Flying across the country to make his new home in Cashmere, Oscar Green’s suitcase didn’t just hold mementos, but a readiness to make his mark on Cashmere High School. So far, his accomplishments span from going to FFA (Future Farmers of America) state as well as FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) state. If those achievements aren’t impressive enough, he’s also an avid runner and is on both the cross-country and track teams.
At eight years old, Oscar’s family moved from Singapore to Cashmere so that they could live near family. As Oscar shared his experience, he explained that not every change was as significant as one may believe.
“[My previous school] was SAS (Singapore American School), so it was kind of like the same deal, so I adapted pretty quickly… There weren’t a lot of main differences; it was basically structured the same.” His parents worked in Singapore and had been working overseas for about fifteen years.
His average day in Singapore consisted of: “[Going to] a private school, so we wore uniforms. I would get ready and go to school, and then my auntie would pick me up, and I would go to a friend’s house. It’s kind of similar to here.”
However, it’s safe to say that not every aspect of the moving experience was easy for him. “There [isn’t] as much diversity here, obviously, since I was at an international school. But honestly, the pledge of allegiance [was unexpected], everyone just stood up and started talking to the flag, so that was a little scary for me.”
Despite that statement, he adjusted quickly to living in Cashmere.
“I didn’t know a lot of people, so I didn’t have a ton of friends… I was in the same grade as Cooper [his cousin], but I didn’t have any classes with him, so I couldn’t really talk with him… It was basically just trying to connect with people and make friends that first year.” Later in the interview, he clarified that, being so young, making friends was relatively easy.
When asked how living in two countries has influenced his perspective on the world, Oscar explained how he learned this: “Some people are all this side or all that side, but I try to look at the bigger picture. I don’t really like picking one side, and I think that helps me see larger conflicts. I’m able to see the gray areas and both sides’ points of view.”
However, what started as a temporary move became something much more.
“We didn’t actually plan on staying past two years, but we really loved Cashmere, so we stayed.”
When asked what advice he would give to students moving to a new area, he said, “Just remember that it won’t always be like that first week.”
From Singapore to Cashmere, Oscar Green has proven that home isn’t always where you start but where you choose to grow.
