“I was born in Germany, where my dad was a doctor. He got a job at Geisel and I have been in Hanover for the past 17 years. For my parents, the decision to move here ultimately came down to safety and quality of education.
Hanover is predominately white and there is a high concentration of wealth and education. In high school, it felt like a pressure cooker. Although parents are not necessarily putting a lot of pressure on their kids, they pressure themselves because they are surrounded by so much success. My senior fall was a difficult time in my life, particularly during the college application process. As an Asian American, I was trying to be strategic with my applications.
As a racial minority in this small town, I grew up trying to assimilate. I was white-washed. However, going to college was different. I remember wishing my Chinese was more fluent so I could talk to my mom. I consider myself very lucky to have grown up here and, looking back, I appreciate my identity.
In college, I am so much more extroverted than I was at home. It is a little weird coming back and seeing my friends from home, especially the question of whether I should be the same person I am at school or go back to the person they knew.” –Judy Guo, Hanover, NH.
