New After Seven Years

It has been roughly three weeks since school first started here in Cincinnati. I have to admit it has been difficult to integrate myself into the community despite what the counselors say about their great acceptance of others. I wish I was back in Caracas constantly and I start to choke up inside when viewing images of my friends' current activities, parties and new inside jokes. I do not know what it is. Other new students already have good friends, and are spending time with them outside of school. I have to say that for me, that has not yet happened. In fact, yesterday was the first time that I sat with anyone at lunch besides my older sister. 

Is it me? Am I the issue? Maybe this is why I am not yet making friends. People are nice, yes, and I can have a good time in class, but after school I am left excluded. I joined the school play Alice in Wonderland, assuming that with practices I would get closer to others. One of the boys that talks to me in class is in some of my rehearsals so I thought that through him I would become a part of the group of girls he hangs out with. Instead, I felt left out, a third wheel to their group.

See? I feel like I am the one who is trying hard to gain these peoples attention and yet there is no success. I don't know why I feel like they are not even trying to get to know me. It has been three weeks, and people in my classes who have seen me for the last three weeks don't even know where I'm from. 

I know that making friends is a hard process, at least for me. It all comes with time, and yet I do not have the patience. I need to socialize and stop spending my school days in silence. I am left hoping my days of solitude will be short-lived. 

Sincerely, 

The Newbie