Encouragement found in Gathering of Pearls

Marinda Hsu

2015.11.17

English ll

Mrs. Guarino

                                          Encouragement found in Gathering of Pearls 

    Gathering of Pearls written by Choi Sook nyul is a great book that I really enjoyed reading. It is a story written based on the author, a Korean girl going to a foreign country to study alone and all her experiences, growth and emotions during those days therefore especially her first year in college. The main character Sookan is a tough girl that always tried her best to do everything perfect and tried to fulfill people's expectation on her. Her friends in the U.S.—Marcy and Ellen influenced her a lot and she also did influence and taught lessons to her friends, it was fun and interesting to see hoe Sookan found out their cultural differences. It is also fun to observe that Sookan had gradually changed her characteristics more outgoing comparing to the previous parts of the story. 

      In my opinion, this story really relates to my life and my experience within these days starting last year when I first came to the U.S. for high school. I felt just as nervous, lonely and excited like Sookna did in the beginning, I had really bad homesick and been crying, too. Another thing I felt related to the book was doubting my choice coming to the U.S., it is always difficult to adapt to a whole new place with new people and new cultural even if you heard of it a lot. I was doubting myself for making this decision and doubting myself if I'm not mature enough just like Sookan did, but latter on, I found that rather than questioning everything, I should just work hard make this decision a correction and turn this decision into a successful pathway. After reading Sookan's story, I felt fortunately that days like now we do not have to wait for a letter from home for so long, it is so much easier to get in touch with our family in a far country with technology. Sookan worked so hard and had became a writer, this encourages me to keep up my attitude on studying and a new life in the U.S.. 

     Moreover, I really liked Sookan's mother saying that too much pressure will only make an oyster turn into pearls, especially for girls. When I was reading the ending of the story last night knowing that Sookan's mother was sick and had died, I felt terrible and sad that such a great, open-minded mother, beloved woman died without seeing her daughter growing up into an adult. This was a part that made me felt depressed, but to be honest, this is a story having an abundant plot and was really interesting to read. 

     In conclusion, I will recommend this novel—Gathering of Pearls, to my friends and specifically to friends and people that are studying aboard for the first few years. I really liked it and I want to show people around me what I enjoyed reading. This is a helpful story for overseas students and people studying aboard, it is positive, inspiring and at the same time interesting to read.