Change can be a difficult process for anyone. Children and teens all around struggle with the change that comes with moving homes, or schools, or states. But imagine moving to a different country with no idea how to speak the language spoken there. North High is home to various immigrant students who moved to the state of Iowa without knowing any bit of English. Here, they attend ELL, English Language Learning, classes that allow them to get the support they need when learning about an entirely new culture and language.
We interviewed North High 9th grader, Yareth Aguilar, about her experience with moving to a new school only two months ago as an immigrant student.
“I felt that I was very comfortable where I was, I needed it as a challenge for myself, so to come to another country and learn the language… It’s a challenge for me to be here and learn to speak like that,” she explains when asked why she decided to move to the U.S.
Aguilar currently lives here in Iowa with her aunt and attends North High because this is where her cousin attends. Although living with family, the most difficult part of her stay is being apart from her parents, and alone.
“Right now, I’m here alone, I mean, I’m not with my mom or my dad, I’m with an aunt but it’s not the same,” Aguilar explains. “Even though I’m with people, I feel alone; that’s the most difficult thing.”
Despite these difficulties, Aguilar expresses her appreciation for the North staff and teachers who have helped her become comfortable along the way. “They treat everyone super well… they try [to speak in Spanish] and even if it’s a little word or something, it makes me feel really good.”
She compares this student-teacher relationship with her past teachers from Mexico, where the teachers were not always as understanding, stating, “The teacher comes and shows me my place- that is, what I don’t understand, and they have a lot of empathy with us… and especially because we are immigrants they understand that it is not easy.”
Aguilar continues to maintain a positive attitude although initially being scared and sad to leave to a new country.
“It was very sad, I was nervous, I was very afraid, and in the end, I am still looking for that happiness. I mean, there are many things that I don’t feel like comfortable about but I’m here trying to be happy… I feel good. I think this [change] is what I needed.”
Her main motivation is the desire to eventually accomplish her dream of a career as a psychologist. “I want to study a career here, so I would love to be able to work and talk to people,” she explains.
Her advice to other immigrant students who may also be struggling with adapting to a new home is: “We all come with an objective so don’t forget why you’re here. Even if they feel very alone, very sad, they must not forget why they are here. Don’t lose the desire to move forward. I know that it is very difficult to be in a new country, new people, new language, but it is something very beautiful and not everyone gives you the opportunity to be able to come to school and study.”
In all, Yareth Aguilar’s story is just one of the many diverse experiences from students here at North. Her struggle with change, yet ambition for her future career is what allows her to thrive in a completely unfamiliar environment, ultimately proving that change can be good for all people.
