Scared of America?

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Lori K

I've hosted teenage exchange students from all over the world. Teenagers are pretty much the same everywhere.

Okay, now that you are giving "additional comments" it's apparent that you are a native English speaker. Why are you wasting everyone's time?

Mr. Know It All

why be scared? this is the best place in the world to live. If someone makes fun of the way you talk, tell them to go sod off.

(R-TX)

I lived in Japan for a year, nothing close to what you did but you will soon find out how different things really are here. The schools are the best in the world, but like anything else you do, what you put into it is what you get out of it. You can't expect to walk in and sit down and be smart, you've got to put forth the effort and try. You're 14, you've got a LONG time to figure this all out, I think you'll change your mind about how you feel...people might make fun of you but don't worry, you are not the first and won't be the last...you'll be fine! Welcome and Enjoy!!

--okay, if ur going to argue with all of our answers then why ask...i hope you get ur *** kicked for talking funny, you probably deserve it!!!!!!!

Bella S

It's normal to be scared of America at first. I'm an American who lives in Italy, and when I come home to the USA, I go through massive culture shock every time.

America is a warm, welcoming nation that will accept you for who you are. You may have some struggles because it's so different from Japan, and meeting new kids in your school might be difficult at first, but try not to worry. You and your sister will learn English immediately and very well, and you will come to love it here.

Also, America loves Japanese culture, so if you can tell people at your school about Japan, they'll be really interested. Just try to be friendly and open-minded....you'll do great!

hello

awwww....Don't be scared. =[ You're just nervous. You'll learn to like it here. =]

Kourtney M

Hopefully your family moved into a good school district. You'll make friends. It will take time, but you will make friends. Plus the school should help you and your sister with your english. The food will be very different here compared to what your use to in Japan. It will also depend where in the United States moved to. I'm from Pennsylvania and have lived in Texas for three years. It's different from place to place in the states. We also lived in Naples Italy, Guam, and Sasebo Japan. We are a military family and have gotten through it all. Do some research on the internet about where you moved to, to help you learn about the culture and see if you can join a club in school to help you make friends. Good luck and welcome to the U.S.

Pearl

Sweetheart I've worked in a school for 23 years and I promise you that you will be fine. If anything the children will love your accent because it will be new to them. We have little girl in my school now from another country and the children love her. She's so smart and precious. If I were in Japan having to go to a new school I'd be scared too, but I'd be determined to make the best friends I ever had. Good luck Sweetie and please be happy. This may never be exactly like home, but it can be the next best thing.

salsa&chips

its okay relax. america is fun. they serve great foods and the poeple at the school will be great. all of my friends are really nice. just relax and if people do bother u they are jealous that they have never been 2 japan. when u make friends they can give you tips on everything! good luck and dont listen to radio80flyer you will be fine. and if u have any questions just e-mail me =]

RoyGBiv456

As with any new person you classmates will probably judge you. You'll probably have an accent which may make it difficult to understand you and people may not make to much of an effort to try to get to know you.

Luckily for you, many American kids are really interested in the Japanese culture. Japan has the coolest clothes, best games, and great cartoons. Use these things to relate to your new classmates. Remember, they're your age too, and probably have a lot of the same interests, fears, and problems.

Make a real effort to get to know people. I would never have met the new Russian exchange student if it wasn't for her involvement in the same sport as me, and now we're best friends. Sports, school functions, or clubs are a great way to meet people and get involved.

Ask your guidance councilor at school to assign a student to you t show you around. That way to can automatically get to know someone and have someone to sit with at lunch.

Be bold, if someone looks nice or interesting just go talk to them. Introduce yourself to people. You'll gain popularity and that way you won't be made fun of and you'll make new friends. Maybe you'll even introduce yourself to people were to afraid to introduce their selves to you.

Any new place is scary but just put your best foot forward and make an effort to try to learn to like it.

