Moving to a new place can be challenging, especially moving across the sea like Abdullah did. Abdullah Rayyan is a 10th grade tennis player at Edmond North High School, and is originally from London, England.
When Abdullah first moved to the United States, he was a bit nervous because he experienced a lot of culture shock.
“When people talked about sports, I had no clue about American football,” Abdullah said. In the UK, American soccer is called football.
Additionally, he was a bit surprised people couldn’t understand him because of his accent.
Arriving in the US, Abdullah knew he wanted to get involved in sports. He chose tennis even though he had never played before.
“Starting something new makes you humble because you see all the guys are really good at something and here you are struggling to even hit [the ball].”
Even though he struggled at first, he worked hard to improve. With help from his coach, he continued to better himself and develop his skills.
Abdullah told us, “It helped me stay fit and taught me patience.”
His determination won him 8th at state, and his team got 2nd overall. But even with these feats, Abdullah still works hard at practice to become a stronger player.
Still, his high school experience hasn’t been without challenges.
When he first bombed a test, his confidence steeply declined. But he couldn’t let that mistake get him down.
“I had to let go of constantly being a perfectionist,” he said.
Abdullah has a busy schedule, but he also has many hobbies like doomscrolling, gaming, reading, calling his friends and binge watching shows are a few. He also enjoys playing with his younger brother.
Abdullah says his mother is his main inspiration; she’s the strongest person he knows and tries her best to make him and his siblings happy.
“She has helped me become more confident and humble and has always been there on my bad days or when I’m doing horrible in tennis.”
He has also grown a lot through his faith. Abdullah follows Islam. During Ramadan, he fasts through most of the 30 days, and then, at the end of that month, he celebrates Eid. His religion has taught him dedication, devotion and maturity.
“My younger self carried way too much anxiety. I’d tell him I’m proud of him and to stay close to the religion.”
Abdullah’s journey from the UK to America wasn’t just a physical one, it was a mental journey as well. We are lucky to have him at Edmond North, and if you see him in the hallway, ask him if he’d like to share a spot of tea.
