Bahrain

Japan

USA

Some people may have traveled all three of these places, fewer can say they have lived there.

For a proud Highlander, schools are temporary, but memories are forever.

Not many people can say they have lived in three countries, but Dianna Wilder, freshman, can. Starting when she was just one, Dianna moved to Japan, Bahrain and America before the start of the school year when she recently moved to Mequon. Looking at the timeline, it is clear that Wilder has seen much of the world in her 14 years.

• Japan – Preschool to First grade
• USA (California) – First grade to Third grade
• Bahrain – Third grade to Fifth grade
• Japan – Fifth grade to Eighth grade
• USA (Wisconsin) – Eighth grade to Today

One of the hardest things about moving is learning the new customs of the place. When Dianna lived in Japan she had to learn how to speak and write fluently in Japanese. “It was a little hard at first but soon I caught up.” She worked hard to not be behind her peers.

Another difficult aspect about moving is losing friends. Dianna says she does not stay friends with the people from all around the world. It is hard to keep in contact with everyone because of distance and remote locations.

In Japan, Dianna remembers that in a school she went to that “used a blackboard and they had one classroom that had a few computers that was for students to share.” Much different than Homestead High School were technology can be found in most every class.

When asked for a crazy memory Dianna laughs about something that happened in Japan. “The school was very old to the point where we had an earthquake and the walls cracked.” The school was located in a small town and it was very old.

“Homestead is the largest school I have been to,” Dianna commented. In contrast to Homestead’s many math and literature courses, other schools offer one track. Although she transitioned from one-course schools to Homestead, a school with many courses, she felt prepared.

Along with the large number of courses, Homestead also has more students than her other schools. One of the schools she went to only had 60 kids in her grade. Varying greatly to Homestead’s 336 freshman students and 1,310 students overall, according to U.S News Report.

Finally, a difference that was hard to get used to is the change in school days. Dianna remembered one of the most dramatic differences is that in Bahrain school took place from Tuesday to Saturday. They had the same amount of hours and overall flow to the school year just on different days.

So far on her journey through her elementary, middle and high school years, she has grown fond of getting a fresh start. She says she “can try to be a better person than I was before without having a reputation to revive.”  She continues building herself to be the best she could be. Though she does not stay at one school for long she takes a part of whatever she learned and carries it with her.