“Knock, knock.” The door opened, and I stepped into the small classroom in Tehran. My heart was beating fast. Was I ready?

The teacher smiled and said, “Hello!” Her voice was clear and friendly. I whispered, “Hello,” but my voice was too quiet. The teacher laughed kindly and said, “Say it again, louder.”

“Hello!” I tried. Everyone in the class looked at me, and I felt shy.

The teacher wrote the word HELLO on the board. “This is your first English word,” she said. “It means salaam.” I repeated: “Hello.” It felt new but exciting.

Next, the teacher introduced herself: “I am your teacher.” She pointed to herself, then pointed to me: “You are a student.”

I looked around the class. A boy next to me smiled and said, “Hello, friend.” His pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but I understood. I smiled back and answered, “Hello, friend!”

For the first time, English didn’t feel scary. It felt like a key to open new doors. I had learned one small word, but I also found something bigger — a new friend.

At the end of class, the teacher asked, “So, what did you learn today?” I smiled and thought: Hello is not just a word. It is the beginning of a journey.

What about you? What did you learn on your first day?