Max Brophy

+%E2%80%9CI+grew+up+in+Oslo%2C+Norway%2C+where+I+lived+until+I+was+8.+My+family+and+I+moved+to+St.+Louis+since+my+parents+thought+Norway+was+too+cold+year-round.+When+we+moved+here%2C+it+was+pretty+hard+because+I+didn%E2%80%99t+know+how+to+speak+English%2C+and+everything+about+my+surroundings+was+different.+I+had+to+pick+up+English+quickly%2C+which+changed+my+personality+in+some+ways+because+it+was+hard+to+talk+to+people.+Not+knowing+how+to+speak+English+made+me+a+little+more+independent+and+less+social%2C+and+I+started+to+seclude+myself+from+others+because+I+couldn%E2%80%99t+talk+to+them.+Right+now%2C+I+still+can+be+slightly+anti-social%2C+but+I+have+become+more+comfortable+because+of+how+long+it%E2%80%99s+been.+My+family+and+I+still+visit+Norway+almost+every+year%2C+and+I+love+to+ski+there+because+there+are+really+big+mountains+and+it+snows+a+lot.+Even+though+my+family+and+I+moved+to+a+different+country%2C+we+still+carry+out+our+old+Norwegian+traditions.+I+speak+Norwegian+to+my+family+at+home%2C+and+we+always+watch+Norwegian+movies+together.%E2%80%9D+-+Max+Brophy%2C+11

Angie Ren

“I grew up in Oslo, Norway, where I lived until I was 8. My family and I moved to St. Louis since my parents thought Norway was too cold year-round. When we moved here, it was pretty hard because I didn’t know how to speak English, and everything about my surroundings was different. I had to pick up English quickly, which changed my personality in some ways because it was hard to talk to people. Not knowing how to speak English made me a little more independent and less social, and I started to seclude myself from others because I couldn’t talk to them. Right now, I still can be slightly anti-social, but I have become more comfortable because of how long it’s been. My family and I still visit Norway almost every year, and I love to ski there because there are really big mountains and it snows a lot. Even though my family and I moved to a different country, we still carry out our old Norwegian traditions. I speak Norwegian to my family at home, and we always watch Norwegian movies together.” – Max Brophy, 11