Courtesy of dh.flixs

Wooldridge performs a backflip during the junior quad day performance on Oct. 16, one of the various school activities he has joined since arriving in Saratoga.

In 2023, after his family had lived in Hong Kong for 14 years, junior Tyler Wooldridge’s parents made the decision to move in order to pursue economic opportunities in America. 

For Wooldridge, though, moving from the Chinese International School in Hong Kong to Saratoga High in his freshman year proved to be a struggle. He was forced to adapt to new ways of learning and had the additional challenge of making new friends at a school where many students had known each other since elementary school.

With the Chinese International School offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, it took Wooldridge multiple months to adjust to classes here, many of which tend to focus on preparing students for AP testing. 

By contrast, IB schools have students follow rigid paths to complete specific classes like the Theory of Knowledge class, where students are required to write a 4,000-word research paper as well as creating a service project.

After getting over the difficulties of his initial transition, Wooldridge said he has enjoyed his two-and-a-half years, despite sometimes missing his friends from home. Luckily, he was able to quickly overcome the language barrier;  he learned and spoke English fluently in Hong Kong prior to moving. 

“I miss everything about Hong Kong because I lived there for so long, but I feel like it can be a lot nicer here sometimes,” Wooldridge said. “There’s a lot more freedom in terms of the ability to pick classes and the driving age is lower, so it’s nice to be able to go around to different places with my friends.”

Another difference Wooldridge has experienced is the prominence of extracurricular activities such as sports here. 

Athletic activities in Hong Kong usually consist of sports like rugby or netball, while American schools’ sports include sports like American football, basketball or lacrosse. He participated in sports in both Hong Kong and Saratoga, playing soccer for both of his school teams. 

Since moving here, Wooldridge has traveled back to Hong Kong multiple times; with many family members for him to visit, he returns to the home he grew up in every summer.

However, these trips are also necessary to maintain his permanent residency status in Hong Kong, which provides him with the right of abode in the country as well as access to public services such as healthcare. The specific requirement mandates that Wooldridge return to Hong Kong at least once every three years. 

The primary benefit of maintaining permanent residency for Wooldridge is the ability to have more options after high school, both for college and a future career. He still hopes to return to Hong Kong after graduating, potentially to pursue higher education or to work.

Wooldridge’s social life has also drastically changed since he moved, having to make new friends after his arrival. Nonetheless, he uses social media to keep in touch with his old friends from Hong Kong, many of whom have also moved to countries around the world.

“In the near future, I hope to go back and be able to see all my friends again in a reunion,” he said.