers, we shared our toys, computers, and other playing things. Sometimes we had a little conflict with those things. My mother went to America while I was seven, I was sad, but I knew that I would going too. Although it will be a long period of time. In China, teachers were very strict, they could beat you with rulers, once time, I saw a teacher’s ruler got Fractured while he hits a student. There are groups of people needed to clean the school, like play yard, bathroom, stairway. We changed it every week. But if you’re late, you have to stay for clean it today. I did it a lot times, because I always late. In my chinese school, we don’t have air conditioning, but we have four big fans on the top of roof.

I have a lot fun in China. I know almost everyone in my village. I don’t have to dress well to went out, I could went to my friends home if I was boring, I could also went to a small river that’s near my house to catch fishes. There’s also many games that are famous in China, like cards, many kinds of cards. After my mother leave China for three years, I was ten. I received a call from my parents, they told me my brother and I could went to America too. I was surprised and happy, maybe a little sad too. I had always dreaming about America, I felt happy because I could met my parents soon, and I have heard a lot about America, it’s fun! I felt sad because I am going to leave China. I followed my brother and uncle to GuangZhou, after we’ve done a bunch of things, we wait till the letters came. My letter came earlier than my brother’s, so I have to go first. I had been worried about this before, because I have no idea about how to come to America. But they told me I am going to leave with one of my aunt that I have never met before. It seems I had a lot of aunts, cousins, uncles, and many other relatives, because I will never know everyone of them and I don’t know how much I have. After few months, I met my aunt, we are going to began our trip.

At the day I am leaving, I wore a nice clothing, I got up the car with my aunt. From the window on the back of the car, I can see my grandparents and my brothers in my sight getting small and small, finally missed out of my sight. I felt scared and worried, that’s my first time leave my grandparents, but I didn’t make a noise, because I don’t wanted to make it hard. I knew must have to go. It was a long journal, I looked through out the window, I saw cars passed very fast and like a flash. Finally we arrived the airport, everything were strange to me, everyone is carrying their big bags. I was scared, “what if I got lost? who can I ask for help?”thoughts like that always comes out from my mind, Thinking about that, I followed my aunt very closely. but soon, I forgot my fear. I am curious about almost everything, but I didn’t ask out. I followed my aunt, all I saw is she taking out my ID card, her ID card, and tickets, there are many other things, but I didn’t know any of it. After we found where we have to go, we wait at a big hall until the airplane came.

At that big hall, I saw many people carrying their stuff, most of them were playing their cell phones. I also heard some people were calling to their families, told them that they’re safe and arrived airport already, my aunt did that too. This is my first time taking a plane, I felt very excited.  After it flight, I looked out the camera, all I can see is clouds. I changed my thought very soon, I felt bored.  after plane flight for few hours, I throw up, I don’t know how I did this at steady plane, but it just happened. Now,I just wanted to hurry up and get to America. On the airplane, I can see a lot children at my age or younger than me, they always cries while I am asleep. It is very annoying. I ate lunch and dinner at plane, they have popsicle, juice, meat with rice, yogurt, and last one  fruits. I like fruits the most, because they are sweet and icy, and it was the only thing in the meal that won’t let me feel vomiting. Because I still felt very uncomfortable. Other foods like meat, the smell is so big that I don’t feel like want to ate it. It was boring and uncomfortable for me to sit still for more than ten hours, and have nothing to play. I didn’t know how to play the screen on the back of the chair. Finally, I heard an  announcement from the captain, we almost arrived the airport! I was very happy, I can’t wait to see what it looks outside, and of course, I don’t want to sit here any more. Lift the circular cover on the window, I looked out. It was very late night time, I can see clouds under the plane, and a big city under the clouds, it must be New York. There are so much big buildings that I’ve never seen before. The lights are shining, it’s small but a lot, like stars fall down to the city. I can see the horizon all the way back of the city, the sky and mountain connect to each other, it looks like the color of the rainbow, rendering the half of the sky.

We arrived America at 7:00 AM, it was very early. I was shocked again by those big buildings. It was small when I sat on the plane, but now I felt and see more clear on the ground, they’re huge. Also, I can see a lot cars passed through, but not a lot people. Leaving the airport, I felt a little loss, because I am going to live here from now on. I think I haven’t accepted the fact that I am in America now. In this entire trip, I just followed my aunt and didn’t do anything. Going out the building, we waited on the sidewalk on the street, I knew my parents are going to come. Soon, I saw a car is coming, My mom is inside. She open the door and shaking her hands on me. Before I got up the car, my aunt leave first. On the way back, I saw cars everywhere on the side of the street. This is a long time of driving, I asked my mother many questions about America and of course my father too. Inside the car, I don’t know how long it passed, but finally, I arrived my America home. My mother told me that our house has only four rooms, it’s crowd. Get out the car, I saw my father was outside of the yard waiting for us. He was a middle aged man who worked in America for more than ten years. He always told me to study hard, otherwise I will work in  restaurant too. It is a job that have no future, you work hard in it and get low money. My father is a strict man, he always getting angry. But if I get a good grade, he will proud of me and buying things I want or like. Now I’ve been live in America for four years, something I realized is that, cherish the time with your family, sometimes you might think they are annoying. But something you should really notice is most things they did to you is better for your future and better for you. Don’t push them out and hurt their feeling, because they are the few people in the world that’s really cared about you. They  told you to wear more before you out. They told you to see the doctor if you have a little cough and runny nose, They looked very worried if you got hurt. All of these things looks like it’s what they should have to do to you, but they would be very happy and pleased if you do that to them. They were easy to satisfied.