By LUCAS DUBE-CANTIN – Web Writer
Moving from one town to another can be scary, but moving to a new country is definitely something else.
Most people assume that I’ve always lived in the United States, but my family and I have only lived in Athens for six years, yet it seems like I’ve always been an American.
I was born in Canada in the French-speaking province of Quebec. There, my Canadian father and French mother raised me and my brother for nine years. However, due to work-related issues, we eventually had to move to Athens, which has altered my life greatly.
And I am glad that my family had to move, for it improved my life immensely.
In Canada, I found school to be dull and repetitive. The way things were taught left me uninterested in the material and the lessons lacked stimulation.
I learned basic topics like grammar and math as well as some history, but the way each lesson was presented just didn’t intrigue me and I would forget the information not too long after it was taught.
There were also a few subjects that were missing from the curriculum, such as science and the arts. All in all, school failed to provide enriching material, which caused me to become apathetic towards learning there.
Because of my lack of interest for education, I looked for something to hold meaning in – making friends.
This was hard to accomplish, however, as I was awfully shy. I often kept to myself and I would try to avoid speaking to new people. I would also start to panic when expected to perform or present in front of even the smallest audiences. I stayed at home mostly because I barely had anyone to play with, so I found myself secluded from my peers.
Somewhat isolated, my childish attitude remained. I would become more emotionally attached to toys than most kids my age would have. I also had quite a temper, so even the tiniest things would put me on edge.
These factors ultimately brought my Canadian peers to bully me. They would constantly pick on me, calling me obnoxious names like “baby” or “stupid”. Some children would also break or even steal things that meant a lot to me.
I even remember a time where two kids decided to lock my bicycle to a bike rack, and then removing it before I could come back with someone to cut it free. That moment made me furious, not only at the fact that they hindered me on my way back home, but also because they portrayed me as a ‘tattletale.’
My temper got the best of me in those kind of situations, which made it so much more enjoyable for them and more miserable for me.
I couldn’t stand the constant bullying that brought me down every single day.
I wanted to leave Canada for good.
When I learned that we were leaving for a new home, I felt that things would change for the good.
I did worry a bit though, as I spoke no English and didn’t know if my new classmates would treat me the same way my current ones did.
Once we moved to Athens, however, I found that concern to be unfounded, as practically everyone welcomed me for who I was.
I also saw that my new school was much more organized than the one I went to in Canada. The classes that were taught here were much more intriguing and interactive, and courses like art and science would be valued as greatly as the basic material was.
Education was much more motivating than what it had been back in Quebec.
Overall, life got much better when I moved to Athens. Education was more strongly encouraged and the problems I faced with bullying had become a thing of the past.
With the improvement in education and the welcoming air that I got from my peers and friends, I finally found myself at home.
