Sometimes, I think to myself, “What would life be like if I didn’t come to the U.S.?” I have thought of this question millions of times. For background, I immigrated here from Japan, when I was 6-years-old. I spent 13 years in the U.S., from kindergarten to high school senior year at Arcadia High School (AHS). While I went to elementary and middle school in Japan during the summer to see my grandparents, the majority of my life has been spent in Arcadia.
If I did not immigrate here, I would have been a different person, with a different background, different friends, different hobbies, and different dreams. One of the main differences between Japan and the U.S. is that the U.S. is more diverse. This diversity originates from the history of accepting immigrants from all around the world, promising the “American Dream”, freedom and opportunities for education and work. At school, not only you are able to learn about the culture and the history of the country, you also get the opportunity to learn about other cultures. In the city, not only are you able to eat the food from the country, you also get introduced to other amazing cuisine overseas.
Diversity doesn’t just apply to culture; I think it also applies to the American education system, which offers many career options and experiences. In Japan, while many high schools do have sports and extracurricular activities, they are often overlooked, and only a few schools are fortunate enough to be known for them. On the other hand, at AHS, we are well known for academic, athletic, and performing arts achievements. Most importantly, anyone, either beginning or advanced, can join and collaborate together for excellence.
In my senior year of high school, I hosted an exchange student from France. The first day I took her to AHS and showed her around the school, she was surprised by how many non-academic courses we can choose from and how dedicated we are to those activities. I asked her what the most memorable class was, and she answered visiting the Apache News (APN). She was fascinated by all the equipment and the members that are apart, later telling me “there is nothing like this in France.” American schools are unique compared to other countries. Especially at this school, AHS has introduced me to activities that I wouldn’t have known I would enjoy, like being a designer at The Arcadia Quill, designing and photographing, and being the section leader in the marching band, mentoring underclassmen in music.
If I stayed in Japan, I wouldn’t have been able to join the marching band, and meet wonderful people to share memories with. I wouldn’t have been able to join The Quill to design or photograph, or even write this column. That is why I try to take any opportunity that awaits, so that I am able to experience the rare moments that I cannot experience in any other places.
