This Is Yours, Too. (Notes from Chapter 17)

"I know because Aisha wouldn't give her speech unless I sat with the graduates. This is yours too, she said."-page 149

Seriously, I smiled when I read this. I was so happy that Aisha was sharing the pride with her sister. Aisha had never been the type to share things with Nadira, but now that their family is back together and has been changed so much because of everything that they have gone through, Aisha has learned to respect Nadira. I agree with Aisha that the speech is for Nadira, too. Nadira worked so hard to get their family out of trouble, and she did. I was so happy for them.

Be Yourself (Notes from Chapter 16)

"But sometimes... sometimes you have to tell them who you are. What you really think. You have to make them see us."

I really liked this quote. Nadira was explaining to Aisha that she doesn't have to pretend to be someone she's not. The only thing that matters to everyone is that Aisha is real. She doesn't ave to look like everyone else. It's actually better to be smart and independant, rather than smart and the same as everyone else. I really respected Nadira for seriously talking with her sister. It takes a lot of gut to talk to an older sibling like that, and I think that it got through to Aisha. I hope that Aisha will listen to Nadira, because she had really good ideas.

You Made It. (Notes from Chapter 15)

‘"You folks make a simple mistake and this-" He turns his head to me, grinning. “What grade are you in, dear?”
“Ninth.” I answer.
“This ninth grader can straighten it out in five minutes!”’

Chapter fifteen was by far the most important chapter in the book. Nadira left the house of the family with the green card, and she got on a bus, and went to Vermont. She found her mother at the Salvation Army Shelter, and comforted her when she found out Nadira was okay. Nadira went into that room headstrong and with a purpose. Although seeing Abba so uncoordinated and distressed when he walked into the room may have thrown her a little bit, She didn’t let the lawyer shut her up. She showed the judge that her father’s name was spelled with an ‘a’ not an ‘e’, and that was enough to get the judge’s attention. Then she showed him that the money they thought was going to be used in a harmful way was really money he was saving for Aisha and Nadira’s college tuition. I think Nadira really pulled through. She has become the strong girl I had hoped she would become, and I hope that now they can pick up the pieces and bring their family back together.

Becoming Someone New (Notes from Chapter 14)

“Suddenly I can feel it, his words of patience telling me to choose right, even when the storms come.”

I was really proud of Nadira at the end of this chapter. She really stood up and made the right decision, even though she was under pressure. Tareq is bad news. I had a feeling that he would be. I was proud of her for calling him and asking for help, because it’s good to ask for help when you need it, but Tareq just wasn’t the right person to ask. I was really happy when she ran out the door of the family with the green cards house. She thought about the consequences, and then evaluated the situation in a very responsible way, and made the right decision.

I was upset when Nadira took the money from Ali-Uncle. That money doesn’t only belong to Nadira, it belongs to Aisha and Ma and Abba. Even though there were good intentions behind her taking the money, it wasn’t hers to take. I’m glad that she didn’t give it to a complete stranger. She really used her head in a tough situation, which was very mature and a step up for her.

I think that Nadira and Aisha are going to break through. I think that Nadira is going to become a lot smarter, in more ways than one; I’m hoping that Aisha will learn that the world doesn’t revolve around her and she’ll learn to be respectful and supportive of her sister. I really think that the two girls are going to learn that it’s okay to depend on each other. That’s what siblings are for. Even though we don’t always get along, you’re stuck together through sickness and through health, just like marriage, and it’s better to embrace that then neglect the relationship.

FIghter (Notes from Chapter 13)

"For the first time I feel like I can run, fast."

I really like this quote. It made me feel like Nadira is really finding the courage within herself to protect and defend her family. Even though Aisha is slowly becoming less and less helpful, she still needs the support of her sister to keep her going. Nadira is really impressing me. She seems stronger. That all of these horrible things that are happening to her are pushing her so hard that she’s starting to fight back. She’s fighting her inner demons that are telling her she can’t do things, she’s fighting the people who give her a hard time about herself, and she’s fighting the people who are tearing her family apart. I have faith that she will be able to overpower these problems, and slowly put the pieces of her life back together.

Don't Give Up (Notes from Chapter 12)

'"But what if I put myself forward, and then they take everything away?" She shakes her head once more. "And then I realized. I can't do this anymore. It's too hard. Too big. Nothings working. Not the letters. Nothing. 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."'

