Week 2- Paper 1: 100 Word Challenge

In my first paper, I will share the story of moving from town to Kailua at twelve years old and how that transition shaped me. The students at the middle school I previously attended were mostly academically inclined due to the cultural importance of intellect. I found this similar to the knowledge based communities in Mehana Vaughan's first chapters. While they're not the typical western academics, their teachings happen through place, story, and practice. I will then describe the challenges of leaving behind familiar places, people, and routines, and the struggle of starting fresh in a new community with no friends or connections. I’ll explain the cultural and academic differences I noticed between my old peers, who prioritized school, and my new ones, who didn’t. I’ll also reflect on how my desire to fit in caused my grades to fall, highlighting how community pressures deeply affected my growth and identity

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