I was standing in front of my new school it was fairly small for a middle school and looked nothing like the ones in Seoul. instead of multiple stories this building only had one and the walls were not made out of concrete. The sound of cars was replaced by the sound of loud kids, a kid shoved past me trying to get to the door I was then pushed inside I tried reaching for the office door but was continuously pushed to the second set of doors. Before I was shoved any further I turned around and tried making my way through the crowd when I saw the sight of the door handle to the office I reached out and held on for dear life. I manged to pull my body to the door once I entered the office it was like everything changed almost like if I were back in my old school it was quiet and the atmosphere was calm. There was that touch of awkwardness of being in the office. I stood there and soaked it all up knowing that this would be the only thing that would feel familiar, the only thing that would feel normal.
¨Hello may I help you?" the woman behind the desk asked.
She must have noticed me lingering at the door waiting ¨ Yes I-I´m the new ex-change st-student.¨ I felt my cheeks flush. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't speak English very well yet. The woman must have noticed this too because she told me that she understood that it was a bit difficult to learn a new language and that I should not feel embarrassed. She the proceeded to print out my schedule and got one of the staff to escort me to my locker then show me where my first class was.
Everyone was standing at the back of the class whispering and chatting to one another. I didn't know what to do so I just assumed that we were supposed to stay in the back. In front of all of the students there was a woman who was not tall but was not short either, she was an average Height Her long light brown hair that was pulled into a french braid and her eyes were a radioactive green.
¨Hello My name is Mrs Chimie and I will be your social studies teacher.¨ Her voice was very broad and firm the very opposite of her appearance
¨I am going to assign you your seat and I do not want to hear any groans or any of the sorts, if you have any problems of where you are seated come to me after class and we will privately discuss it.¨ She walked to the front of the room and put her hand in front of a seat ¨Ava.C you will sit here next to Ava, Jack, and next to Jack Conner. S.¨ she moved to the table behind. ¨Jae Park
I scurried over to my seat clenching my binder and looking down I could feel everyone's eyes on me, they probably already decided that I am that weird nerdy Asian kid that stuck out like a sore thumb. The teacher moved on to the seat next to me.
¨Lucia¨ no one walked up everyone looked around trying to find the missing person.
Mrs Chimi grabbed her clipboard and scribbled disapprovingly ¨Already missing on the first day not a good sign.¨
¨Looks like even Lucia decided to leave the Jap alone.¨ a kid announced. It was followed by a small wave of snickering.
I felt something in my chest twist when I heard all of those kids snicker like that. I guess that this school is not as different as the one back home the kids were all the same. I ignored them not letting them see that they got the better of me.
¨He probably doesn't understand you. you have to speak his language.¨ a kid said.
I can feel my face reddening of embarrassment and anger at this point they are just mocking me and my culture. I want to slap that smile off his face I want to give him a black eye something I just wanted do something, to set things straight to tell them I'm not fucking Japanese , but I just stayed Quiet and tried acting oblivious to what was happening.
Even though Jae acted oblivious he wouldn't stop and started yelling words and phrases in a mixture of Japanese, Spanish, and other languages ¨konnichiwa, Arigato, Hola como estas"
-"Hey that's enough! Samuel! Hall, now!" she pointed at the door and waited until he was out in the hallway. "What is wrong with all of you guys, just because he can't understand you that doesn't give you any right to be rude. ... If anything like this happens like again and not just to him there will be severe consequences is that understood. " The whole class nodded in unison. She moved to the next table "Emma. R"
as she called everyone's name everything faded out into the background the rest of school day was like this with occasionally Samuel and his friends coming by and bothering him. The bus ride home was better than expected. I eventually made it home, I started slipping of my shoes and noticed a pair of black flats mom was back home.
"Jeo wass-eo"
"Jae what did I say you have to start speaking more English we are going to be living here from now on."
I watched my Mom as she was chopping a variety of vegetables "I wish we weren't staying." I said sitting down at the kitchen table.
She put down her knife and looked at me "What happened."
-"Nothing" I Quickly shot back.
She went back to her vegetables and gave one last side glance showing that she was not convinced but she wasn't going to pry the matter. The rest of the day just flew by like in school after dinner I went to do homework, dad buried himself in his study, and mom was in the kitchen making a list of necessities for the house.
It was 8:00 western time when I finished my homework. I climbed in bed and stared at the ceiling. "Beep, beep,beep." The sound of my alarm went off but I was already up I didn't manage to get any sleep last night. I got ready ate breakfast And just like that I was back at school, the moment I saw the front doors I told myself I want to go home. I manged to force myself through the front doors down the hall and into my first class. I headed towards my table and noticed a short petite girl sitting in the seat next to mine. Her hair was a frizzy dark mess , she had tan skin, and wore a black jacket. And everything about her told you leave me alone or I'll kill you. I placed my stuff on the table and took my seat. We sat there for a couple of moments in silence when she grabbed her book and started reading. Now that I have seen her face I now know that she has eyes like mine only shaped differently and they hid behind silver wired glasses.
"Okay everyone in your seats." Mrs Chimi instructed as she went around the classroom passing out papers.
I wrote my name down as soon as I got my paper. Mrs Chimi finished passing out all of the papers and made her way to the front of the classroom.
"Okay, does anyone know anything about The Attack on Pearl Harbor?" Mrs Chimi asked.
The hand of a kid sitting in the front was in the air waiting to be called to speak.
"Yes Tommy"
"The Attack on Pearl Harbor happened during World War II and is about how Japan bombed Hawaii."
-"Wouldn't Jae know all about it," a small whisper said and that whisper was from Sam.
I felt that pang in my chest again and looked down at my blank paper.
"Actually Sam, Jae's not from japan"
I look up shocked. How did the girl next to me know I wasn't Japanese ? but it wasn't as shocking as the look on her face it was the one I would make when I was called Japanese and my pride got hurt.
"Lucia why are you disrupting my class!?" Mrs Chimi said waiting for an answer.
The face on Lucia changed into a small smile "I was just explaining to Sam that jae isn't Japanese."
"Oh next time explain to Sam when I am not in a lecture."
Lucia's smile brightened, "Understood"
Mrs Chimi explained the assignment and sent us off to work time.
I to Lucia I wanted to ask how she knew I wasn't Japanese but was to scared
"what do you want" Lucia said still working on her paper.
crap was I that obvious, " H-how did you know I wasn't Japanese?"
with the eraser part of her pencil she pointed to the name on my paper. I stared at my name and saw that I spelled it 재 instead of Jae. I stared at her as she worked on her project.
"Is there anything else?"
"T-tha...gamsahada"
"Next time stand up for yourself, don't let them step all over you. Look with those guys you cannot give them an inch got it."
With that the bell rang and she was off.