My lesson as an Outcast Duong Ngoc Anh

The classroom was abuzz with whispers as I entered, an outsider in this unfamiliar setting. A poised, fashionably dressed girl eyed me up and down, her gaze dripping with disdain. "And how did you manage to find your way here?" she sneered, her mocking tone coining my new moniker. "Cowgirl" - I became the lowly peasant of the class.

Adapting to the language barrier was but one challenge I faced upon enrolling in an international school. Far more daunting was the relentless competition for materialism. My peers seemed fixated on flaunting their wealth and status, constantly one-upping each other with lavish displays. In contrast, my modest upbringing and plain attire rendered me an anomaly, a source of scorn. Feeling isolated and ashamed, I struggled to find the courage to confront my tormentors.

Yet I had no choice but to find a solution. During a school trip, I was assigned to the same hotel room as my worst bully. As she pushed past me to claim the better bed, I braced myself for another round of insults. Instead, I glimpsed an unexpected vulnerability in her facade. Preoccupied with her appearance, she fretted over every imagined flaw that make her "too fat" and opted for a restrictive diet. In that moment, I recognized...