The body temperature of the average human being is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit which is 37 degrees Celsius. I had to find a converter to figure out the temperature in Celsius because in America we use Fahrenheit, not Celsius. But in Canada they use Celsius, not Fahrenheit.

The average high temperature in Miami, Florida in September is 87 degrees Fahrenheit, 30.6 degrees Celsius. The average low temperature is 77.7 degrees Fahrenheit, 25.4 degrees Celsius. The average high temperature in Toronto, Canada in September is 69.3 degrees Fahrenheit, 20.7 degrees Celsius. The average low is 55.8 degrees Fahrenheit, 13.2 degrees Celsius.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census the city of Miami's black population was 22.33%. In 2001 blacks represented seven percent of Toronto's total population. In all of Canada in the year 2001blacks represented 2.2% of Canada's total population. TOTAL population! According to the 2000 U.S. Census the black population of the total population of the U.S. was 12.3%.

Now you're probably wondering why I'm giving you all these random statistics, statistics that I actually spent the time to look up on the internet. Well it's because I am a black girl from Florida that is currently standing in front of her new school in Toronto, and it's only 72 degrees. 72 degrees in September! What kind of place is this where it's only 72 degrees in September? This is pretty much winter weather for me.

I can't believe this. I can't believe I'm standing in front of a new school on the first day of the school year. I'm looking at my new school that has a giant banner that says "Welcome Back" while in my head is should say, "Welcome to Hell!" Do you know how hard it is to be a new kid, especially to be a new kid in your junior year of high school? High school is half way over. I see people hugging their friends, smiling at each other, welcoming each other back from vacation and asking what they did over summer break. These people already know each other from the previous years and from middle school. Also I, Jordan Johnson, have NEVER been a new kid so this is like double or triple or whatever hard for me. I mean not only am I the new kid during junior year of high school but I'm also in a different country, a country that uses the METRIC system. THE METRIC SYSTEM!

My life is completely over. Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I'm being the typical dramatic sixteen year old girl, BUT I'M NOT! My whole life I've grown up in sunny Florida. I spent my days hanging out with my friends in the sun and going to the beach on a regular basis. I've spent many breaks going to numerous amusement parks like Sea World, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, and Disney World. The past two summers my parents took me to the St. Pete's Pride Parade Did I forget to mention that I'm a lesbian? And my parents are totally supportive. They're so supportive in fact that before St. Petersburg started doing Pride Week, every June since I was about 12 my parents took me to Disney World for Gay Days at Walt Disney World. Also both my parents are… Well I guess it WERE now, on the PFLAG Miami chapter board. So to say I miss Florida would be a vast understatement.

So here I am, standing in front of my new school while my mother is inside waiting for me. I'm probably one out of five black kids in the whole school, which doesn't necessarily bother me, but I'm just pointing out how non diverse this school probably is. Well I might as well suck it up since my parents made it clear that we wouldn't be returning to Florida anytime soon, except to visit the grandparents. The only bright side to this whole thing is that Canada is known for being a tad bit nice to the gays. I mean Ontario did legalize gay marriage about three years ago, something Florida will probably never do. And Canadians are known for being nice right?

I take a deep breath and start walking up the steps of my new school, Degrassi Community School. What is a community school exactly? I mean don't all schools serve the community? As I'm walking up the steps I'm looking around at my new school mates. I have to admit; this school has some pretty good looking girls here.

BAM!

Ow! I rub my forehead. My father did always tell me to either walk or look at pretty girls, but not both. I'm on my ass, on the ground, and I'm in pain.

"Ow," I groan. "What the hell?"

"Why don't you watch where you're going next time?" an angry voice asks.

I look up. There is a very angry girl looking down at me. Maybe she's angry because she's wearing that ugly ass green hoodie. I'm guessing this girl is of Hispanic descent. I hope I don't sound racist by saying that. It's just that Florida has a huge Hispanic population, in fact I know how to speak Spanish. Don't get it twisted, I don't speak it fluently, I'm probably like a 3.5 on a 5.0 scale. Wait… what just happened? How did I get off track? Shit, that's right, I'm on the ground.

I quickly stand up and brush myself off. The girl is still leering at me. Ugh, I don't have time for this nor am I going to be leered at on my first day of school.

"How about next time you watch where you're going next time?" I ask her, trying to sound tough.

The girl scoffs. "You must not know who I am," she says.

"Actually I'm new. So how about you enlighten me?"

The girl steps up to me and now she's all up in my face. I guess here in Canada they don't believe in personal space.

"The name is Alex Nuñez, and you better watch where you're going next time new girl," she says threateningly.

Alex walks past me and sort of shoulder checks me. Ow, that really hurt. I've been at this school for like ten minutes and already I've been injured twice. I look back and see Alex take some kid's lunch. Wow, I guess not all Canadians are nice after all.