The "F" Word
"I have found that Americans are now far more willing to learn new names, just as they're far more willing to try new ethnic foods."
I can relate to this because my last name, Vezina, is hard to say, but people are willing to learn it, I hope. I've heard many different, and certainly interesting variations of my name just like Firoozeh and Sundara have.
"I wanted to be a kid with a name that didn't draw so much attention."
I've always thought my name was unique, I mean, have you met another Kaylie Vezina around? I know I haven't. The point is, that I've always wanted a name that was easier to say, I've heard Kylie and Kayla way to many times, I think it's just the way it's spelled. A lot of people have the same name as me, first name at least, so it's become easier for people to say, but the spelling just confuses people. My last name is a different story, I've heard sooooo many different variations on my name, one was even a bit inappropriate... There's always this one substitute teacher who can never say my name correctly, so when she gets to my name I automatically correct her, which is kind of rude, but in my opinion it's better than being embarrassed.
Waterloo
"In Iran, people learned to swim on their own, if they learned at all." Page 68
This reminds me of when I was little, taking swim lessons. I hated them, I hated water, I refused to go under. I dreaded swim class, I hated the feeling of water in my nose, and I still do. Swimming lessons do come in handy, if you're out in the water and something bad happens, but when you're five or six years old, being dunked under water is not your cup of tea. Or at least it wasn't mine...
"I sank."
This quote is awfully short, but it relates to my life. Not knowing how to swim (very well at least) is okay most of the time, like I said before, but it does come in handy when needed. When I was younger I went to my friend's pool, I was floating on a tube in the middle of the pool, which was the deep end. I must have been about 7 or 8. My friends decided it would be funny to tip over the tube. It wasn't funny. I sank. My friend's mom had to dive in and pull me out, needless to say, I was not happy, and I've decided that swimming just 'isn't my thing.'
Monday, January 31, 2011
With a little Help from my friends & A dozen Key Chains
With a Little Help From My Friends:
"My family and I had always wondered why American had such a mistaken image of Iran."
I think that a lot of people in America think of people from the Middle East as a totally different species. I mean, a lot of people, including myself had a totally different image of Iran and places like that before learning about it. I used to think they were really poor, and had no power, which isn't true one bit. This relates to Sundara, because a lot of people don't know her real story or anything about her home country.
"My mother was practically sad to return to Iran."
I think that she has a right to be sad to go back to Iran, but then again, wouldn't you want to go home after being away for a long time? I know I would. This isn't like Sundara's story because she doesn't get to go back home, to Cambodia, at all, she has to stay here, where it is safer for her.
A Dozen Key Chains:
"When I was eleven years old I told my parents that I wanted to go to camp."
I can relate to this, because when I was eleven or twelve I went to sleep-away camp for the first time. It was awful. I had no fun, I was homesick the whole week. Then I went back the next year and had a much better time. Sundara has a quite different story in comparison to this, for her camp isn't a fun thing, it's a place where your closest friends and family go, so they can escape death, not a place for arts and crafts and swimming.
"My family and I had always wondered why American had such a mistaken image of Iran."
I think that a lot of people in America think of people from the Middle East as a totally different species. I mean, a lot of people, including myself had a totally different image of Iran and places like that before learning about it. I used to think they were really poor, and had no power, which isn't true one bit. This relates to Sundara, because a lot of people don't know her real story or anything about her home country.
"My mother was practically sad to return to Iran."
I think that she has a right to be sad to go back to Iran, but then again, wouldn't you want to go home after being away for a long time? I know I would. This isn't like Sundara's story because she doesn't get to go back home, to Cambodia, at all, she has to stay here, where it is safer for her.
A Dozen Key Chains:
"When I was eleven years old I told my parents that I wanted to go to camp."
I can relate to this, because when I was eleven or twelve I went to sleep-away camp for the first time. It was awful. I had no fun, I was homesick the whole week. Then I went back the next year and had a much better time. Sundara has a quite different story in comparison to this, for her camp isn't a fun thing, it's a place where your closest friends and family go, so they can escape death, not a place for arts and crafts and swimming.
