Posts tagged communication

Getting by in an American high school can be tricky if you are new and even more so if you don’t know the language. I just gathered a few of my experiences here which might help you survive those daunting first few weeks.

I found that in the USA in high school people don’t just come to you. They do not necessarily want to get to know you or help you with everything to make your life easier. You have to approach them most of the time. You have to talk to them, have lunches together, maybe ask for help with your homework, and try to work together in groups. Try to arrange activities outside of school. This is a great opportunity to get to know people, have fun and create memories together. Don’t be discouraged if they say no, keep on trying! Or if it doesn’t seem to be working out find others )

It is nice to become friends with the natives but at the beginning you will realize that it is easier to establish relationships with students from somewhere else. They tend to have a different point of view and they know where you are coming from when you share your problems with them. However it is not just useful to become friends with foreign students but also an amazing experience too! You have the opportunity to become familiar with their country, language, customs, whatever interests you. Also they will be curious about your life back at home which you will enjoy very much! So look for them, every school will have exchange students or foreigners. If the school has an ESL program try to be part of that!

Now ESL class is worth mentioning as well. It is very practical in terms of meeting international students, learning English, and getting familiar with the culture. I also had to attend an ESL history and an ESL English literature class. These two were brilliant especially at the beginning because we were going slower so everyone had time to catch up. However after a while slowness can be boring. I felt ready to move quicker after a few months but this wasn’t the same for everyone. Therefore I would say if you can only do a year in ESL then go to normal classes.

Ultimately to survive in the high school there is one crucial thing to do: speak. Don’t be afraid that you will not pronounce a word right or the grammar will not be good enough. Just speak. And if you don’t understand something make sure you ask the person to repeat it again for you or if it was too quick to say it slower. People are generally helpful and you won’t believe how much you can learn this way. You will remember your mistakes and corrections very well. Therefore believe in yourself and don’t be shy, you know much more than you think!

So I know it’s hard but remember what you gain: being fluent in a foreign language, familiarity with a new country and culture, and the feeling of an enormous success!

Since the author lived in the USA and the UK for 5 years combined she does not have any difficulties with Hungarian to English translation.