Wu Tong, Senior 2, Shenzhen Experimental High School

    I have a dream that in a year I will leave Shenzhen and fly to America to pursue my goal, which makes me very excited. But there are more worries than excitement.

    My American dream began in the summer holiday when I graduated from junior high school. During the holiday, I went to Switzerland with a classmate to attend a summer camp there. It must seem weird to most people that my American dream began in Switzerland. But in fact, my time in Switzerland has influenced my decision. My classmate and I were the only two Asian students at the camp. Meeting people with white skin and blond hair, I felt like I was in a different world. Although I was a bit shy, I communicated with students from all over the world and I felt that my world and theirs linked together. Because my culture was completely different from theirs, there were many interesting things that I enjoyed learning. Our discussions touched on the topics of people, food, language and policy, and I was so fascinated. One night while lying in bed, I began to imagine what America was like since I knew a bit about Europe. Was it full of people with different cultural backgrounds? Was it a new world for me to learn and explore?

    With this curiosity, I began to search information online. I thought the best way to get to know the country was to study in its universities. Thus, I began to look for universities online. It’s not easy to get into a top university in America, and it’s even harder to finish all the courses and finally graduate. I once heard that there’s one thing that matters a lot at an American university: socializing. It should be a great challenge for me, but fun, as well. Going abroad with no company and trying to adapt to the new study system is a great adventure for me. Communicating with people in America, I will be able to learn a lot about the open and diversified American society.

    I’m on the road toward my American dream. Now I have decided on the ideal school and have a general idea about the life in America. What I can do is to work hard and reach my goals. I am not an American, but I have an American dream.