Dear Walla Walla Valley Academy,
I never admitted to anyone how nervous I was when I decided to move to the United States. It is the biggest move I have ever made in my life so far. I remember sitting at the edge of my parents’ bed and being told: ‘It is up to you whether you want to stay home or go abroad’. My mind was conflicted. My heart was raising and did so every time I thought about it.
I asked myself the same question every minute that passed - ‘Should I move?’
Now, one does not have to have had this experience to relate to this. You are basically being asked if you want to go to an alien place, and in my case - start over.
I did not want to start over. No one ever does. Everyone I grew up with was now going to be left behind. I did not think I could go through with it.
We have all ‘been there and done that’. We all know what it is like to be the ‘new kid’. Things do not pan out very well.
However, with a little encouragement I managed to make a decision - this was probably the most difficult thing for me because I was and still am very indecisive. I was still a little hesitant.
Ladies, you all know what I am talking about when I say, packing is a pain in the rear end, because we tend to want to take the entire closet with us.
It’s either- I do not know what I want or I want it all. With that being said, I struggled to pack. One, because I wanted to take everything with me but knew I could not. Second, I still was not sure of my decision. I knew if I were to move I would risk not seeing my family as often as I would like to. The only fear with that was growing apart.
This is where WWVA came in. I felt so welcomed. Yes, I was the new kid but I was not the only one. Take my word for it. The students and staff members were so accepting.
Thanks Alyssa Chung for the green tea you bought me my first day.
Walla Walla Valley Academy is such a great institution. It is not the usual, teacher assigns you homework, then proceed hand it in. You are instead able to develop this connection which I think is very important in order to help the students proceed and do their work efficiently.
Fast forward 2 years, and I have grown so close with so many people. Kids that I thought I would never be friends with or get a chance to talk to, have become my closest friends. It was not all sunshine and smiles all the time, but the positive experiences heavily outweigh those.
This goes out to my WWVA family. I am so thankful for everything that they have helped me with. The teachers have helped me grow, learn and appreciate so many things in my life. I am also thankful for the lovely people that I get to call my friends. Let us not forget Mr. Wells for always greeting each and every one of us 'good morning' every single day.
Thank you class of 2016 and everyone else!
Dear Walla Walla Valley Academy, you will remain a big part of my life. I will forever hold you dear to my heart. Yes, it was only my Junior and Senior year that I got to spend here, but those sure were the best years of my life.
“What time is it? Knight time!”
