Hi, I'm Neyla!

Location:
San Diego, California
Journal Entry:

At the start of fourth grade, my family and I moved to San Diego, California. Even though I only moved about 20 minutes away from where I grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, my whole life was changed. In my first few months of living in the U.S., I experienced a lot of cultural misunderstandings about Mexico. Many of my classmates assumed we didn’t have paved roads or electricity or cars. While my transition to the U.S. was challenging and often frustrating, it pushed me to use my limited English to find common ground and understanding with my elementary school peers.

I began to show my classmates the richness of my culture. For example, on Halloween, instead of bringing candy to class, I brought sugar skulls and taught my friends about “Dia de Los Muertos” (Day of The Dead). Everyone was curious and interested in what I had to say! By making the best out of my language abilities, I realized the incredible power of cultural exchange. These daily challenges fueled my creativity and pushed me to find new ways to relate to my classmates and find common ground.

After getting used to life in the U.S., my English fluency grew and I was eager for new learning challenges. At 14, I began taking French language and culture classes. My interest in the country's rich history and cuisine sparked a passion that extended beyond the classroom.

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