Charles is a high school senior in the Bottom Line program right now. He emigrated from China and is in this country, basically by himself. He wants to go to college, but it is difficult for an 18 year old from another country who has no family here except for grandparents that don't speak English. He comes to Bottom Line for the support that is missing in his life. His story is incredible, but he is not the exception. We have many students in the same situation as Charles. Please take a minute to read his story.
Charles' Essay
Late winter. Early morning. Dawn had just broken.
My mind wandered as I walked to school. One year already, I thought, how time flies! One year ago, my dad and I emigrated from China to America. At the beginning, we lived in my grandparents' home, which was in a senior housing project. We had to sleep on the couches in the living room since there was only one bedroom. A month later, the housing manager asked us to move out because the housing was for seniors only. We quickly found a room to rent for ourselves. After two months, dad told me that he was thinking about going back to China. I did not disapprove because I knew the language barrier frustrated him. Besides, a decent job, a wife, and a daughter were waiting for him in China. He left, and I started to live by myself. He called me once a week, asking how I was doing.
"I'm OK." I would tell him, "Everything's fine."
I lied. Having an independent life was not as easy as I had expected. Buying groceries, cooking, cleaning room, doing dishes and laundry, managing time and money... All of a sudden, I had to deal with things that I was not good at. The biggest challenge, in fact, was the enormous loneliness and homesickness which I had never felt before. The street, the train, the people, the trees... Everything seemed so alien to me. There were nights that I talked to myself. There were nights that I could almost see the immense shadow of loneliness filling up my bedroom and trying to engulf me. I struggled, but I did not feel lost. My father's decision to leave showed his faith in my self-reliance. I strived hard to adjust to this new lifestyle by balancing schoolwork and housework as best I could.
Time went by fast today. The bell for the end of the school day took me by surprise.
Carrying bags of ingredients and a cake bought in Chinatown, I went to my grandparents' apartment. It was just a plain space with old furniture, but it was the only place that I could still feel a sense of home, of belonging. When preparing dinner with them, I could not help but notice that they were aging. I loved them more than anybody else in the world because they had sacrificed a lot for me. In 1998, they moved to America not know any English and had been living here in order to apply for my immigration. They wanted me to get the best education and career. Whenever I think of their sacrifices, I know that I will never disappoint them.
After finishing dinner, I put the cake with a lit candle on the table. I felt grateful to my grandparents for taking care of me in both China and America, and joyful for them still being healthy compared to other people their age.
"Happy eighteenth birthday!" my grandparents said cheerfully.
No crowds of friends. No dozens of gifts. Yet my heart felt warm and bright.
"Hope they will always be healthy and happy." I made a wish and then blew out the candle.
Late winter. Late evening. The silence rested in the darkness. Lying on my cot, I closed my eyes, waiting for a brand new day to come.
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