New Iowan: Helen

This is an interview with a young, New Iowan, as part of the documentary "Our Kids."

Helen
China, Third Grade

I was born in Iowa, and my parents was born in China. And after that, when I was born here, my dad take me to China, so I live here until 2003 and I come back. I was seven and a half when I came back. I speak two different languages. One is English and one is Chinese. I want to be a scientist when I grow up. My mom and dad, my mom used to speak very well, but not my dad. I have helped them. They buy a book that has English and Chinese in it; if they don't know they come to ask me, so I help them speak it. Like... he ask me what this word is meaning, so I'll tell my parents in Chinese.

This is me and this is my mom. This is my old house. This is when I was in my restaurant, and this is me, my mom holding me. And this is like, my mom just borrowed this restaurant, this is when I was one years old. And this is when I was six years old. I went with my grandma to a field. I went to kindergarten, first grade, in China.

School in Iowa

I feel excited the first day of school. I was nervous my first day of school, because I thought I can't make friends because I don't know how to speak English. It is difficult to learn English. Like "his", "hers", those words, I get mixed up with them. My favorite part was science. I like to learn history, like those, I like to hear my dad tell me about histories, like those things.

Advice to New ELL Students

You don't have to be afraid because everybody will be nice to you.