Elly is a 15-year-old girl who moved to America from a city in South Korea near the City of Seoul. ” It is completely different from Raleigh, there were not many trees but rather many buildings and heavy traffic,” says Elly. She also stated that she finds it much busier than New York and less dirty.
When coming to America she imagined there would be white people everywhere. She felt she would have a much easier time than most because in Korea she attended an international school which allowed her to learn the English language and interact with American kids. Upon arriving in America, Elly realized she wasn’t the only one with misconceptions. Like she had a stereotype for American’s she learned that us American’s also had a stereotype for her. For the next few years, she fought to make people notice that she was able to speak English and didn’t need special programs to make her literate. Soon after, she changed schools and was finally accepted as someone who could speak English. She states that if there was one thing she learned from her immigration, it was that people shouldn’t be judged by their covers.
Elly had to leave many things behind including her: ice hockey team, childhood friends, and her Korean culture. Although modern technology allows her to communicate with her family in Korea, it isn’t the same as if she was there to see them. When she comes back it is obvious to most that she has lived in America because of the way American culture has impacted how she thinks about different things. Being in America she has missed certain aspects of Korea more specifically the Korean food because she finds American food rather salty. Despite the negatives of leaving Korea, America has come with many positives. The freedom and the chance to meet new people and go to new places. Today she finds her life peaceful but dramatic due to us American’s. However, she wouldn’t trade her experience for anything and loves the opportunities coming to America has given her.