1. “It was a kind of orderly nation full of clean bathrooms, a land where traffic laws were obeyed and where whales jumped through hoops.”(page 4)
Americans don't think of these things as good, they take for granted. Non-Americans don't take these things for granted because they know what it is like with out them, even though in America traffic laws aren't usually obeyed. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew there is no direct indication that Sundara and her family like the clean bathroom and the obeyed traffic laws because they never actually said it. But it can be assumed that they do because they keep saying that they are thankful for being able to come to America. Also in the book the author described the living conditions in Cambodia and on the boat so it can be assumed. I know that I don't appreciate these thing as much as I should but I have known no other way, so I don't know how they are feeling.
2. “She and I wandered aimlessly, perhaps hoping for a shooting star or a talking animal to help guide us back.” (page 6)
Most Americans don't realize that our cities and towns are crazy and have many streets because they have lived there for so long. This makes them assume everyone else knows their way around to. Foreigners, either from a different country or state, have a harder time trying to find places making the transition much more confusing. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew there is no indication that Sundara and her family have any trouble getting around. This could be that they are living in an apartment building with other foreigners that know their way around better then them so they can ask them. Also in this book it has been four years since they came while in Funny in Farsi it has only been for a short while. School can be like a city with all the hallways and class rooms. Since I am a freshmen I know how Firoozeh is feeling when she feels lost. I am sort of shocked that the father assumed that they knew their way around when he knows they have only been there for a short time.
Chapter 2: Hot Dogs and Wild Geese
1. “We counted on him not only to translate the language but also to translate the culture, to be a link to this most foreign of lands.” (page 8)
What we Americans don't realized is that America is not consistent. Different places in our country have different ways of life. For example, the way people talk down South is different than the way people talk up North. This could be very confusing for someone who isn't from here. They would think that we are so strange. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, American culture is viewed differently as in this book Funny in Farsi. In the Children of the River, Sundara is having a hard time understanding the American way. For example, Sundara cannot seem to understand the American way of dating because here you get to pick who you want to marry. I am originally from America so I cannot really connect because this is all I know but I can sort of understand their confusion.
2. “My mother soon decided that the easiest way for her to communicate with Americans was to use me as an interpreter.” (page 10)
From what I know, most foreigners use their children as interpreters because they are young and they learn faster than adults do. The parents use their children as sort of a life line that connects them to the country. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, Soka uses Sundara to translate things just like in Funny in Farsi. For example, Soka asked Sundara to translate a letter for her that was written in English. My parents don't do this because we all have grown up here in Maine so there is no need to.
Chapter 3: In the Gutter
1. “In his attempts to embrace American culture, my father had joined a local bowling league.”(page 14)
Many people that come to America from a different country always want to fit in. They don't want to be the odd on out. This happens in other places to like in school. Students want to blend into the crowd and not be the one to be laughed at. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, Sundara starts to dress like an American with the American jeans and make-up so that she can fit in. In my life, I have watched people try to fit in by trying to be someone that they are not. I have also tried to fit in at school but not by changing myself.
2. “Like a bride preparing to walk down the aisle, my father carefully chose his clothing, got a haircut, and practiced saying “Hello, I am Kazem” to the bathroom mirror.” (page 15)
Even though Kazem isn't from here he still shows the enthusiasm that Americans do to be rich. I bet a bunch of American do something like this all that time when are are excited for an event. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, Soka wants Sundara is be with a rich man. This shows that she cares about money to even if it is going to another person. Money matters to them. I believe that this is about almost everyone's dream who is living in America. But I know that money is not everything. Some people's dream is to stay alive for another day or to be with their family for another day. I don't understand that these people from these books have been through not as good living conditions and have lost someone dear to them but they still want money and to be rich.
Chapter 4: Save Me, Mickey
1. “Because we are new to this country, we are impressed not just by the big attractions but also the little things – smiling employees, clean bathrooms, and clear signage” (page 17)
They are impressed in all of these things because they don't have them. We are very fortunate to have all the little thing like clean bathrooms and the big things like amusement parks, even though we don't see it. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, Sundara was amazed by Johnathan's house and how elegant it was just like Firoozeh is with the Disney Land. I know for a fact that I don't appreciate clean bathrooms the way that I should. I don't really appreciate amusement park too because they are a regular thing in my life.
2. “I told her that I spoke Persian and I was certain that the boy did not.” (page 21)
I think that the person that was trying to get Firoozeh to talk to the boy was being very rude. She spoke to Firoozeh like she didn't understand when she was very sure that the boy did not speak Persian. It is like trying to tell someone who knows only English to ask someone their name in French. In the book Children of the River by Linda Crew, this does not happen but it sort of did when Cathy talked to Sundara about how Johnathan and her had something very special and he doesn't like her. Cathy talked to her very rudely and talked to her like she didn't belong. This has happened to me before because sometimes people assume that I don't know something because I am young. So they go on and on about the topic even though I told them that I understand.