Save Me, Mickey and Swoosh-Swoosh
Save Me, Mickey:
"Because we were new to this country, we were impressed not just by the big attractions but also by the little things-smiling employees, clean bathrooms and clear signage."
Page 17
I can relate to this, not because I came here from a far away place, but because I have gone to a beautiful, new place and I have thought, "Gee this is a lovely place, everything is so nice." Even the little things, like Firoozeh said, are wonderful, and impressive. I can relate to the feeling. This also relates to the book we've been reading in English because Sundara came to America with her family, and the younger children, Pon and Ravy thought this land was so beautiful, and they love it.
"We spent the usual half an hour looking for our car in the parking lot."
Page 29
I can relate to this quite a bit. First of all, my parents find it absolutely necessary to park as far away as possible, so to get to where we're going involves quite a lot of walking distance. Then when we leave we end up walking to the parking lot, and spending a lot of time looking for the car, and if the place is busy, then we have to wait for a line of cars to pull out before we can. I can't wait until I have a car and my license.
Swoosh-Swoosh:
"Marriage, in my culture has nothing to do with romance. It's a matter of logic."
I chose this quote, not because I can relate to it, but because I have something to say about it. I can't really agree to this, but I can't disagree with it either. I believe two people, who absolutely love each other should be able to get married if they want to. I also think that it's okay, that they pick a spouse using logic, because even if the couple isn't 'in love' they are a good match for each other. I also believe that if they aren't harming each other or making one another's life worse, than it's fine. That's just my opinion though. This relates to Children of the River because family members choose spouses for each other, it's an arranged thing.
"The Colonel's secret recipe had set my mother free."
I can relate to this because it's somewhat like my mother, some days she just doesn't want to cook. I cannot really relate this to Children of the River, because Soka always cooks Cambodian meals.
"Because we were new to this country, we were impressed not just by the big attractions but also by the little things-smiling employees, clean bathrooms and clear signage."
Page 17
I can relate to this, not because I came here from a far away place, but because I have gone to a beautiful, new place and I have thought, "Gee this is a lovely place, everything is so nice." Even the little things, like Firoozeh said, are wonderful, and impressive. I can relate to the feeling. This also relates to the book we've been reading in English because Sundara came to America with her family, and the younger children, Pon and Ravy thought this land was so beautiful, and they love it.
"We spent the usual half an hour looking for our car in the parking lot."
Page 29
I can relate to this quite a bit. First of all, my parents find it absolutely necessary to park as far away as possible, so to get to where we're going involves quite a lot of walking distance. Then when we leave we end up walking to the parking lot, and spending a lot of time looking for the car, and if the place is busy, then we have to wait for a line of cars to pull out before we can. I can't wait until I have a car and my license.
Swoosh-Swoosh:
"Marriage, in my culture has nothing to do with romance. It's a matter of logic."
I chose this quote, not because I can relate to it, but because I have something to say about it. I can't really agree to this, but I can't disagree with it either. I believe two people, who absolutely love each other should be able to get married if they want to. I also think that it's okay, that they pick a spouse using logic, because even if the couple isn't 'in love' they are a good match for each other. I also believe that if they aren't harming each other or making one another's life worse, than it's fine. That's just my opinion though. This relates to Children of the River because family members choose spouses for each other, it's an arranged thing.
"The Colonel's secret recipe had set my mother free."
I can relate to this because it's somewhat like my mother, some days she just doesn't want to cook. I cannot really relate this to Children of the River, because Soka always cooks Cambodian meals.
Monday, January 24, 2011
In the Gutter
"It was with his mind-set that my father decided to enter Bowling For Dollars."
I can relate to this because I have entered something, like a raffle that I had no hope in winning, but I did it anyway.
This relates to Children of the River because in my mind their journey to America was like entering a contest, either you win or you lose, You get to America or you don't.
