LIFE

Teens are capable of anything: running a business, raising cash for a cause, making a difference, inspiring others. There are great girls everywhere—and in our new “Great Girls” series, created in partnership with Barbizon Modeling, we’ll shine a light on remarkable young women with incredible stories. Whether you get some solid ideas or just some serious inspo, take notes on these top-notch teens—and maybe we’ll be sharing *your* story someday soon.

Meet Amber...

Have you ever moved? Have you ever had to go to a new school, not knowing anyone? That was Amber’s experience—and her previous school was over 9,000 miles away. 

Before coming to the United States five years ago, Amber was born and raised in Thailand. During her short time in the U.S., she has adapted to the English language, started a fun YouTube channel she’s passionate about and learned to play multiple instruments. In our interview with Amber below, find out what it’s like to follow your dreams and adjust to a different country—while still keeping old traditions alive.

GIRLS’ LIFE: So…big move! Was it hard to adjust to living in a new country. Did you face any obstacles along the way?

AMBER: Yes! The language especially. The Thai language and American language are very different. I only knew a little bit of English when I first came to the United States: Hi, hello, goodbye, how are you?, thank you. It was difficult because when I started school in America, nobody spoke my language—there was nobody to translate or help me out. When I first arrived, my class was very excited to meet me and multiple students came up to welcome me and gave me a hug...but that was really weird for me because it is not common to hug in Thailand. But slowly and surely I started adapting to the culture and picking up the new language.

GL: How did you end up learning English so quickly?

AMBER: My family owned a business, so I would help by taking orders from customers over the phone—all the practice really helped me improve. I also asked my Grandpa a lot of questions when it comes to American culture. Like when I first arrived in the U.S., I would take off my shoes before entering a room because in Thailand, that is a sign of respect, but is often not practiced here in America. He helped explain all the differences.

GL: Do you continue any Thai traditions?

AMBER: Definitely! It’s really important to me to carry on traditions and keep my roots close to me. I take classical Thai dance lessons through my church, which is so much fun. And then my grandmother is Thai as well, so we eat Thai food almost every night. Cooking together is how we got the idea to start our YouTube channel, where we post cooking videos—one of our first videos included how to make Pad Thai since it is one of our favorite dishes native to Thailand. In the videos, my grandmother will make the recipes in Thai, and I translate in English. We have over a thousand subscribers! 

GL: Do you have any words of advice for other girls who might have recently moved to a new home—whether it’s a new town or a new country? 

AMBER: Immerse yourself in what you’re passionate about and stay busy! Joining groups (like through a church or community center) or clubs (through school) will help you make friends and stay busy. I’ve wanted to be an actress and model since I was little girl, so I joined Barbizon Modeling to take classes. I had the opportunity to model in Orlando International Fashion Week, and it also helped me increase my confidence and meet so many new people. Whatever your dreams and goals are, look for ways to start working towards them—wherever you are. 

Want to chase your dreams like Amber? CLICK HERE to get more information about programs from Barbizon Modeling.

by Angela Kastrunes | 9/29/2016