Three of MVHS’s newest transfer students detail the story behind their transfers.

Testing the Waters

Sophomore Alaka Gorur transferred here over the summer all the way from Bangalore, India. But the rolling hills of Cupertino and the weather of California are familiar scenes to Gorur. Although she was born in Santa Clara, at the age of seven, Gorur’s family relocated to India with the intention of coming back once Gorur entered high school. And so they did: just one year late.

But Gorur believes coming a year earlier would not have prepared her for the culture shock she’s experiencing, especially the academic environment.

“In Bangalore we barely got homework. We just had to study for tests and exams, but here you have so many projects and assignments,” Gorur said. “It’s really different I was struggling to stay awake long enough to finish my homework last night.”

Homework load aside, Gorur is now focusing on broadening her horizons. She’s currently enrolled in Beginning Drama and hopes to try out for the MVSNL production. As Gorur is bombarded with the age-old dilemmas like choosing between FBLA or DECA, Interact or Octagon, she’s already making memories she’ll never forget.

“On the first day of school, I went to Chemistry Honors during the wrong period. I had it fifth, but I was sitting there during fourth for like 10 minutes until I realized I was in the wrong period,” Gorur said. “Everyone was really nice about it. The teacher was really sweet, and this one girl walked me to my next class.”

Gorur remains hopeful that she will make the rest of her transition into American public schooling with as much ease as she did her first week at MVHS.

Multitalented

Sophomore Prashanth Guda has lived in four different time zones: New Zealand, Malaysia, Sweden and most recently Cupertino, Calif. Despite having lived in New Zealand for only the first three years of his life, Prashanth still strongly identifies himself as a New Zealander and has plans to move back sometime in the distant future.

Throughout the constant moving, however, Guda has managed to keep a tight handle on his numerous passions. Guda plays rugby, cricket, soccer and guitar. In addition to playing soccer Guda is also a huge fan. His favorite team? Liverpool.

“I have to get up at three in the morning just to watch their games,” Guda said.

In the spring, Guda plans to try out for Monta Vista’s own soccer team but admits he won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t make the team as he considers cricket his real strong suit.

“My family travels a lot so I think we’ll be staying here for three years at most.”

Guda has already joined a cricket team here in Santa Clara and is looking to do the same with rugby, as he is eager to waist no time in continuing to do what he’s best at.

Despite Guda’s best efforts to acclimate with his new environment by joining teams and continuing his passions, he knows that his time here in Cupertino will eventually come to an end.

“My family travels a lot so I think we’ll be staying here for three years at most,” he said. “We came here because we were tired of Sweden, and we’d never been to the U.S. After my dad found a job here, we moved.”

Here to Stay

Junior Nikkitha Ravi has moved five times in the last four years. Originally from Atlanta, Ga., Ravi has lived in Maryland, Texas, New York and most recently San Diego. Now Ravi believes Cupertino will be her permanent home: until she’s off to college in two years.

Ravi sees both positives and negatives in her family’s constant uprooting.

“I’m just nervous about getting bad grades, but I think everyone in my grade is.”

“I never get home sick anymore, but sometimes I don’t get the classes I want because I’m moving, or I have to retake classes because I don’t have enough credits,” Ravi said. “Leaving my friends behind is also bad, but I’m used to it now.”

As a junior, Ravi plans on devoting her free time this year to academics.

“I’m really nervous about the workload being too much. I’m nervous about physics. I’m just nervous about getting bad grades, but I think everyone in my grade is,” Ravi said.

At one week into the school year, Ravi remains cautiously optimistic about her future here and hopes that the academic stress Monta Vista is notorious for won’t be the death of her.