Who am I?

Earth date: August 23. 2154

Dear diary,

            It’s 4 am on Earth, according to my watch. They use a different type of clock here, but it will take a while for me to adjust. I'm going by Earth time, at least until we leave the Milky Way.

I spent the first hour on the shuttle staring out of my window, just watching my house blur into my street, then my street blurred into my city, then my city blurred into America, and now Earth is just a speck of dust out in the galaxy somewhere.

I miss everyone so much.

I left a note to Mom and Dad, explaining that I had to go away and never come back. I said that I wouldn’t ever see them again, and that I was sorry and I loved them.

For Henry, I put a note in his locker that said an inside joke between us… I don’t feel it would be right to share it here. It’s just a little thing between the two of us. And I signed my name and wrote that I would always be thinking of him and that I love him.

I'm trying to let go of Earth; I've been trying to just think of my time there as a scientific experiment. I tell myself that I was just there for my people, to gather information about an inferior species.

It’s almost working.

While I'm doing that, I've been looking around this room they put me in. when I got on the shuttle, I was taken around and introduced to a lot of people. I only remember a few: Rachael, with light purple skin and white hair; Maria, with deep blue skin and hair that was bright green; and Angela, sporting turquoise skin and purple hair. She’s the one in charge of flying the shuttle.

            I also learned that Mrs. Meyer’s name is actually Marissa. She just didn’t tell me on Earth, because she wanted our friendship to feel like one between a teacher and a student. That way I wouldn’t be crushed and feel like I was losing a friend if they left without me.

After I was introduced to everyone, Mrs. Meyer – er, Marissa – brought be to a nice little room near the back of the shuttle, one of the only rooms with a window. I think she understood that I wanted to see Earth for the last time.

Oh, also, she gave me this device I'm using to type right now. They call it an “ePad,” apparently similar to some old human technology. They bought one of the older, more humanized versions of this in 2010, on the first trip they ever made to Earth. Then they made some adjustments and renamed it.

Anyway, Marissa told me that my laptop wouldn’t work in space or on Anlayhay very well. I was kind of sad, but I accepted the gift. They even transferred my electronic diary from my laptop onto this ePad! It was kind of her to realize I would want to keep my diary.

They also gave me clothes to wear on Anlayhay. Their clothes are much more comfortable, and so much more practical, too. Whereas on Earth, clothes are designed mainly for style, Anlahayen clothes are meant to be practical. They are one-piece suits, each measured to fit its owner perfectly. They are made from a material that works well underground; waterproof and glowing slightly. Each body suit is a different color depending on what your special ability is. Since my special ability is intelligence, my body suit is blue. I'm very impressed with how quickly they made it; the crew took my measurements when I got on the shuttle, and got the suit to me within the hour.

Marissa’s suit is red for hospitality.  I guess it makes sense that they would send an exceptionally hospitable being to befriend me and tell me I was an alien; it it had been anyone else, I would probably have thought them insane.

Actually, nearly everyone on the shuttle wears red like Marissa. Where intelligence is prized, it seems like hospitality should be, too. The only person besides me not wearing red is Angela, the pilot, and she wears green, which represents leadership and technology.

This is all very fascinating. I wonder who thought up this system.

Hmm.

Also, their rooms and decorations sand such are different from Earth. I know that Anlayhay won’t be exactly like this shuttle, since the shuttle is just for transportation, but I know it will be similar. They don’t decorate like humans do; everything that exists on Anlayhay has a specific purpose. They aren’t a materialistic society like America. Nothing is just for looks. My room has one bed, one chair, and one dresser with extra body suits. The bathroom has a toilet, a sink, and a shower that runs for a maximum of ten minutes at a time; why waste time letting water wash over you when you could just go to an underwater pool or waterfall instead?

I like the way this society works. It all makes so much more sense than America’s society. In America, everything exists so make life easier for the most powerful beings on the planet. On Anlayhay, everyone has a job from age 13 and is expected to be able to do their share of work. In America, you have to be skinny enough to see your bones to be beautiful. On Anlayhay, appearance doesn’t matter. In America, kids make fun of kids who are different. On Anlayhay, they realize that differences are the only things that make a society work.

I've learned all of this recently, surfing their form of internet on my ePad. My longing for Earth is fading as I learn about this new place where everything seems better.

I'm actually pretty excited to arrive.

            -Sophia