Practically everyone in the world has experienced the anxiety that surrounds the experience of entering a new school, starting a new job, or just meeting new people in general. It can be incredibly hard to make new friends when shoved into a new environment and oftentimes it can cause immense mental stress. Constantin Zodl, a Cary Academy student and my friend, has experienced this feeling many times expect on a much grander scale. Instead of moving to a new school, Constantin has had to move to a new country many times throughout his life. Constantin’s entry to the United States came in 2013 when he moved from Hong Kong to Florida. Although he already spoke English at a fairly adept level, Constantin had plenty to adapt to with the immense culture shock he experienced when he moved to the United States. Constantin’s main challenges that he faced when entering the society of the United States had to do with companionship and homesickness. Sure, he had his family with him always, but Constantin was searching for friends that he could truly become close with in this new land. Originally he had trouble assimilating to the new society, but after some time Constantin had made plenty of friends in his new home. Finally when Constantin had become accustomed to his new society, he realized he had to move again and leave the close group of friends he had just made. Constantin then moved from Florida to North Carolina, forcing him to leave the great friends he had just made and meet completely new people. This forced him to undergo the same set of challenges he had just faced again; however, this time he had some experience under his belt. Although he still faced the first day of school nerves, Constantin was finally able to settle down in North Carolina and make new friends that he still has today. Constantin also faced the challenge of homesickness when he first moved to the United States. He was constantly searching for something familiar and couldn’t find anything that resembled his life back in Hong Kong. After a while, with the help of his new friends, Constantin began to get immersed in the United States society and truly enjoy it. Nowadays, Constantin lives the life of an everyday American which truly shows how far he has come. Constantin has truly become an American.
