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Denis Deng

Professor Patterson

Writing 2

13 August, 2019

A Trip: From Zero to Many

(1408)

-My high school

“Teenagers. Everything is so apocalyptic.”

-Kami Garcia, Beautiful Creatures

Life is a process of experiencing, and growing up is about the accumulation of those ex-

periences. Maturity does not refer to the age of a person but is more associated with that person’s

ability and attitude when facing problems in life; the development of those qualities is similar to

constructing a building, the more solid the foundation is, the more stable and the higher the

building can be. I used to be a shy boy who liked to hide behind parents’ backs, enjoying the

safety provided and limiting myself in their shadows; because I thought the sun would burn if I

reached the unsheltered areas and exposed myself in the light. However, at the age of 16, I
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gained the first experience of being independent by travelling to the United States; and this expe-

rience turned me into a mind matured teenager who no longer fear any difficulties in life.

According to my memory, the story started when I was in middle school in China. My

father frequently mentioned his idea of sending me overseas to expand vision and become a

mind matured person. In his mind, Chinese educational ideology of only caring about grades was

a mistake because a teenager had to go through various experiences and develop comprehensive-

ness before he could become a grown-up adult. I did not hold a lot of objections to his proposal

because, for those years I had known him, he was a decisive person that hardly ever put effort

into considering my opinions because I was a childish kid who rarely saw the world in his eyes.

Besides, my parents had already arranged everything for me including signing me up in a Eng-

lish training course and hiring an agent for school applications. I enjoyed being the last person to

know the plan and taking the lightest work by following the order, despite the fact that I was sup-

posed to be the major role whose opinions mattered.

My father always said he could see potentials and ambitions through my eyes. Although I

was used to live a life with parents providing many conveniences, I sometimes found those con-

venience annoying because they made me feel like I was a passenger on the boat of my life in-

stead of the one who handled the rudder. Hence, regarding study abroad, I had excitement and

great longings deep in the heart under my expression of indifference. As a 16 years old teenager,

I wished to grow up and be independent, although this sort of wish would usually be swept away

and replaced by my dependence on parents soon. “The reality will eventually make you a mature

adult, and all you need to do is to face the reality courageously”. I remember that my father al-

ways said this to me, but I did not understand the meaning of it until later after my first trip to the

United States in 2015.

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I cannot remember the details of the emotional departure and everything following, but I

can still recall the chill of Philadelphia’s morning at 9 am and the tiredness for lack of rest during

the 18-hour flight. My eyes were dry and red, my stomach ached, and my every piece of muscle

was too sore to produce power to support any movement. Being out of energy, I felt my two big

pieces of luggage were as heavy as rocks. I couldn't carry that heavy luggage for an extended

time. “If I was in China, I would not have to suffer these”. This idea was repeating in my head

like a rapper revelled in the beat and gabled without an end. However, I was relieved after a

while because I knew that Mr. S who was sent by the school would pick me up soon.

At the arrival room, I prepared myself with smiles and a positive attitude, and I kept tell-

ing myself that a good first impression was important and I needed to be talkative because no

person liked people who stayed silent. Forty minutes had passed, I remember I was squatting and

circling on the floor with my finger, and all my smile and positive attitude were replaced by

helplessness and impatience. Angrily, I decided to abandon my hesitation for bad English and

call this Mr. S; however, there was no one answering no matter how many times I tried. That was

the first moment I felt despaired; being in a foreign country with an unfamiliar language and hav-

ing no known people, I did not know what to do but call my parents in China.

I remember that, as soon as the call connected, I cried out to my father, “Dad, there was

no one picking me up in the airport. I have called the Mr.S so many times but he does not an-

swer”.

“Calm down first. Your mother and I will contact the agent immediately”. After a few

brief consolations, my father hung up. Although I expected more words from him, I realized it

was better that he stopped talking and started to solve the problem for me.
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Around a half-hour later, my father called back with the response that was not what my

unindependent mind looked for.

“Your agent is trying to contact school, but she does not guarantee the time it takes.

Therefore, I recommend you to go to a police station and tell your problems to officers,” My fa-

ther said with his deep voice, “in such a distant country, we cannot help you solve every problem

no matter how much we love you. I think you are capable of solving this problem on your own,

because I always believe in you”.

I was shocked and felt nothing but blank in mind. Having never talked to the police even

when I was in China, I thought his suggestion was a joke. Strangely, complains did not stay long

in my head. Although memory blurred, I can confirm that it did not take long for me to calm

down from the edge of hysteria. As I always longed to prove myself and step out from my par-

ents’ shadow, I was waiting for an opportunity that I could handle the problems by myself. This

was the chance for me to be the one who handled the rudder on the boat of life.

“I can do this. Growing up is an inevitable process, and if I want to become an independ-

ent and reliable man, I must try to overcome difficulties by myself”. There was a voice in the

head, and I was finally convinced by it. Then I told my father not to worry anymore and then

hung up the phone.

I could not remember the details in the police station for my body was close to collapse

because of the tiredness; but I can still recall that I was so calm and communicating in English

explicitly with confidence that resulted from the self-belief. The process was not troublesome,

and I did not wait long till Mr. S showed up in the police station and apologized for mistaking 9

am to 9 pm.
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I cannot remember what happened next because I fell asleep as soon as soon as I got on

Mr. S’s van. All I could recall was the pleasure in my heart for solving obstacles independently

for the first time. Like a newborn chicken breaking a tiny hole in the egg and welcoming the fan-

tastic future for being alive, I, the little boy hiding in parents backs, touched the edge between

the shadow and the light and felt the warmth under the sun, followed with delight for living with

independence and freedom.

Four years have passed since my first arrival in the United States, but everytime when I

look back, I always feel grateful for having that experience. To me, it is a turning point which

makes me step out of the comfort zone provided by parents and get into a next phase of life

where I live as a mature adult. Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done”

(Romm), and I agree with him. Whenever I am stuck with problems in life and feel despair, I

will recall my first arrival in the United States. It is the proof for my capacity of being independ-

ent, so it always gives me confidence to face problems bravely. It is a trip from zero to many:

once I have overcome difficulties by myself for the first time, I will never fear any difficulties in

life again.
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Work Cited

Deng, Jason. “An Interview with Jason Deng.” Interview conducted by Denis Deng. August,

2019

Garcia, Kami. “Beautiful Creatures.” August, 2019

Romm, Joe. “Nelson Mandela’s Legacy for Climate Hawks: ‘ It Always Seems Impossible Unitl

It’s Done’”. THINKPROGRESS. December, 2013. Accessed August, 2019.