Nothing is scarier than a teenager moving, changing schools halfway across the world in the middle of her teenage years.
About three and a half years ago, my mom and dad told me they wanted us to move to the States. I was terrified—leaving my friends, meeting new people, trying new foods, and having to adjust to a whole new culture and different weather felt overwhelming. My mom kept saying it would be good for us, since people here wouldn’t always think or act the same way people did back home.
I’m from a town called Miag‑ao in Iloilo City. We spoke a completely different language there, but luckily we still learned English in school, so that helped a little.
To be honest, I don’t really know why I was so scared about moving. When I look back now, I can see how much that fear came from not knowing who I would become once everything familiar was gone. But moving pushed me in ways I never expected. It forced me to grow, to speak up, to try things I never would’ve tried if I’d stayed in my comfort zone. Through different activities and experiences, I met people who changed my life—people I never would’ve crossed paths with if I hadn’t taken that huge step. I’m genuinely grateful for all of it, even the hard parts, because they shaped me into who I am today. Now I’m a senior, only a few months away from graduating, and it’s crazy to think how far I’ve come since that scared version of myself first heard we were moving.