Interview with Ms. X

"When I studied at an international school in Japan, most of my classmates were Japanese. The school itself was small—our grade only had about fifty students. Among them, there were five Chinese students in my year, which was unusual since most grades typically had only one or two. Besides Japanese and Chinese students, there were also children of foreign diplomats, since many international schools are located near embassy districts.

I joined in the second semester of fifth grade, and at first, it was difficult to fit in. My English and Japanese weren’t strong yet, and although the school taught entirely in English, students of different backgrounds often spoke their own languages. By the start of sixth grade, though, I had the chance to meet a group of new students, and that helped me make friends. In the beginning, I mostly stuck with the Chinese students, but as my English improved, I started socializing with classmates from other backgrounds as well.

In middle and high school, the curriculum required us to take a second foreign language. Like many others, I chose Japanese, and it was mainly through those classes that I became comfortable with the language. It showed me how crucial language is in the process of adapting and belonging.

Later, when I moved to the United States, I found that most of my friends ended up being Asian or Chinese American, with only a few from other backgrounds. At my international school in Japan, most students had gone abroad for college—usually to the U.S.—but after the pandemic, more of them decided to stay in Japan. Since our IB and SAT results could also be used to apply to Japanese universities, staying became a more practical option."