Here’s another story from Class 1B about one student’s first days in the United States. Take the quiz when you’re finished to test your comprehension!

Facing the Future’s New Challenges

Esther Li

My family moved to the United States in 2012. First, I felt all things were strange. I saw the environment was beautiful, the people talked about… I didn’t understand what they said. But I was lucky because my oldest son’s English was very good. Before we came to United States, he was an international student and he lived in Arizona for five years. So as a first stop, my family chose Arizona, and my son finished his Master’s degree. He liked the United States. He didn’t want to go back to China. Therefore my family moved there.

I lived there for a while, and I had many problems because my English was not so good. And my youngest son missed his friends back in China. So life was difficult and I became bored. But I didn’t think too much. Yesterday was history – I had to enrich my life and I had to face the future’s challenges and I was a parent. So I was an example for my youngest son.

So I decided to study English. I bought some books. I learned words. I lived there for one year. I interviewed for a job and got it. I was an inventory clerk and worked in the shipping department. Every day I had to drive a car to work on the highway for forty minutes. I was tired, but I liked the job. At lunch time we talked about “the good old days.” We enjoyed our jobs.

So the days passed quickly for about two years. One day my sister invited me to come to New York. I didn’t want to move to New York. I liked Arizona; there the houses were cheaper. There was a lot of parking and I had made some friends. But in the United States I only have my sister. I had to take care of this relationship.

So, my husband and I moved to New York in 2015. I didn’t like it here at first. There is a subway and buses, so it’s convenient. Here there are many supermarkets, clothes stores, movie theaters and people from many different countries who make me learn about cultures. I like my job, because I have time to go to school to study English. More and more I like New York. I believe in myself. I will face the future’s new challenges! Change is not merely necessary to life, it is life.