Studying Abroad

Leaving home to study abroad when I was twenty-one years old was the most important decision I have ever made, but it wasn’t an easy step to take. When I studied in China, my major was financial management. Good students who graduated with this major would be employed by the banks. However, because of the financial crisis, the students who graduated from a college without experience had difficulty getting hired by the banks. As a result, I didn’t find a job and I just stayed at home after I graduated for a few months. My father thought I was too young to go to work, so he asked me if I wanted to study abroad to broaden my horizons and enrich my life. I had never gone abroad before, and I didn’t want to leave my family so far away, but I also didn’t want to waste time before I found a good job. “Are there any friends or relatives in Los Angeles?” I asked. “No,” Mom said, “but Wendy, trust yourself.” When Mom said this, a tear trickled down my cheek. I finished her sentences in my mind, “You should not stay with your family for your whole life, and you should create your own life.” “I know, Mom,” I said and tried valiantly to smile through my tears. I didn’t want them to be disappointed with me, so I decided to go to America by myself. At the beginning, I felt lonely and I didn’t want to talk with other people because my English was very poor. The teachers in CPELI and my classmates were really helping me very much, and I built my confidence when I got good scores on the tests. I learned how to communicate with others and made some good friends here. The decision to study abroad helped me to be firm and learn to stand on my own two feet.