When sophomore XuBin Liu’s family told him he was going to move again in 2014, this time crossing an ocean from his hometown in Guangzhou, China, to America, Liu was more than prepared. This was his fourth move, and he had gotten used to the scramble of picking up all his belongings and adapting to a new lifestyle.

“Leaving my home behind each time is not necessarily too bad,” Liu said. “I do feel a sense of nostalgia; I call three countries my home and that does make my life a little bit different.”

For the first four years of his life, Liu, who goes by the name Charlie, lived in Guangzhou, until he moved to Canada for two years while he attended kindergarten. Liu’s family then moved back to China where Liu attended a private school until sixth grade. Finally, after heavy considerations about finances, education and the environment, Liu’s family packed up to move to the Bay Area in 2014.

“My dad likes change. He also thinks the living standards and the environment is better [in America],” Liu said. “Mainly the air quality around here is more better and my dad thought the education would be better for my family.”  

Liu considers his experience atypical for for transfer students from East Asian countries. Having previously learned English in Canada, Liu did not face the same language barrier that many other transfer students have to work through.

For Liu, the differences in the education systems of Western countries versus East Asian countries was  — and still is — the most difficult change. Contrary to the stereotype and generally accepted belief that being a student in America is far easier than being a student in countries such as China and Korea, Liu said being “successful” as an American high school student is far more difficult than excelling as a Chinese high school student.

“A lot of people say that when you move from countries like China to America, America is a lot more relaxed,” Liu said. “But I really don’t feel that way because here in America, you need to be far more well rounded in both your studies and extracurriculars.”

Liu also said Saratoga High students have a certain drive that he believes come from the freedom American students are given to pursue their interests beyond academics. By contrast, in China, the track to success was well defined for students, with everyone taking the same level classes in a fixed curriculum.

And, while China is accepted as more academically rigorous than America, Liu has found the need for self-motivation needed to pursue extracurriculars unfamiliar and daunting.

“Three months ago my mom made me go to a college counselor, and my counselor just looked at my transcript, and asked for my extracurriculars,” Liu said. “She concluded that I need to join more clubs, attend summer programs, sign up for more AP classes and that playing badminton for the school alone wasn’t going to cut it.”

While this sudden push for more and more extracurriculars is difficult to maintain, Liu said it keeps him grounded in many ways.

Liu plays badminton for the school team, an activity that has helped him the most in learning how to adjust to the social climate at the school. Through this sport, Liu is able to form new friendships based on a common experience. Not only that, but the influence of self-motivated SHS students forces Liu to keep up with the crowd to ensure that he too has the opportunities he wants.

“The most important thing is that I am still there; I am still myself,” Liu said. “What affects me most is my personality rather than my background.”