This morning I attended an awarding ceremony that I guess every parent would be more than happy to attend: awarding ceremony for the students.

My son was awarded excellent students (学霸奖) for ranking as a top three in his class—the best performance he ever achieved in his secondary school. His ranking used to be around the top five.

Honestly, it came as a surprise. He already knew that we are going to the US and he doesn’t need to attend the critical, deciding examination:中考. My friends even suggest that he should take some English courses at home instead of going to school. We all know how difficult, how tough the school life would be for a grade nine student.

They need to get up at 6:30 and can’t come back from school until 10:30. Weekends are packed with homework. No holiday, no entertainment, no break. Everything is for 中考. Since now he can escape from this examination, why bother to go through all of these?

However, I insist to send him to school. I know it is a hard trial for a teenager. But if he could pull himself through this mill, he would turn it into a treasure of experiences. I don’t believe the US would be heaven and once we got there, everything would be fine. Instead, this would be a huge challenge for every one of us. We need to be stronger, tougher, both mentally and physically.

Regardless of all of the above saying, I guess I still relax a little bit. I don’t push him as hard as before and all of his after-school classes are canceled. To be honest, I prepared myself for a bad result—his grades might drop this time.

I really should have more faith in him. He hasn’t been affected at all and he’s studied even harder. If I were in his place, I’m not sure I could do any better.

When I received the invitation from the school, a huge rush of exhilaration raced through me, and I want to dance, hop in circles and grin like a lunatic.

I just feel so proud of him.