It was July 2010 when I heard that I was going to move to the USA from Singapore. For a few seconds after I heard the news, I was delighted to move especially because I had never seen snow before since the weather in Singapore was always over 90oF. My friends would always dream of American candy, such as ‘HubbaBubba’ gum (a treasure that was not permitted in Singapore), and the adults would constantly discuss the American economics and politics. But after a brief moment of dreaming, I realized that visiting and living there permanently were totally different. I kept pleading my parents to let us stay in Singapore. I didn’t want to leave my school and my friends. I had lived in Singapore for five years and I didn’t want to move to another country. Sad but true, this was reality. I knew I would have to leave Singapore and go to America to start a new life. On the very next day after I heard the terrible news, I told my best friend that I would be moving in a couple of months. We were completely silent for a few seconds. She broke the silence by saying, “You are going to stay here for a little longer so why don’t we have some fun?” For the next three months, we spent a lot of time in the arcade, swimming together at the pool, and sleeping over at each other’s houses. Time flew; those few months had already passed and I was at the airport, saying farewell to all my friends. Whenever I glanced back, my friends would still be waving to me. They kept getting farther and farther away, until they disappeared. It was a miserable day, but I was still looking forward to going to New York. I walked onto the plane, determined to start a very new life.
After that exhausting 18-hour plane ride, I was more than happy to finally get up, stretch my legs, and actually walk on land. Since the temperature in Singapore was always over 90 degrees, I was eager to feel the autumn air coming in contact with my skin. The air smelled so fresh and I just wanted to spread my arms out. I remember clearly that the day was very sunny and the air was cool. I loved it. I looked around, squinting, because the sun blinded my eyes. It was really tough adjusting to the USA because of the time difference and that I was already missing my friends.
For the first three months in New York, I temporarily lived in an apartment in .... For a month, my family was busy looking for houses so I didn’t have to go to school. Finally, the first day of school in ... came. Now I would be the awkward one because I was the new kid. Truth is, I hated that school and its teachers. My new 5th grade teacher was always strict for no good reason. Students would get in trouble just because she personally disliked them, not because they weren’t doing the right thing. Thankfully, over the winter, we moved houses and districts. After the winter break, I went to ... Elementary School. I walked down the hallway very slowly in nervous anxiety. With my sweaty palms and thumping heartbeat, I reached my classroom and turned the doorknob; all eyes turned towards me. Unlike at that other school in ..., I felt welcomed when I walked in through the classroom doors at the new school. I quickly got along with the kids and already made lots of new friends on the first day of class
It is amazing how rapidly time passes. I can remember those six months of my life so clearly. It seems like it had only been only yesterday that we moved but it has already been about three years. Now, I am in ... Middle School going into 8th grade. I have tons of friends and school’s great too. My friends in Singapore weren’t much different from the ones I have in New York, but they differ in some ways. In Singapore, my friends and I would do different kinds of activities there because of the climate difference, like swimming daily. In New York, we would sometimes go swim or create snowmen. I still keep in contact with my friends in Singapore and I don’t even regret moving here. Life is great here in New York.