Chapter 17/18 Blog

"And then she says them: the words that have gathered like thunder in our throats. The words that make me afraid to move in my own skin.
'My name is Aisha Hossain. And I am an illegal alien.'" chapter 17, page 150

When Aisha was giving her speech, I thought she was making a huge leap forward. To have the courage to admit everything they have been keeping secret for so long take a lot. I think that Nadira and her parents were secretly wanting someone to tell their secret, but were also worried that something might happen to them when people found out. I'm really happy that Aisha told people the secret because now they don't have to be in hiding. Aisha can finally have a reason to get help financially to go to college, and they can finally have a normal life. I really like the book overall, and I'm glad they could finally be themselves rather than people they're not.

Chapter 16 Blog

"Above, the sky looks gray and soupy, like water before a storm. A few pale, weak stars glimmer through. I can feel all of our elders breathing down on us. Ali-Uncle. Naseem-Uncle. I shut my eyes, imagine the dappled swimming pool shot through with sunlight. It's not just about breathing. It's about making yourself clear as water, honest and calm." pages 146-147

In this quote, I liked how she mentioned the people in her life who have left, and she is trying hard to breathe.
I noticed several times the references to water and breathing. I thought the last two sentences were really good at describing one of the main themes of the book. The way she said: "It's about making yourself clear as water, honest and calm," really made me think. Water can be calm and clear, but at other times, it can be murky and disrupted. The comparison to water in this book is fitting because at times, water is calm and clear, but it can change at any moment. All she needs to do to calm the water of her life is just breathe. Breathe, Nadira. Breathe.

There are links, but the color is light blue. The words are in the second paragraph I wrote; first and third sentences. Just wanted to make sure people saw that!

Chapter 15 Blog

"Everyone stares at all that money lying in a pile on the table. The lady punching the funny machine has a little smile on her face." page 134

I thought it was funny how while Nadira was explaining everything and showing the money, people around her started to smile to themselves. It showed that Nadira was really proving to people that they made a mistake and had the wrong person. When I read that people were smiling, I thought it meant that Nadira was doing a good job and people were supporting her with their facial expressions. I am also really happy that Abba was able to leave jail and go back to their family. I can't wait to see Aisha's reaction to what Nadira did.

Chapter 13-14 Blog

"My thoughts are speeding faster, and now one fear trips into another. What if it doesn't work? What if they don't care about my big discovery? Maybe I have to do something else--something bigger, guaranteed to save Abba. Quickly I dig in my pocket, find the scrap of paper and dial. The phone picks up after two rings." page 117

I chose this quote because Nadira is making a huge decision which could possibly change her life. I think it was really good that she didn't actually give Tareq the money because I feel that he would have taken it and not helped Nadira at all. I used to think Tareq was just the "bad boy", but now I see that he can actually be dangerous if given the right opportunity. If Nadira had given him all the money Abba worked hard to earn for her, then he would have to become something he's not, just because of what Nadira did to her family. I also think she should've talked to Aisha before taking any money because it was a very irresponsible thing to do. I hope Nadira will learn from this mistake and can help Aisha and their parents.

Chapter 12 Blog

"This is the first time I've ever done this, but I put my arms around my sister. She feels as if she's all bones and she's shaking. I don't know what to say. So we sit like that for a long, long time." page 113

I chose this quote because I think Aisha and Nadira are starting to switch roles. Not change completely, but just the way they treat each other has switched. Nadira is acting more like she needs to take care of Aisha, and Aisha seems more helpless and needs Nadira there to help her. I also liked how the girls are learning to need each other more, rather than shutting the other person out of their lives. I'm also happy for Nadira for being closer to her sister. I hope they can get stronger (especially Aisha after her breakdown) and work together to help their family.

Chapter 11 Blog

"For an instant, Aisha's eyes flash, and I'm sure she's going to say something mean, put me down. Instead, she laughs and picks up the rest of her bun. 'There's plenty of room, Nadira. You just have to learn how to grab it.'
After that, something shifts between Aisha and me. It's like she's opened the door and wriggled over to let me into her private little world." pages 89-90

I chose this quote because Aisha is finally learning how to get along with Nadira, and vice versa. Aisha was able to control herself and not say something mean, which Nadira was relieved by. I really liked how Nadira was saying Aisha: "opened the door and wriggled over to let me into her private little world." Finally Aisha is feeling like she is able to let her sister in on her life instead of locking her out. Nadira also feels more confident to be in her sister's life, and I think she is really trying hard not to be shut out again.
Now that the sisters have finally bonded, I think they will be able to help out their father and get asylum in Canada. Or at least I hope that's what will happen.

Chapter 10 Blog

"Then Uncle turns to the tall man, and I see how all the fierceness has drained from him. His hands tremble as he shrugs on his coat. He dips his head as he's led out the door as if he's afraid to stand too tall." pages 82-83

I thought this quote was sad because its like Uncle has been defeated by the men. He was trying to be strong and brave for his family, so nothing bad would happen to them, and when the men were taking him out, he gave in. In this quote, I really like how the author said, "all the fierceness has drained from him." I think he was strong for a while, then he became weaker and didn't have any more fighting in him.
I also like how the author said, "as if he's afraid to stand too tall." I think this means he was more defeated by the men than before, and he didn't want to stand taller to give his family more hope than they need. He also probably didn't want to show the men that he was going to put up a fight, or that he would try to stay with his family. He gave in to protect the ones he loves, and I think that was very brave of him.