I felt really bad for Aisha at this point in the book. Aisha was getting to her breaking point. Her teachers and sister were disappointed in her, she missed a college interview, she can't get her father out of jail the way she planned, and she can't handle all of that at once. Aisha's giving up on herself, and giving up on others. She fees like there's nothing more she can do, or anything more she wants to do. I hope that Aisha learns that she can't be perfect, but she still needs to try. Even if she can't be perfect, or go to college right out of high school, she can still go, no matter how old she is, or if she's valedictorian.

Unfaithful Much? (Notes from Chapter 11)

"It's then I notice the photographs propped up on the shelf: her and Lily's dad holding hands in front of a restaurant; Lily's dad and the baby, sitting on a futon couch-..."

I felt so bad for Nadira and Lily in this part of the book. I guess that it was for the better that Lily found out her father is living a double life, but it's still horrible that someone would do that to their wife and child. I felt really bad for Nadira, because she had to go to the manicurist's house and figure out the story for herself. I think that seeing the pictures of Lily's father and the baby made Nadira feel really bad. I don't know if I would be able to handle that. I think it would break me to either find out my father has another family, or having to tell my friend that her father is living a double-life.

And Then There Was Two: Our Worst Nightmare (Notes from Chapter 10)

“ “You are taking my husband to jail?” When he nods, Auntie lets out a wail like I’ve never heard, pulling at her own cheeks. My heart feels like it has been twisted into a knot.”

I thought that this part of the book was really sad. Both Abba and Uncle have been detained because of their expired visas, and the family is left stranded. I was really sad when Aisha was trying to get the officer listen to her, but all she said was they had no right to be sitting where they were and that their uncle had no rights in America because he was illegal. Poor Nadira and Aisha’s lives are falling apart right in front of their eyes. I’m really not sure at this point what they’re going to do to help their families. Now they must free Abba as well as Uncle, and make sure they can stay in the United States. This is a really difficult situation, and I hope that this all will end well.

Treat People The Way You Want To Be Treated (Notes from Chapter 9)

“If I say a word that is angry, he explained, then I should never be surprised by the harm. And if I say something good, then it is like watching my own garden grow, and that is the greatest pleasure ever.”

I really like what Ali-Uncle said. I agree that when you say something mean to another person, you should never be surprised that it hurt them. People are people, and all of us have feelings. On the other and, when you say something kind to another person, it makes them want to me nice to you. What goes around, comes around, so treat people the way that you want to be treated, because they most likely will treat you the same way. Ali-Uncle seems to know a lot about this. He teaches Aisha and Nadira things that they otherwise wouldn’t know, and I think it’s important for them to keep seeing him and talking to him, because he is teaching them to be good people.

Pulling It Together (Notes from Chapter 8)

"Aisha makes her eyes go small. ‘Nadira, the trouble with you is you don’t fight. You just give in.’”

As much as I don’t want to admit it, I think that Aisha is right. Nadira does give in. I think that Aisha needs to tone it down a little, and Nadira needs to step it up a little more. Aisha is constantly fighting the system and trying to get Mr. Rashid, the lawyer, to listen to her. Nadira just thinks that Mr. Rashid is right and they just have to wait it out and let the system deal with it. Nadira needs to believe that they can do something to help their parents, and Aisha needs to know that her ideas will not always work. Both of them just need to try.

Reflecting on Wetback

While watching Wetback, I thought it was really important that someone had produced this film. There are so many people that don’t understand how hard the lives of immigrants are, and this movie is a chance to learn. I think that the two characters in the movie, Nayo and Milton, were much like Nadira and Aisha. Nayo is very self-confidant, brave, and strong, much like Aisha. He doesn’t seem scared, and he says he’s just focused on getting to Canada. Milton, on the other hand, is very worried about the trip. In one part of the film he said he was bored, sick, tired, and he missed his family. He had called his mother and she begged him to come back, but he said he had to finish his mission. He reminded me of Nadira because he seemed more emotional than Nayo. He was nervous about the future, and he wanted to help but wasn’t sure that he could make it, just like Nadira. I think that the story in Ask Me No Questions reflected the movie because they both are trying to find a better life in Canada, and they have to cross the border without getting caught.

