Connor Liu ‘20 pictured with MusPaper Producer Julian Brenman ‘20
Imagine this: You are sent to a foreign country with only basic to intermediate skills in this foreign country’s language. You must leave all of your friends, say goodbye to your family, and go to a new school.
Well, for Liu Zhi Hao, better known as “Connor” at FCS, this situation is a reality. In the summer of 2014, Connor embarked on the journey of a lifetime: moving to the United States from China. Connor told me that he moved here to study. At first, he was a student at Valley Forge Military Academy. Liu said, “My parents wanted me to become a man at that school. However, I didn’t enjoy it. So, I came to Friends’ Central School instead. I feel this school fits my personality more, and there is a larger variety of subjects I can study. It is very exciting for me to learn another language. Sometimes I miss my family, but when I do, I video chat with them. My whole family is coming to visit at Christmas.” Connor is currently living with a family friend, Lisa, and her family in Wynnewood. Connor shared, “Lisa has two sons, and they are very nice and interesting. Her husband is very nice, too.” In his free time, Connor likes to watch movies, read Chinese books, and play the guitar. “I just started playing the guitar last week,” Liu states. “My teacher’s name is Michael, and he is very good.” Connor feels that: “Most of the people here in the U.S.A. are less shy, and more open minded [than the people he knows in China].” If you have ever met Connor, you immediately realize this is something positive for him, because he is anything but shy! At the beginning of his FCS experience, Liu recalls, “All of teachers and students were gentle and welcoming. My first friend here was Ben Miller ‘20.” Connor’s favorite class at school would be Social Studies, but he explains, “It can be hard for me to understand what the teacher is saying sometimes. If this wasn’t an issue, I would enjoy it more.” Connor has noticed that the food here in the U.S. is a lot less healthy than it was in China. He later admitted, “The pasta & the soup in the cafeteria is very good.”
Middle School recycler Hugh Braham ‘20, one of Connor’s classmates, gives him a lot of credit. “I think Connor is very brave, and it is wonderful how he is learning our language. I enjoy having him here at school,” Braham said.
Ms. Kenealy, who teaches 7th grade Language Arts and supervises the newspaper agrees that Connor is immersing himself in American culture bravely and with curiosity. She also notes that, for English language learners, the experience of living in the United States can be daunting, and that Connor is navigating his way around his new situation very well.
Overall, we all honor Connor, and are glad that he is here with us.