Chapter 9 Blog

"It's been a long while since I felt so good about Aisha. We're together, a sister-sister team. Sometimes an idea occurs to me in the middle of class, and I'll jot it down and meet her in the halls later. Papers we can show. A way to phrase something. It's like my brain is suddenly sharp and clear, though I'm moving real slow, and I know what my move is two steps ahead of me." page 78

I really like this quote because it shows you how the sisters are now treating each other. You see that they are finally bonding, which was due to happen soon. Now that they have a reason to work together, they are treating each other well and are very excited to be doing this letter. For Nadira to finally say that they are "a sister-sister team" means she has learned to get along well with Aisha and do something that can help their family. I really wanted Nadira and Aisha to get along, ever since the beginning. With the girls fighting, they couldn't help each other and protect their family. Now, with this bond, they might actually be able to finish this letter, retrieve their father from detainment, and bring their parents into Canada with asylum.

Chapter 7-8 Blog

"Abba always believed--even as the sky spits at you, or a drought cheats you of your crop, or the soldiers plunder your house, or the rent collector wants a bribe--you do the right thing. You have to stand for something, like Naseem. That's what he taught Aisha and me." Ch. 7, pg 57

I chose this quote because you can see how Abba taught Aisha and Nadira from his own experiences. I also liked the descriptions of this quote, which describe the different things that can happen. Abba really loved Naseem, and looked up to him as a person who could always guide him. When Naseem was killed, Abba felt as if a part of him was missing, so he taught his daughters that they have to "stand for something, like Naseem." He needed to continue on the memory of Naseem and make sure his daughters learned the same values he did when he was younger.

Wetback

This video was a really good example of showing what really happens when people cross borders illegally. One thing I noticed was the difference in the two men who were crossing. One of them, Nayo, was more tired and always thinking about his friends and family, while the other, Milton, was feeling fine and was eager to keep moving and get a better life in Canada.
Comparing these men to the girls in Ask Me No Questions, I think Nayo is more like Nadira. They are both thinking about the worst-case scenario, and are worried about family and friends. Milton and Aisha are both the leaders who are strong and eager to get to their destination.
Milton and Aisha seem to be the people who are confident in themselves and the journeys ahead of them. They feel prepared for what could happen, and try to focus on the better possibilities.
Nayo and Nadira, on the other hand, seem less confident. Nayo was calling his mother often, and Nadira is always worried about her parents. They are following Milton and Aisha because they aren't sure where exactly to go next.
The book and movie are both good examples of how people cross the border and what it takes to change from the follower to a confident leader.

Chapter 5 Blog - Ask me no questions

"I remember when I was little, crouching in a corner of the playground and hearing a group of girls chant: Ask me no questions. Tell me no lies. That's the policy at school. Ask me no questions, we say silently. And the teachers don't. 'We're not the INS,' I once heard one of them say. 'We're here to teach.' But sometimes I feel like shaking their sleeves and blurting out, Ask me. Please." (pages 29-30)

I think this quote was a good example of how the people act at school and how they respect the other students who may or may not be illegal. It seems as if Nadira needs someone to be there to talk to and share what is going on in her life. Without that, she becomes stressed and it is hard to keep everything a secret.

The teachers don't want to bother the students about their personal issues, so they let them be. I think that is good of them so they don't get too involved in the students lives. It is very good for the illegals because then no one will find out about their secret. I also liked this quote because it included the title in it.

Chapter 6 Blog

"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." (page 51-52)

I chose this quote because it shows how she transforms from the younger sister with low self-confidence, to the girl who has the courage to embarrass her sister. I thought it was good of Nadira to stand up to Aisha, but then that screwed up her relationship with Aisha. Nadira could have agreed to get along with Aisha, but instead, she chose to stay safe and not trust her sister who was known to go back on her word. I felt bad for Aisha in this scene, but I also think she deserved it. It made her be a little less "perfect" and get a sense of how Nadira might feel in that place. I really hope both girls can come into their senses and learn to live with each other.

Response to Maddie's Blog

I agree with what Maddie said in her blog. The quote she chose really showed the kind of relationship Nadira and Aisha have. If the sisters can't talk to each other, than they might not be able to live in that way, and separate. I think that without each other there, they could easily fail at their goal to cross the border into Canada. I agree with Maddie when she said: "...if that means that Aisha needs to swallow her pride once in a while or that Nadira needs to gain confidence." I thought this sentence really reflected on the girls' behavior and what needs to happen in order to get along with each other. I hope they can get along for a while to help themselves and their parents.

Chapter 3-4 Blog - Stories

"These are the stories you hear from your grandmother with the dry rattle in her throat, her teeth stained red from pan and betel leaves; from your abba when he's in a quiet mood and smoothes you hair over and over.
You're only little, but you know it's there: that feeling that you never know what terror will pulse from the ground." -page 22

I chose this quote because it describes really well the way you see people telling the stories. The things grandmothers would say are reminding them of what happened, which could have been terrible. I really like the way she said: "with the dry rattle in her throat, her teeth stained red from pan and betel leaves" because it is very descriptive and you can really imagine her grandmother telling the stories.
When I read this part of the book, it struck me as an intense quote. "You're only little, but you know it's there: that feeling that you never know what terror will pulse from the ground." This sentence made me think for a minute to understand its depth.
I felt that the whole third chapter was a good break from the story to describe the background of Nadira's family and country. It shows you how she might feel about going back or not, and why she thinks that way. I believe she wants to go back, but is afraid of what she might find there when she does.

Chapter 2 Blog - Home

"We weren't supposed to do this. We were supposed to stay and then one day roll the word in our mouths: home. Every inch the car moves forward the word seems to crack, crushed under our tires." -page 12

I chose this quote because of the way she felt about the word home. She wants so badly to find a place that she can belong, and feel like she matters. But in her situation now, she feels as if she is never going to find a place to call home.