I’m halfway finished with Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok I noticed that the main character is named Kimberly Chang. Kimberly and her mom moved from Hong Kong to New York. Kimberly had a rough time and faced many challenges which helped her gain maturity and knowledge along the way, such as having more responsibilities here than before, when Kimberly and her mom lived in Hong Kong. Some of the responsibilities that she had now and not before were translating mostly everything for her mom (since her mom’s English vocabulary was even less than Kimberly’s), having to work in the factories to help her mom afterschool, and having to do all her schoolwork and hand them in on time. Even when her apartment was freezing cold and all that’s keeping them warm was the open oven.
But on the other hand there were things and people who made her moving to NY not so bad, meeting Matt and Annette (her 2 friends who have stood by her since they’ve met). Matt Kimberly knew from the factory and had a crush on and Annette she knew ever since Kimberly entered elementary school. “I blinked. Generous, loyal Annette. Of course, her parents wouldn’t allow her to do that, but would I have, offered to do the same for her? I laid a hand on her shoulder. “You are a good friend.”” (p.107) this line popped out to me since it summed up how far Kimberly and Annette’s friendship is at. Since Annette would want to change into a public high school instead of going to a private school -Harrison prep (a top high school, but also very expensive). This was also a touching part of the book, since it was the first time Kimberly acknowledged her friendship with Annette out loud.
Kimberly also gained knowledge that might’ve hurt her, but didn’t. She remembered her experience with a bully in her elementary school that ended up to like her. Then while in high school she used this knowledge and “helped” her. She also worked even harder knowing that the kids around her were different from her. That also helped her mature.
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