Simmons

One thing is kids at school sometimes will make fun of your accent but don't worry there are nice people in America. School in America is pretty good just don't pick the wrong kind of friends. In America they serve allot of different kinds of food even food that they would have in japan. And if your sisters 8 she wont have to worry much about how to learn English she will learn slowly over time and get the hang of learning the English language. Describing what school is like in America is hard to explain but i would have to say its ok depending where you live.

If u were wondering, It's me

It perfect normal to feel scared anywhere anymore. Here in America, you are safe though. Most people are very interested in other cultures. The ones who are not, just don't even give them the time of day.
Keep your confidence and smile =)
Stay strong and you'll do fine!

best wishes~

suicide_is_your_solution

I think it all depends on where you moved too. Bigger areas are filled with many cultures and you will find people like yourself to interact with. If you moved to some back woods hick town, then you may find it more difficult to relate to people (but that is a good thing). Either way, stay true to yourself and keep your head up. If you just put yourself out there, you will make friends and find in a few years that you love it here. As far as food... find Japanese food. Americans are fat, remember?

ash

Most schools have programs to help those who struggle with English. Don't stress. You have bullies and you have nice people. I think you're freaking yourself out more then anything. America isn't so bad.

Bellaboo

It depends on where in America you move to a big city or a small town, up north or down south, east or west. It's not that bad give it some time and I think you'll learn to love it.

zoo

You will find that the new kid in school is almost always the most popular and interesting initially. And those with an accent are viewed as exotic and automatically a desirable friend.
I remember when I was about your age and a new kid came to school from Korea. He could not speak any English but there were about a dozen of us who took care of him. Walked him to his classes, helped him with his work and his English. It was a very good experience for us and I think it was for him as well.
So, while it may be scary moving to a new place, give others a chance to be your friend and I think you will be very pleasantly surprised and may even find you are having fun being the center of attention!
The cons are that the food will be different from what you are used to, but there is usually enough variety in school lunches that you will find something you like.
You may find differences in fashion, but you will figure that out quickly and being the new kid, they will go easy on you initially.

So good luck and report back to us!

greerlizzy21

i guess America has it good n bad, I guess if your living in the north or the south, high school is just a bunch of drama and back stabbing, boys, and alot of kids do drugs.. so be careful chose your friends wisley, and alot of the food is junk food..
but there also is alot of good.. were proud, hard working people, but someone of us aren't very respectful at all, some are.. you just have to make the right choices for yourslef.. but we do have amazing education and a million opportunities... so good luck!!! work hard, study hard, and put yourself around good people =]

Lisa S

Well there are many both children and adults from foreign countries here who do not know english. So you will not be the only one. There is programs to help you learn english and many other japanese people who will be a support to you in both learning how to adapt to the difference of this country compared to Japan as well as continue to live your cultural ways. There is always going to be some ignorant mean people that might hurt your feelings by saying something mean to you because of you being different from them and speaking different. But it will not be very often and in general peopl here are friendly and I think you will be happy here. As anything new and different in life it can be confusing and difficult at first. But also very exciting.

misssexydd

I know how you feel. When I first made it here 13 years ago I was very scared because of the way movies portray all this violence and guns, shootings in the USA. I actually had the impression that everybody was just out here to kill someone. Now depending to where you moved, that is not how it is. Beware but also be open. Make new friends and you will find out that it is not as bad as other countries think it is over here. You are also at a very difficult age where most other kids already made their friends for life but it will be OK. If you can make it here you make it anywhere.

Kate

Well, America is so diverse that every single part of it is different, so one person from one part of America couldn't speak for some other part of the country. What I can tell you is that we had two Japanese foreign exchange students when I was in high school, and they LOVED it here. One of them had been studying abroad in several different countries, and for the other, this was her first year as a foreign exchange student. The latter of the two was really nervous about being here, but after she graduated high school in Japan she moved back to America and is living here now!

