She was terribly afraid. Ashina did not want to move, but her respect for her remaining parent kept her from saying otherwise.
She did not like it at first. Her mother was forced to work. Although she seemed to like it, Ashina felt that her mother missed her father terribly. When asked about it, her mother would smile and sigh, and return to grading her students' papers.
Ashina was first forced into a home education. Her mother employed some tutors to help her learn things like mathematics, English, and geography. Her mother also made her wear bizarre garments that left not only her face, but also her legs and arms, exposed. She said that these outfits would help Ashina make friends. When she was considered to be ready, Ashina's mother decided to put her into a public school in order to prepare for university and a career.
This was a difficult transition. Ashina would say nothing in her classes or to the other students. She felt hopelessly out of place in a world where everybody seemed to make their own choices naturally. They seemed to enjoy this freedom. Ashina found it all very out of the ordinary, bizarre, and upsetting as well. Still, respect for her mother kept her from saying anything to her about it.
Then one girl changed Ashina's life for good. During recess, Ashina was sitting by herself and eating the strange, unhealthy foods that Americans seemed to enjoy. Suddenly she was joined...
Ashina only realized that Pam was a girl after hearing her voice. Her hair was short, black and spiky. She wore a lot of white make-up on her face and black lines around her eyes. But she was sweet, as Ashina would soon find out.
Pam's father also died in the war that took Ashina's parent from her. This gave her a connection with Pam, the American girl who would teach her more about education, free speech and boys than her mother could ever hope to. Pam taught Ashina that fashion was a choice, as was everything else in America. You could even choose your religion and your husband. These were even more difficult for Ashina to accept than the clothing issue.
Once Ashina brought Pam to her house for supper. She thought she saw her mother's eyes widen a little at the appearance of her new friend. Ashina was surprised. She thought all Americans were supposed to be open minded and accepting of each other. Her mother however recovered quickly and soon accepted Pam as a healthy part of Ashina's life.
In the end, Ashina started not only to accept, but also to be happy in her new culture. Her school and later her university opened up worlds to her that she never fathomed. She enjoyed using her mind rather than her gender as a force for empowering herself and her life. Most of all, she began to see the sense in having the freedom to choose one's own life.
