Chapter 17-18

“Aisha is driving today, her loose hands on the wheel, her hair lifting lightly in the breeze. Ma and I sit in the back, and Abba tries no to comment on her driving.”

This quote makes me happy to read. At the begging of the book Aisha was not aloud to drive. Now she is. I am happy that Nadiras family is adapting to American culture. Although I don’t want them to forget about there own, but I don’t think they will. Also this quote has a personal connection to me. My sister just started driving so when I read this It felt like it was me and my friend in the back seat, scared, and my mom in the front trying not to comment.

Chapter 16

"'Oh please.' She jerks her hand away. 'You are such a baby. Do you really believe a little fourteen-year-old can make the United States government change its mind?'" Page 144

In this paragraph I thought NO Aisha is being a jerk again!! but then I figured that Aisha was just extremely stressed out because it is likely that she would not be able to go to collage because of financial reasons. So I think she was taking her frustration out on Nadira the only way she could. I really like the fact that Nadira forgave Aisha that make me think they were just being sisters.

Chapter 15

"I didn't save Abba. Or maybe I did, in a small way. I made them stop and see me--see us. Take a second look. Ma sat beside me in her proud purple coat, and I spoke. All I keep thinking is I can't wait to tell Aisha." Page 136

When I read this the first thing I thing of is how happy the family will be now. In my opinion, I don't think Nadira is going to run home and rub it all over Aisha's face. I think in the past few chapters they have bonded a lot, I don't know but I think she wants to share the joy with her and she wants Aisha to be proud of her. I hope that is what Nadira has in mind because I will feel really bad for Aisha because they have been resonably nice to each other resontly. I don't thing Aisha would see it comming at all and it would really screw up there relationship!

Chapter 13-14

"My heart is jabbing fast like a needle against the soft underside of my ribs. It hurts to breathe." Page 118

This phrase makes me feel how terrible Nadira must have felt at this moment. I think she feels that she is is selfishly going behind her family's back. Selfishly because what she is doing will probably will get her father out of captivity but if she gets caught then all of them will be in REALLY big trouble!

Chapter 12

"Maybe if I just stop wanting so much, they can't hurt me. I don't want to stand out anymore, Nadira. It hurts too much. I don't want to stand out. Not anymore."

This quote makes me feel that Aisha is giving up on doing her best. Aisha has not done anything in this chapter to get what she wants. In past chapters, Aisha has done so well to be nominated to be valedictorian for her class and now she is blowing off collage interviews. I think she thinks it will be easier to not want to do well so she is trying to discourage herself but I think that will be harder. The reason why I think it would be harder to stop trying, is because then all the teachers at her school and at the collages she is applying to will start asking questions. This will make things a lot worse because of her immigration status.
It will be hard for her to keep on trying but I think it is the best for everyone if she does. And who knows, maybe she will get a FANTASTIC scholarship form the school of her dreams, but that will never happen if she gives up.

Chapter 11

"And she only feels safe with me, who knows what's really going on." Page 91

This quote makes me feel really bad for Aisha! The reason why it makes me feel so bad is because before Aisha loved making fun of Nadira and know she only feels safe with her. I think she feels this way because she is the only person who is going though the same thing she is going through. Taslima is going though something similar but she if reacting very differently then Aisha and Nadira. It's like Nadira is the olny person who she can talk to with them understanding. It is not a great feeling to know there is only one you can talk that will get what you are saying.

Chapter 10

"'Any individual, from any country, no matter what their immigration status, has a right to a lawyer--' 'Save it,' the women interrupts." (Page 85)

When I first started reading this sentence what I think of is "Go Aisha!!!' but when I finished it I realized that this lady has absolutely no respect for any of these people! This makes me feel really bad for their family because there Aisha is standing up for herself/her family when she is slammed. I don't understand why this lady is being so rude. This sentence really makes me think about their situation.

Documentary

"After I laid the map open on the dining table, Abba showed us the thick arteries of highways, the spidery blue line of the border" Page 10

I think this is an interesting quote because in the documentary some of the borders were mountain ridges or holes in walls or rivers. I think it is interesting to compare the real borders to the ones on the maps.