Abdullah Rayyan, a 10th grade tennis player at Edmond North High School, 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.” 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.
“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.”
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.
Mya Haworth • Nov 6, 2025 at 9:56 am
This is a very well written article and I like how it focuses on multiple aspects of Abdullah’s life. I never realized how different American culture is from England’s. In my mind they have always been pretty much the same. I admire Abdullah’s determination to find his spot within his sport and adapt to life in America. I hope he continues to enjoy being here and feels welcomed within our school!
Taylor Graham • Nov 5, 2025 at 2:53 pm
I think this is a very well-written article that has taught me a great deal about Abdullah that I didn’t know. It is so interesting to see other people’s perspectives on things and how they deal with things they go through. I can relate to bombing my first test and struggling in the sport I play, and I think it’s so cool to have someone I can agree with on things. I loved learning about his influences and the way he viewed America when he came here. I’m so glad we get to have Abdullah at school and will definitely ask him to share a spot of tea.
Will Reynolds • Nov 5, 2025 at 2:39 pm
I loved reading this article. Abdullah’s journey is really cool, and more students should learn about it. For a story as cool as Abdullah’s, it would be hard to write just a short article, but the author did a brilliant job. Change is hard for people, and learning how Abdullha got through it all is truly inspirational. Thank you for writing this article and spreading his story. 10/10
Ume Morrow • Nov 4, 2025 at 9:54 am
This is a very well-written article by Sylvia. I like how she highlights the different influences in Abdullah’s life. I think it is very interesting to learn about people from different countries and how they view life in the US. I appreciate that Abdullah grows in his religion, which is something I do as well. I hope to get to know Abdullah and others who have transferred here as well.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Thank you so much for reading! I’m glad you could relate to his growth with his religion.
Natalie Araujo • Nov 3, 2025 at 12:21 pm
This is article is very cool. I enjoy learning about my peers. I think this content is very relatable because I go through the same things. I will learn from Abdullah’s humility and not focus on myself too much. It’s very cool that we have someone from another country here!
Sylvia Davis • Nov 3, 2025 at 12:40 pm
That’s so interesting! I’m glad you could find something in common with him.
Emerson Clark • Nov 3, 2025 at 11:39 am
Love getting to learn more about my fellow peers. Learning more about Abdullah was super cool. I found it so interesting how he moved from the UK all the way to the United States. I like getting to learn more about what the people around me are doing. As someone who also plays tennis I find it so cool how he was able to learn so much from the sport. Also this was a very well written article.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 3, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Thank you for reading, and i’m glad you could enjoy.
bailey nguyen • Nov 3, 2025 at 10:20 am
Its actually pretty cool how he moved from London to Oklahoma, and probably dealing with peoples different accents might’ve been hard. And that’s so cool that he is part of the tennis team, nice dedication Abdullah. And his faith that’s also cool too, I love learning about different cultures and how their faith works. Its awesome that his journey helped him grow so much! maybe I’ll ask him next time when I see him for a spot of tea 😉
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:19 pm
I’m glad you could learn about Abdullah and his culture. Thank you so much for reading 🙂
Gianna Havens • Nov 3, 2025 at 10:15 am
This is an interesting article. I learned a lot about Abdullah. It must have been a long journey traveling from the UK. Sports are a good way to fit in in a new place. You can make lots of new friends that way.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:19 pm
I’m glad you enjoyed getting to learn about Abdullah’s experience, and thanks for reading!
Paige McGinnis • Nov 3, 2025 at 9:24 am
I think this is really cool to see how different countries are and how different the US is from other countries. I think him continuing to work and getting better shows a lot of dedication and hard work. I think coming to the US could be a big culture shock but have always wondered about the little things that are different in places. I like that they chose to write about him because it’s someone that isn’t from the US and has interesting things to share that are different from the rest of what we know is normal. Overall, I think this was a really fun article to read about and fun to see just some of the little things that are different or things that he does in his life.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you got to read an article that explored things you wondered about.
Zawadi Matagaro • Nov 2, 2025 at 4:07 pm
I really enjoyed reading this article about Abdullah! It’s inspiring to see how he faced challenges like moving to a new country, adjusting to a different culture, and learning a new sport, yet never gave up. I love how he emphasizes patience, humility, and dedication—not just in tennis, but in life. It’s also amazing how he balances school, hobbies, and faith, showing that hard work and personal growth can go hand in hand. Stories like Abdullah’s remind us how resilience and support from family can make a huge difference. I hope more students get the chance to meet him and hear his story firsthand—it’s truly motivating.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:20 pm
I’m so glad this article inspired you! Thank you so much reading the article.
Jemma • Oct 31, 2025 at 12:46 pm
First of all, great writing, second of all this guy seems awesome. I really hope I get to meet him at some point. I’ve always wanted to meet a person from London. I’m so glad he’s doing well now. Way to go man.
Sylvia Davis • Nov 4, 2025 at 12:17 pm
Thank you so much! Hopefully you can meet him in the halls sometime!
Noelle Harmon • Oct 31, 2025 at 12:41 pm
This is peak
Sylvia Davis • Oct 31, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Thank you so much!!