Summary:
Discusses growing up in China and emigrating to the United States. Details expections placed upon the writer by family members and differences between American and Chinese schools.
I am a Chinese, and I was born in China. I spent most of my life there. About one year ago I came to United States to study. Because my family want me to have better education. So now I 'm here, to get the life my family want me to have.
My grandfather gave me the name Xing, which means star in Chinese. I think he named me this because he wanted me to be someone great. I never ask him, but I know this was what he means. Personally, I think the name is OK; name is just a name, a sign that makes you different from others. But from my name, I can see that my grandfather put great expectations on me.
I was born in Xi'an, one of the oldest cities in China. Although it has many environmental problems, I love this city very much, because it is my home. My birthday is in August, and I like this too, because it is in summer vacation so I can enjoy it. In 1990's, although China was developing very fast, most of the Chinese families were still very poor. I remember that every year on my birthday, my parents took me to a park to play. And when it was dinner, my mother would take out a birthday cake and we all enjoyed it. This kind of thing lasted most of my childhood. My parents are both normal person, but like all the parents in the world, they put all their love on me. Thank you mom and dad, you gave the whole world to me.
My parents were just like most of Chinese at that period. My father was an ordinary engineer and my mother was a nurse. Their marriage was simple too: introduced by some friends, met and then get married. They had me after one year, and they only have me, because the Chinese government was running birth control at that period. In my memory, my father is very strict on me. He usually punished me when I did something wrong. Tough, but effective. Today, when I am going to do something, I always thing about it before I get started, thank my father anyway.
I stayed in china for most of my life. I entered little school and junior high school there. Then, one year ago, I came here. Because I learned little English before, language became a big problem. So I had to start learning it. At the beginning it was pretty hard, I couldn't understand what people said and my vocabulary was also very poor. Even now, I still can't speak English very fluently. I need to watch TV, listen to the radio, and read a lot. I think I still have a long way to go.
Last year I studied in Saddleback High School near my house. I found that compared to the Chinese education at the same grade level, the American education is easier, but more flexible, it related to the common life more. I also found out that in United States, the tests are working for learning, but I China, learning is working for the tests. I think this is a big problem in China.
Right now, my biggest goal is learn to use and speak English just like people here, and make bases for my further education. I'm going to study in the Middle College for rest of my high school years. After that, I want to enter UC Berkley. Then, I want to enter medical school and become a surgeon. This is my dream, and I'm going to make it come true. But just one teacher once told me, "Stop day dreaming, get to work on it!" I'll always keep trying.
So this is me, and this is my life so far. All family members put great expectations on me. And I, I'm ready for my future life. Whether how hard it will become, I'll always face it. Because I know that, my family is always on my side.
This is the complete article, containing 667 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
