Short Story

Alex is a 17 year old boy who lives in Boston with his parents. His parents are strict and never let him have fun. One day, Alex’s parents broke the news that they were going to move to Malawi for an entire year, where they do not speak english. Alex was devastated that he had to leave his friends and learn the local language of Chichewa. He hated his parents for making him do this. When the day came to pack up and fly to Malawi, Alex’s parents could see the frustration on his face. The plane ride was long and boring, and when they arrived he was tired from jet lag. Alex liked the new apartment they had but was still angry that he had to stay there. He asked his parents to go explore and they said yes, which surprised him because they never say yes. When he stepped outside, the noise of the city rushed over him. He left the building and went to walk down the streets. While he was walking, some local kids pointed and laughed at him. Alex was confused and scared because he didn’t understand the language the kids were speaking, but he knew they were poking at him. All Alex could do was put his head down and keep walking, which made him feel worse. So far Alex hated this place and everything around him. A couple days later, he was enrolled in the local high school. Alex tried to pay attention to learn Chichewa so he could understand the kids, because he knew it was important. Alex’s parents were not making the change any easier on him. He resented them still for forcing him to move against his will. Once he got used to his surroundings, Alex started to notice the fun things there were to do in the city. He went to a local park and had ice cream, and had a good time. Over time, he started to like the new city and enjoyed being there. He made new friends at school who helped him learn the language and helped him understand what the mean kids were saying to him. He made up with his parents, who started to become less strict on him and let him go out more. In the end, he really liked his new home, and he was proud to call it home.