Danober’s odyssey into a new world
Coppell High School sophomore Léonor Danober enjoys a croissant while reading Des souris et des hommes, the French translation of novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Danober recently migrated to Coppell from Antony, France in November and has been adjusting to a new environment after living in a different country for most of her life.
The yellow school bus, wide streets, personal swimming pools, freedom of using one’s phone during school hours or “doing nothing” in a classroom was obscure to Coppell High School sophomore and native French student Léonor Danober.
What were seemingly innocuous things she’s only seen portrayed on the big screen became a tangible reality she would soon be immersed in at CHS.
Last July, on an ordinary afternoon during a visit to Pau, France, Danober’s casual grocery shopping trip ended in an unexpected announcement of a move, one that would result in an upwards of nine hour flight from Antony, France to an unfamiliar land.
Four months, 10 suitcases and 4,928 miles later, the family landed at DFW Airport.
“It’s not easy for anyone to change and move to a different country. It’s a new country, a different land, wage and school system,” said Mathilde Danober, Léonor’s mother. “Léonor was very happy, but she knew she was going to be sad to leave France, her friends, the town, our house, everything. But she was also excited to explore a new place.”
Navigating a new school is always a challenge, let alone a new school in a foreign country accompanied by an unfamiliar education system. For Danober, she has had to adjust to the different school environment that greatly differed from what she was used to.
“France was super different from the U.S.,” Leonor said. “The first time I came to my class at CHS, my teacher said, ‘We’re not doing anything today,’ but I was still waiting for her to tell us what we were doing, like a game or something fun. I didn’t think she meant nothing. That’s something that would never, ever happen in France.”
The challenges of adapting to a new school system were only compounded by the difficulty of leaving behind old friends and acclimating to an unfamiliar culture.
“I was crying everyday after school. I felt very alone. I couldn’t speak to anyone because of my English, but it has gotten better,” Leonor said. “I’ve become more sociable because talking is how you make friends, it changed everything for me.”
However, she’s been able to meet individuals such as Coppell High School junior Nehal Bhardwaj that has helped her understand the nuances of her new culture, including American slang and customs, making the transition smoother.
“I moved a lot as a kid so I understand her,” Bhardwaj said. “I try to socially involve her in everything and help her adjust to the new environment, the inside jokes. She doesn’t really understand the ‘your mom’ jokes or puns very well. I show her classic American movies like The Kissing Booth and To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before and fast food that she hasn’t tried that’s very normal for us, like Pop Tarts.”
With the use of social media, Leonor has been able to stay connected with her friends across the globe, making it feel as though they never left her side.
“Everyday, we would call and I would tell her my stories and how my day was and I would ask her about her day,” said Coralie Rousseau, a close friend from France.
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Wendy Le is a junior and the podcast producer of The Sidekick. Through The Sidekick, she found her passion in photography and podcasting. In her free time,...