So your experience is really going to vary depending on where you are and what people you meet, but there is a niche for everyone, and you will find friends and hobbies that you love... because there are PLENTY of things to do. And don't worry so much about your sister, after she watches enough American television and is in elementary school for a little while, she aught to pick up on English pretty quick (that was another thing the two foreign exchange students found while they were in America... their English skills went through the roof).

Good luck and welcome to the States!

snoopy

It's impossible to tell you what school will be like because every school is different. It's very likely that you will have a great experience and that people will be nice to you and help you. I understand you being scared but try not to be; it will all work out ok for you.

none

You'll be constantly amazed at the arrogance and ignorance of the people in America.

girly girl

When did u move here? It's kinda hard to belive you have a yahoo user and go on yahoo answers if you don't even go to school. When I moved here a few years ago i had no clue about yahoo.i found it like last year.

softballbeast_14

School is fine. There are so many different people, no one is going to make fun of you or beat you up just because you're not from here. Most people in my school aren't either. As for the food...it's not the best but there is a lot of different stuff or you can bring your own. No one will make fun of you or your sister for not speaking well...you will learn and after a while i'm sure you'll like it better. good luck =]

madmax454

Hey Asuka, im Rich, a senior in high school in America. its hard to tell you what its like because i don't know what schools in japan are like but ill do my best. Your usually in school for about 6 hours a day and where i go to school it starts at 7 30 am, but that also varies. You'll take your core classes which are math, literature, science and history. School food varies by school but generally its pretty good food. Schools usually have a menu of food they serve so you can check out what type of food is being served. Some schools have places where you can order your own type of sandwhich but your staple meats are most likely, chicken, turkey and ham.

svivatson92

america isn't a bad country. the food is nice, we have pizza, hamburgers, and chicken and stuff. schools can be nice. just be yourself, and nobody should make fun of you. if they do, they aren't cool. you'll learn english and everything, and you'll make new friends. don't worry too much about it. you'll be fine. good luck with the new life! ; )

p.s. your sister will be fine. she'll make new freinds too, and don't be afraid to stick up for her if she gets picked on. it does happen, but those people just suck. lol.

Bobby J

i lived in Iraq and i was very scared too and people will make your life very hard but u will make friends and become cool and the food is okay and once you make lots of friends you won't have problems because your friends will hopefully help you learn and really good friends will defend you and it is as not bad as it sounds butif you cry and your in 4th grade or higher people will laugh and call u a crybaby.............but you will get throgh it.................hope I helped and good luck

aerogirl

I understand why you are scared. America is pretty different from other places in the world in my opinion, but you will adjust and though you may not like it more than Japan, you will like learn to like it a little I hope. There are so many different people here that and you are NOT the only one moving here from Japan! A lot of people would like to hear about it I'm sure. America is not bad like some people think. There are VERY good parts about America, and you will get better. If you move back to Japan, you might want to come and visit someday, but you have every right to love your country more than ours!

eyedunno

America is nonthing to be scared of. You do not have to worry about how you talk. I know alot of foreign people who talk different they dont get picked on at all.

Of course starting a new school is scary it is for almost everyone even I who live in America. Think about it when you were in Japan wernt you a little scared starting something new.

The food here is really good. Here in America we have many different restaurants that serves food from different ethnicitys and cultures japanese, chinese, mexican etc. But if you do not like it (but im sure you will) you can always order from a japanese restaurant or something.

So you've just moved here and even though you don't like it at first im sure once you get used to it and make friends it will be fine.

John M

I don't have any knowledge of Japan that I would be able to use as a basis of comparison.

gpf74

the thing that scares me in America is all the idiots walking around with a gun, and by that i mean everyone that has a gun. every-time you look at the news there been a mass shooting at a school or shopping mall.

Emmyâ™¥

School in America is a lot different. There will be people that you can make friends with and that's a definite. American children though will not be that eager. There could be a kid that will come up to you and ask to be your friend, but there might not be. You just have to put yourself out there and hope that you'll make a new friend.

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