Taking a Stand: What We've Been Waiting For All This Time. (Notes from Chapter 6)

'Before I can help myself, I've jumped up from the table and shoved Aisha's tray back at her so the gravy goes slopping onto her neat buttoned blouse. "What are you talking about, Aisha?" I whisper hotly. "You and your little perfect scores and your perfect this and that? Who cares if you're valedictorian? You're not going to college! You're not going anywhere!"
Aisha looks as if I've socked her in the chest. She sits back, breathing hard. Her frizzy hair has straggled loose from her braid. She blinks away a few tears. The others stare at me in shock. Then she picks up her tray, stiffly, and walks down the aisle of tables. I'm left staring at my own tray. Strange, nasty thoughts swarm into my head. I've never made my sister cry before. It seems impossible. Aisha is too strong, too smart for me. But this is different. It's like having a new kind of power, black and ugly, like what Uncle did to me this morning.
And the weird thing is: I like it.'

I have been waiting for Nadira to speak up for the whole book. I was not, however, expecting Nadira to insult Aisha to the point that she cries. I thought that Nadira would tell Aisha that she's not just 'the fat dreamy one', she's a smart, kind girl that deserves respect, and Aisha would blow her off, but gain some respect because Nadira told her that. I had no idea that Nadira would yell at her sister until Aisha cried in front of her friends. Nadira also spilled gravy on her sister's blouse, which probably pissed Aisha off. Then telling her no one cares about her being the valedictorian, and that she is not going to college? Nadira must have gone mad. I always say that her eyes rolled to the back of her head and fought for her life. I hope that this incident will help Nadira become more confidant with herself, and help Aisha learn that it is not always about her, and that sometimes she needs to pay attention to her sister and give her the respect that she deserves.
I also noticed that after the cafeteria showdown, Nadira said that she felt she had 'black and ugly power' that she had used to spite her sister. She made you think that what she had said and done was truly a malicious act, and then she says 'And the weird thing is: I liked it.' That was the part where I thought to myself: Nadira is going a little overboard with the new-found power over Aisha. Even though Aisha is constantly being rude to Nadira, I think that Nadira should be the adult and try and be as respectful as possible to Aisha without becoming a kiss-up. There's a really fine line between Standing up for yourself and being purposefully malicious, and I think Nadira might have stepped a little over the line.

Time To Grow Up (Notes from Chapter 5)

"Either they speak like I' a little baby who can't understand the stupidest thing, or they gaze at me with the weight and sadness of the world behind their eyes, making me feel so confused I wish they'd just shut up."

I connected with this quote because my family does that to me as well. Whenever something bad happens in the family, they try to make it sound all fine and great, but I really understand what's going on, and the down talking just makes me feel more upset. Some of my family members will also try to tell me things and just look at me with tears in their eyes, trying to talk to me like an adult, and usually those are the times I feel smallest. I always used to want my family to look me in the eye and talk to me like an adult, but now I'm not so sure that's exactly what I want. I wish that people knew when the right time was, but that's too much to ask. I guess I need to learn how to handle difficult situations, just like Nadira's, and be able to handle the weight and sadness of the world in someone's eyes.

On The Tip Of Her Tongue (Note on Chapter 5)

"... and the words inside me are stones in my mouth."

I think that this quote has a lot to do with Nadira's personality. Nadira has so much to say and has great ideas, but she never says them. When somebody presents her with a problem, she doesn't know what to say. I think that Nadira is going to learn how to speak her mind, and tell her family how she really feels. I hope Aisha will learn to respect Nadira, as well.

So Much For Sticking Together.

I agreed with Adrienne's post about Nadira and Aisha not being able to get along with each other. I think that Aisha has caused Nadira too much pain for Nadira to forgive her easily. I hope eventually the two will be able to get along, but for now, I don't think that they will be comfortable with each other. Aisha and Nadira are also very different, making it very hard to hold up a conversation. Aisha likes to talk about what she knows well, just like when she was talking about obiesity in the mall's food court, but Nadira likes to talk about simlpe things like the weather or how the food is. Nadira also wants to talk about her parents, but Aisha refuses to speak about it. I hope these two eventually learn that they are on the same side, and fighting just makes it harder.

A Sentence From Chapter One

"But what kills me is that Aisha always says the right thing. She asks Ma if she's low on mustard oil for cooking, or Abba if he asked the doctor about the better ointment for his joints."