From Scared to Confident

 Chicago has a lot of unfamiliar places. especially because I am a new immigrant in this city. I moved to the United States from China two years ago, and lived in my uncle's house with my parents when I got here. The half a year of living in my uncle's house, I seldom went outside because I thought if I went outside, I wouldn't find my way back home. I am an introverted person, so for a new city, my heart was full of fear. There were many challenges waiting for me, such as English, local culture, and living habits. The biggest thing I have had time fitting in is the language because my English is not good. However, I have slowly begun to fit in and adapt. Moving to the Chicago also changed my life.

When I came to Chicago, I resisted everything. I was strongly missing my grandparents and my home. I wanted to go back to China because I thought that was my real home. One time, I tried to go outside by myself, but I was so scared. It was my first time going outside after I moved to Chicago. I wanted to go to the market to buy something. On the way, I felt like a coward and looked around al the time. I bought something from the market and waited to pay my food. Suddenly, I realized I was in the United States, not in China and I couldn't use Chinese to with the cashier. Then I used my poor English to say "Yes" or "No". Even though I didn't understand what they said, it was my first time communicating with a foreigner. I hated it here, I really wanted to go back to China in my heart and go back to my real home. When I moved to Chinatown from my uncle's house, I couldn't stay in the house all the time, I had to walk outside. My parents needed to work, and I needed to buy food for myself. My uncle couldn't cook for me anymore because I didn't stay in his house. However, one thing was helpful for me that are many Chinese people here. When I speak Chinese or basic English with them, I fell like can slowly fit in local culture.

I gained a lot of things about English when I started to find a job. My parents thought that staying in the house all the time was bad for me. They said I needed to walk around. Then they decided to find a job for me. In the beginning, I didn't want to work because I was still adapting to my new life. I worried about that I would need to talk with foreigners with English and couldn't work well in my job. Maybe my boss would blame me for thing. That was my thought before I went to work. However, my mother spent hours to talking to me, and I tried to work. When I got my first job in a Chinese restaurant, it was my first time working and I didn't have any experience. On my first day of work, the restaurant was so busy, so the waiters didn't have time to teach me. They told me I should get familiar with the menu first. When they had time, they were friendly and taught me and showed me how to do my job. Nothing I thought before happened. Nobody blamed me. I also listened carefully. I tried to remember everything. After I worked at the restaurant few months, I learned many English words from my job. For example, when I started the beginning, I even didn't know what a fork was? When some customers needed something and called me, I didn't understand what they needed. However, the people who work with me always reminded me. Therefore, I had some opportunities to learn English words. I was more and more familiar with how to work because of their help. When we were busy, they didn't need to worry about me all the time. I could also help them, and hey would more relaxed. They always encourage me when I finished something by myself. I thought they gave me more confidence to work but not only at work. Their teaching and encouragement also influenced my life. Right now at work, I have specific jobs and tasks that I can do by myself, such as packing takeout. At the same time, I have more confidence to face difficulties in my daily life. I also deal with them by myself, just like I work.

Now, after living in Chicago for two years, I don't hate it anymore. I think I have learned many things here. I have gone from scared here to more confident, The work experience was the best lesson in my life. It has taught me lot of things and how to be nice. It also let me know the importance of confidence. Self-confidence gave me the courage to face the challenges in life. In the future, there are still many challenges waiting for me, and I also need to have the confidence to face them. I believe that I will become more and more familiar with Chicago, and I will always learn and understand the city better.