If she were still in England, Kimberly Neighbor would be entering "Year 7" at a British "High School" this fall. But instead, she's in a seventh-grade class at a middle school in California. In the following excerpts from Kimberly's diary (journal), she shares her thoughts and feelings about her first week at an American school.

Kimberly's Diary (August 28 - September 8, 2000)

Monday, 28 August

The other day I felt a bit scared about starting a new school in a new country. I keep worrying that I'm not going to make any new friends because I've never been to that school before like all the other girls and boys. It's not because I'm from a new country or have a different accent, it's just because I'm new.

Tuesday, 29 August

I will find out what it's like to be at Valley Middle School. I didn't really want to get out of bed early, but my wicked mum made me! Sometimes she can be so cruel to me. Doesn't she know how warm it is under the quilt?

During orientation I had to meet Mr. Ross again. He's my guidance counselor. He was very kind to me and had already sorted out my timetable. He had been busy working out all the lessons (classes in America) that I am going to take this year. I am really pleased that I will be doing P.E. every day. I love P.E.

I went round to find out where my new classrooms are and to meet the new teachers. This school is so different from the one at home. My British school is so old and Valley is so new and so spacious, like lots of things over here. We all met in the Sports Hall (gymnasium) with our parents, and the teachers introduced themselves. I couldn't really see very much though; there were too many heads in front of mine.

When the teachers had finished, Mr. Ross organized another student from Grade 7 to take me round to my classes. I met all my new teachers, and they were all very kind to me. They told some of the things I was going to be learning this year with them. In America they don't call it a Form Room where you go to have the register taken; they call it a Home Room. They also call taking the register "roll call." So many different words to learn for the same thing!

Mum didn't know that you had to bring lots of money with you, either. In England all the exercise books are provided by the school, but here they are not, and you have to buy all your own equipment, too. So we had to go home and come back to the school later with some dollars to buy me a planner and to pay for my student card so that I can get into the library and other things like go to school dances. The system is so different, it was all a bit bewildering at first. Mum wasn't quite sure which queue we had to stand in for what! Eventually we did get it sorted out, though!

Thursday, 31 August

My worst nightmare came true. I arrived at my Home Room two minutes late because I couldn't find it. The teacher wasn't angry with me, though, because she knew that I am new, and she hadn't quite got round to taking the roll call, which was a bit of a relief! When I was sitting in my chair I felt as though I was being watched. This is just paranoia, though, because I know this isn't true!

At break-time (the Americans call it recess), I found my dear friend, Heather, who is coming to play with me at my house most of Saturday. I love playing with Heather. We spent the lunchtime, which is only 40 minutes, eating our lunch and talking.

I liked all of my lessons. I really enjoyed science because I love this subject. I must get it from my dad.

I got my first bit of homework as well, some geography: finding out about the longitudes and latitudes of San Francisco. There are some advantages about being a foreigner; I was the only one in the class who knew the answers to the teacher's question, "Who can name six cities in Europe?" I was the only one who could do that one. Geography was the only subject I got homework in. Not bad for a first day!

I wonder what tomorrow will be like?

Wednesday, 6 September

What struck me today as being different from the school I have just come from, is that the students just hang around and talk to one another. In England, I actually played with my friends. Last year I was in the equivalent to Grade 6 in England, and we still played games in the playground. Here the Grade 6 children don't play; they just sit around and chat to one another. Even the boys don't tend to play any sports on the playground with one another.

Thursday, 7 September

Today we had an earthquake drill. I know that you probably don't get this anywhere else in the USA, but you would never have to do this in a place like England. To start with, there was an announcement on the loudspeaker. The teacher said that the earthquake drill would begin. We had to be quiet just like we had to in England for a fire drill. We had to put our heads under our chairs and hold on to the legs of the chairs. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes. I was surprised that I was not in the least scared. I wonder what a real one would be like! Then we had to take all our bags and other belongings and take them to the flagpole which is just outside the school grounds (campus).

Friday, 8 September

Mum let me have my first American school dinner. Oops! It is called school lunch over here. The kind of food available at the canteen is different here. Most of the food is very healthy that is sold on the campus, and there is a very good choice available. If my mum would let me, I would love to buy myself school lunch every day! I love American food!

I don't know what it is like at every school here, but at my school, the teachers don't give students homework at the weekend. We get all our homework during the week, and we are allowed to relax and enjoy ourselves with our families over the weekend. I think this is a brilliant system!

Kimberley's Prior Journal Entries

PearsonAtSchool Products
Daily Journals
Writing Journals
Journals as Frameworks for Change
Let's Read

Lesson Plans
Holiday Poems – Grades: K-8, Language Arts
Adjective Chains – Grades: K-8, Language Arts
An Immigrant's Story – Grades: 6-12, Language Arts, Social Studies

Web Resources
Reading Matters
Read about Zlata's experiences in war-torn Sarajevo in the book Zlata's Diary
http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/books/zlata.htm