As a 13 year old girl, Just about to finish my first year of high school in Hong Kong, my parents had planned my entire life for me. I am just like puppet on a string sitting there and doing what I am instructed. I had to leave all the people I love in Hong Kong such as friends and family to come over which would change my life completely. Being in a different country and using a second language would be challenging. Just as the poem mentions, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and sorry I could not travel both.” The poet using the yellow wood to describe his life was changing into a very different way. I would love to have a higher standard of education but also stay with my family. I felt depressed because unfortunately I could not take both option. I started to get angry at my parents making all the decisions for me and I had to follow it regardless. But I still felt sorry for my mum because she was upset and worry sending me to overseas on my own.
I had no idea what Australia would be like, the only way for me to know more about Australia was from mum and aunty but they did not really know either. I had been told about Australia was a glassy place with a very strong sun. Searching the net I tried to find out information about Australia. Similarly the poem highlights “then took the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim”, asked people who studying in Australia and tried to got the image about what Australia would be like. But it did not help much. I did not know whether this was a better change for me because everyone had extremely different feeling about this mysterious island.
It was difficult to stay in a different country by myself when I first arrived living in a strange place without parents and friends. I felt hopeless thinking of my parents in overseas. Stayed in my bed room this entire thing came in my mind, highlighting my high school life, the best school life every during my teenage time, family and friends specially my grandparent. Every time when my parent called, my homesickness returned. I would cover my head with a quilt and cry. I missed all my family and friends and I think mum and dad were thought the same way. Like the poet mentions “I doubted if I should even come back”. I started my new life in Brisbane and I must keep my education going. I wish I could finished high school with my best friends but the culture said to me, future and job was important then friends. So I tried hard to improve my English in class also get a part time job. I have learned lot of skills form my work place chat with customers to help improve my English during this three years.
Although I still did not know if this decision is for the best, it has change me a lot during the three and a half years I have been in Brisbane. This period of time has shown me another side of life. In the similar way to the poem “that has made all the difference” relates to my life in Brisbane. This has made me stronger and more determined. Also I had learned how to look after myself. This will be a particular new chapter in my life that will remain and referred by myself in the future. There was no turning back but there will always be thoughts for “The Road Not Taken”.
