When Darren and Cody Lee, two high school transfer students from Taiwan, arrived at Chamblee High School a few weeks ago, they anticipated adjusting to a new environment. However, the reality of life in the U.S. presented them with an array of unfamiliar experiences, ranging from new social customs to a completely different approach to education and daily life.

Upon being asked about his biggest cultural shock upon arrival, Darren replied, “Three fights in two weeks.”

Such incidents are rare in Taiwan, where strict measures in schools help maintain discipline and prevent conflicts.

“In Taiwan, students tend to behave better, mostly because there are discipline officers in schools,” said Darren.

Cody shared a similar yet more elaborate sentiment. When asked about his biggest culture shock, he replied, “How much social media affects someone here.”

“So someone has a fight, and I sit down in a room, and everyone already knows what happened except me because I don’t have social media,” he said, referencing the recent fights at Chamblee.

As if the fights weren’t unusual enough, the way students interacted with them left the brothers scratching their heads even more.

“Everyone asks me if I know Kai Cenat. I talk to someone, and they’re like, ‘skibidi,’” said Darren. “I don’t know how to respond.”

Cody has found himself just as confused.

“To me, everyone talks crazy,” said Cody.

Amidst the crazy talk, Darren has found a friend in Mohammad Uddin, who shares the same Intro to Software Technology class.

“[Darren’s] a good student, and he’s kind. I think he can pass every class, because he has good English communication” said Uddin.

Heather Miller, Darren’s Intro to Software teacher, had two adjectives to describe him.

“Great student, top student,” said Miller. “He’s done more work in three weeks than some of my students have done since the beginning of school.”

It’s not just social customs that differ; the education system in America is also quite different from Taiwan’s.

“Instead of people moving, it’s the teachers who move. We don’t have calculators; we do everything ourselves,” said Darren.

Cody agreed with Darren but raised a deeper issue as well, reflecting a significant concern.

“In Taiwan, you can’t have weapons, and there aren’t really a lot of problems like school shootings.”

On top of these larger concerns, they’ve encountered some surprising differences in how Americans navigate daily life.

“The thing that’s most different to me is that I can’t walk anywhere in America; you have to drive a car,” said Darren. “Getting anywhere in America takes forever compared to Taiwan,” added Cody.

When it comes to American cuisine, the brothers had some memorable—and rather salty—experiences:

“I went to Golden Corral, and after about ten minutes, I didn’t want to eat anymore—not because I was full, but because it just tasted bad. It’s too salty,” said Darren. Cody chimed in, “It was so damn salty I couldn’t eat it anymore. And it’s so expensive!”

Appalled by the prices, Darren compared Taiwan to America: “In Taiwan, for four bucks, I could get the best lunch box I’ve ever eaten, and it is delicious.”

As we extend a warm welcome to our new transfer students, it’s crucial to recognize the unique challenges they are facing. With their graduation year still uncertain due to incomplete transcript translations, Cody and Darren currently navigate a mixed schedule of classes spanning 9th, 11th, and 12th grades—primarily 9th grade—as they await the resolution of this process.

“Transferring from a different country using a different language is kind of hard because you have to wait so long to get everything translated,” said Cody, “and even after that, some things are a bit confusing because they’re completely different.”

While the wait for their transcripts to be translated from Taiwan can be exhausting, both students believe the effort is justified by the educational opportunities in America. Their journey is not without its challenges, but they remain optimistic and focused on their ultimate goal. As Darren succinctly puts it: “To go to college.” With their sights set on the future, they are determined to embrace every opportunity that comes their way.