"My father returned that night looking sadder than I had ever seen him. In his two tries, he had hit a total of only seven pins, winning seven dollars."
I can relate to this because I have gone bowling, and I have had really off days where I get a score that is way far behind anyone else's, it feels awful, I can relate to that too.
This relates to Children of the River because it's like the time Johnathan quits the team, he feels awful for a bit, but it's also a relief to him because he finally did something he wanted to do.
I can relate to this because I have entered something, like a raffle that I had no hope in winning, but I did it anyway.
This relates to Children of the River because in my mind their journey to America was like entering a contest, either you win or you lose, You get to America or you don't.
"My father returned that night looking sadder than I had ever seen him. In his two tries, he had hit a total of only seven pins, winning seven dollars."
I can relate to this because I have gone bowling, and I have had really off days where I get a score that is way far behind anyone else's, it feels awful, I can relate to that too.
This relates to Children of the River because it's like the time Johnathan quits the team, he feels awful for a bit, but it's also a relief to him because he finally did something he wanted to do.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Hot dogs and Wild Geese
"Thanks to my father's translations, we stayed away from catfish, hot dogs and hush puppies."
I can relate to this because I have been to restaurants where the menus are in Italian or some other language, and I have no idea what kind of food they're offering until I find something I've had before like spaghetti.
"And my parents still don't understand why teenagers want to be cool so they can be hot."
This reminds me of my parents because it seems like they don't understand a lot about teenagers today, I know they were teenagers once too, but that was quite a while ago. Sometimes parents just do not understand.
This is relates to Sundara because her aunt, Soka, and uncle, Naro, do not understand a lot of things about American culture, and it takes them a while to learn the language and accept the culture, which is understandable.
I can relate to this because I have been to restaurants where the menus are in Italian or some other language, and I have no idea what kind of food they're offering until I find something I've had before like spaghetti.
"And my parents still don't understand why teenagers want to be cool so they can be hot."
This reminds me of my parents because it seems like they don't understand a lot about teenagers today, I know they were teenagers once too, but that was quite a while ago. Sometimes parents just do not understand.
This is relates to Sundara because her aunt, Soka, and uncle, Naro, do not understand a lot of things about American culture, and it takes them a while to learn the language and accept the culture, which is understandable.
Leffingwell Elementary School
"Until my first day at Leffingwell Elementary School, I had never thought of my mother as an embarrassment, but the sight of all the kids staring at us before the bell rang was enough to make me pretend I didn't know her."
I can relate to this quote because when I was younger my mother used to come into school and help out the teacher, I thought it was the most embarrassing thing ever, I still do. I feel like my mom isn't embarrassing at home, but once I go out in public things get seem to make me a lot more embarrassed, like wondering and worrying about seeing someone I know.
"Unable to thank them in words, we smiled even more broadly."
I can slightly relate to this because sometimes, like at parent teacher conferences I never know what to say. At those conferences I just smile, a lot because I can never think of anything to say besides, "Yeah." or "Uh huh."
These two quotes relate to Children of the River because Sundara often gets embarrassed, also, since she is just learning English she doesn't know what to say all the time. She is picking up the language quickly, but sometimes the words just do not come out.
I can relate to this quote because when I was younger my mother used to come into school and help out the teacher, I thought it was the most embarrassing thing ever, I still do. I feel like my mom isn't embarrassing at home, but once I go out in public things get seem to make me a lot more embarrassed, like wondering and worrying about seeing someone I know.
"Unable to thank them in words, we smiled even more broadly."
I can slightly relate to this because sometimes, like at parent teacher conferences I never know what to say. At those conferences I just smile, a lot because I can never think of anything to say besides, "Yeah." or "Uh huh."
These two quotes relate to Children of the River because Sundara often gets embarrassed, also, since she is just learning English she doesn't know what to say all the time. She is picking up the language quickly, but sometimes the words just do not come out.
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