Chapter 5: Swoosh, Swoosh
1. “Every family has a daredevil.” (page 24)
It doesn't matter if the daredevil is immediate family of distant, mostly every family has one. My family calls me the family daredevil all the time so I can totally relate to this statement. In the book, Children of the River by Linda Crew Sundara is the daredevil in her family because she is the only one willing enough to go against her aunt, Soka.
2. “After weeks of research, we concluded that Kentucky Fried Chicken was the best thing we had tasted in America, followed by Baskin-Robbins, every last one of its flavors.” (page 26)
The most tastiest foods are often the deadliest in fat. In the book, Children of the River by Linda Crew the author mentions that Ravy loves hamburgers, as shown in the scene where Naro brings the kids them. For me I love junk food because it is so tasty, even though it isn't good for you.
Chapter 6: With a Little help form my Friends
1. “I, however, never punched anybody with my fists; I used words.” (page 33)
I congratulate Firoozeh for not resulting in violence but words instead. Words are so much stronger than fists. In the book, Children of the River by Linda Crew, nobody got violent and they just used words. For example, Cathy threatened Sundara by using words not violence. I too prefer words over fists.
2. “We remember the kindness more than ever, knowing that our relatives that immigrated to this country after the Iranian Revolution did not encounter the same America.” (page 36)
I have noticed that you often remember the attitudes of other people the most, not the actual events that occurred. In the book Children of the River, Sundara probably remembers Cathy's attitude towards her more than the actual words directed at her. I remember vaguely what rides I rode when I went to Disney Land when I was 8 but what I do remember is how the rides made me feel. For example, the Tornado ride made me feel scared wven though I don't remember what the ride was all about.
Chapter 8: A Dozen Key Chains
1. “Anything that expensive has to be good, he repeatedly said.” (page 42)
Yes, my mother saids this all the time. She is always says “You get what you paid for.” What I have experienced this statement is true because what other reason do they put a high price on it beside the quaility and brand name. In the Children of the River, Soka bought Sundara some silk that was very nice but very expensive. So you get what you paid for.
“List in hand, my father and I headed straight for the clearance section in the camping department.” (page 44)
You don't always have to buy all of the brand named products, sometimes you can find the same thin on the clearance rack without paying all of that money. In the book Children of the River, Sundara got a jacket from Good Will, which was good it just an ugly color. I have been in the clearance isle many times and I have found a lot of items I ended up buying.
Chapter 11: The “F” Word
1. “To strengthen my decision to add an American name, I had just finished fifth grade in Whittier, where all the kids incessantly called me “Ferocious.” ”
Kids can be so mean sometimes. I can tell from the text that Firoozeh did not like this nickname but they kept on calling her that anyway. In the Children on the River, Sundara was being harassed by the boys of her school because of her and Jonathan. In school I hear people call each other nicknames all the time.
2. “After three months of rejections, I addd “Julie” to my résumé. Call it coincidence, but the job offers started coming in.”
That is so bad it is like the hirers don't care about the actual person but the persons name. In the book, Children of the River, a similar situation occurs when Mr. Bonner want Sundara to wear a flower tiara not because of her but because she was Cambodian. On T.V shows I notice these situations happen all of the time. For example, on CSI:NY, Mac created a virtual avatar and people wouldn't go near him because he was boy but they did when he switched to a girl.
Chapter 12: Waterloo
1. “In Iran, people learned to swim on their own, if they learned at all.” (page 68)
This just goes to show how luck we are to have the resources to learn how to swim and to do other things. In the book, Children of the River, the author states that the people in Cambodia don't have the elegant houses that we have in America. We just don't appreciate all the things we have until it is gone.
2. “My father no longer insulted me; instead, he treated me with pity, since he now assumed that I was missing the chromosome necessary for buoyancy.” (page 72)
I cannot believe her father! Fathers are suppose to support their children not look at them with disgust! In the Children of the River, Soka does the same thing with Sundara. She looks at her like she was responsible for her baby's death. I cannot even begin to think of how the kid must feel when their parents do that.
Chapter 13: America Land of the Free
1. “During our Thanksgiving meal, my father gives thanks for living in a free country where he can vote.” (page 75)
Voting can be a big deal for some people and only recently have woman gained that right in America. In the book, Children of the River, nobody mentions voting but freedom of speech is mentioned when the other kids of Sundara's class talk back to the teacher and she is appalled. I have met people from other countries that also are thankful for the right to vote. I have also met other people that are just thankful for just being in America too.
2. “Under normal circumstances, my father would not eat a frozen Western – style fish enchilada, but give him a free sample and all rules of judgment and taste are suspended.” (page 76)
Free samples are awesome. Usually I wouldn't try something but if it was free I don't see why I wouldn't. In the book, Children of the River, the author doesn't mention anything about free samples but when the family is offered more time to work they take it because they can and they need it. For me, free samples are the best especially at the meat house. That is good.
