The Wimp is Lost and Never Found
by Ansaya Chairatchaneeboon
I was once known as a girl who never talks in class, a teacher’s pet, a nerd, you name it. I
finished all my assignments on time, got top scores in my class, and did everything teachers told
me to do. I used to think that the only goal in my life was to get straight-As so that I could get
into a good medical school. Honestly, I didn’t even know if it was what I wanted or if it was
what the environment around me wanted me to do. However, I came across a point in my life
that changed everything completely.
It was towards the end of fourth grade that my mother came up and said something that
bewildered me. “We are moving to the US next year– you, your sister, and me,” she said in her
strangely serious tone. A plethora of thoughts rushed through my mind like Hurricane Sandy
hitting my brain cells. The only words I could process out of my mouth was “You’re joking,” but
inside, I could tell from her peculiar tone and facial expression that she wasn’t. I felt a drop of
tear welled up in the corner of my eyes; before I knew it, streams of tears rolled down my cheeks
unbearably. My mind was tangled with all kinds of fear. ‘What if I have no friends?’ ‘What if I
don’t understand what the teachers teach?’ ‘How will I live without my dad?’ That day ended
with these ceaseless questions and a surge of tears.
On my first day of American school, what I was terrified of had come into reality. I
couldn’t understand the teachers, nor did I understand my classmates. When I got home after
school, I went straight into the shower and cried my eyes out like a typical girl in a drama scene;
I watched too many movies back then. Anyways, after a few months, things got better. Seeing
my classmates actively participate in class, I felt the urge to do the same. The shy, old me is
slowly fading away. I joined the school choir and was selected as a solo singer. As I was
enjoying my studies and extracurricular activities, little did I know I was gradually becoming
more confident and fearless. I no longer did things just because I was told, but rather because I
wanted or there was a logical reason to do them. I developed a passion for geography and
became interested in current world situations. My life goal was no longer getting good grades,
but rather creating a positive impact on society. After two years, I moved back to Thailand. Ever
since then, I founded multiple projects to help with issues in Thai community, such as lack of
access to education and stigma of mental illness. I am no longer known as the quiet girl, the
teacher’s pet, or the nerd. I am now known as the girl who dares to create change and raises her
voice for a better world.
