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I posted two comments on Sarah Micucci's blog.

I-raynians Need Not Apply

‘. . . many Americans, hatred not just of the hostage takers but of all Iranians.’

I can’t relate to this.  Sundara can’t really either, because she was on the other side, instead of people hating her and her country people were passionate to Cambodians and felt really bad for them.  I do think though that it must be horrible knowing that nobody likes you for things a few people in your home country are doing.

‘. . . He tells my mother how she should vote.’

I think this is so funny that Firoozeh’s mother doesn’t care enough to make her own decisions.  When it comes to voting my parents usually feel the same on all the votes but every no and then the don’t, which always surprises me because their views are so similar.  I don’t ask them how they vote I just ask them about certain things and one feels one way and the other is on the opposite side of the vote.

I Ran and I Ran and I Ran

‘. . . the lawn was covered with bloody and injured Iranians.’

I have never had an experience like this but Sundara lived through something worse then this because of what the Khmer Rouge did to her family and other Cambodians.  I can’t even imagine going through something like this because of how awful going through something like this must be.

‘. . . “Our next stop is the Lincoln Memorial, built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, . . .”’ 

This quote made me think of my trip I took to Washington when I was younger, I don’t remember that much but I can remember parts of the zoo and the science museum.

America, Land of the Free

‘ . . . and we all share the American tradition of feeling more stuffed than the bird.’

This reminded me of my family on Thanksgiving.  Before dinner we are all full of energy and want to eat because we are starving but the second we finish eating he all laugh at how full we are, and we can’t do anything. 

‘. . . my father gives thanks for living in a free country where he can vote.’

We don’t do this in America but we probably should because we don’t really understand how great our rights are here compared to those rights people have in other countries.  I think that we should give thanks for those rights more often.  I can’t remember if Sundara’s family ever completely said they are thankful for their new rights but I am sure that they are very thankful for their new rights

Waterloo

‘. . .In Iran, people learned to swim on their own, if they learned at all.’

This is what I think a lot of places are like, you learn special skills on your own or just don’t bother to learn at all because they don’t feel that certain skills are important.  But here in America we learn all kinds of special skills like swimming because we can afford to teach or pay to have someone teach your kids to swim. 

‘. . .My father, an engineer, had an entirely logical approach to teaching his students to swim.’

My dad isn’t an engineer but he will always be the guy who has a logical explanation for anything.  Sometimes I might make a statement as a joke and he will come back with something smart and start with, ‘That would never happen because . . .’.

The “F” Word

‘. . . America is a great country, but nobody without a mask and a cape has a z in his name.’

This quote instantly connected to me because I have a z in my last name, and obviously I don’t wear a mask or cape.

‘. . . Having been called Froozy, Frizzy, Friorucci and Frooz and just plain “Uhhhh. . .”, . . .’

I usually am called stuff like this because of my last name, usually if someone can’t get it correct on one of their first try whoever is trying to say my last name will just finish by saying, “Jackman M. . .”.

A dozen Key Chains

‘. . .I told my parents I wanted to go to summer camp.’

I used to say that I wanted to go to an overnight summer camp but when it came time to sign up I would back down, because I would be afraid to go and be away from my parents. 

‘. . . proved far more satisfying targets than I could ever have hoped to be.  In fact, not only did I not get picked on, but was completely ignored by everyone, including the counselors.’

Sometimes I am the kid who is quiet because I don’t really like being the center of attention, I would rather be the type of person who is in the middle of the pack.  Sundara was just like Firoozeh, Sundara didn’t want to be noticed that much and  was happy just to get through the day and go back home as fast as she possible could.

Swoosh-Swoosh

‘. . . which vegetables to clean and cut.  The vegetables were either grown in our garden or had been purchased the day before.’

This reminds me of times that I go over to my uncle and aunt’s house, they have a garden so we will always pick so veggies before we start dinner.  Sundara’s family did the same as Firoozeh’s family, Sundara usually was the one who would pick or buy the veggies.

‘. . . I was to write down the phone numbers for all the products that quickly and painlessly melted away the extra pounds.’ 

My family loves commercial for all kinds of different products, one time over New Years we had a talent show at the lodge we stay at and my mom, brother, and cousin did a spoof on a commercial and it was hilarious.  Ever since we have made little jokes about commercials.

Save Me, Mickey

‘. . . This gave us approximately 104 weekends to see everything there was to see in California. . .’

This is like the time this summer when I had a baseball tournament in Bangor, so my family only had one weekend to see Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, we were able to see everything we wanted.  I find this funny because they were in America to live but they seemed a lot like tourist who want to see all the sites.

‘. . . Disgruntled, I hung up and looked around to find the rest of the herd.  They were gone. . .’

I remember in Kindergarten my mom walked down to school to get me I went over to the fence off the school to say hi to one of my friends.  When I turned around I couldn’t see her, I was so scared that I didn’t no what to do luckily we live close to the school so I was able to figure out how to get home, but when I got home my mom wasn’t there, and the door was locked so I sat on our bench and was terrified until I say my mom coming down the road.

In the Gutter

‘. . . He and his siblings survived through teamwork, and now, even though they are well into their seventies and have many grandkids, they remain the central players in one another’s lives. . . .’

My family is like this because almost every one in my family from both sides live in southern Maine making us a very close family.  It is also like Sundara because her family and friends because they all are so close that they through big parties when someone comes to America, the reason this might be is that since their is so much death they are happy having others with them.  

‘. . .Then the man would inform my father that through a series of unbelievable circumstances, he had come into boatloads of money. . . .’

I think that everyone wishes of winning the lottery, my family sometimes will say, ‘If you one a 100,000,000 dollars what would you buy?’.  Then we would take turns saying what we would do with the money.  And just like Firoozeh’s family I bet Sundara’s family would want to win the lottery to be rich, really I don’t know who wouldn’t want to win a lot of money.

Hot Dogs and Wild Geese

‘. . . Asking my father to ask the waitress the definition of “sloppy joe” or “tater tots” was no problem.  His translations, however, were highly suspect.’

This reminds me of my life because when ever we go to a new restaurant we always ask about certain dishes.  This line is similar to the life Sundara went through because she was always the one who had to read, or listen to something in english and then translate it into Cambodian.  I find this kind of funny because I can only picture the waitress’ face when Firoozeh’s father asked her about the sloopy joe and tater tots because to Americans these foods are kind of obvious foods

‘. . . My mother’s approach to learning English consisted of daily lessons with Monty Hall and Bob Barker.  Her devotion to Let’s Make a Deal and The Price is Right . . .’

This is kind of like my life because I would watch TV shows on PBS and read books when I was younger which helped me learn english.  It is very similar to Sundara’s family because they learned english mainly through watching TV.  I also enjoyed this quote because I watch The Price is Right and enjoy watching it.