If i were a rich man

"It's fine if you don't thank me, but for your information white paint is white paint"

I painted the wrong room at my grandmothers house and had to paint that same room back the same color and paint the right room the right color. In the Children of the river Sundara's house isn't the best and isn't painted I don't think. But Jonathan's house is painted and does look very nice.


"Im a rich man in America, too. I just don't have a lot money"

This would be something my great grandfather would say because he was always the one who was extremely grateful for what he had and for his family and etc. In the children of the River Moni would have this position in the book I think because she is glad that she made it to america all by herself and knows what goes on in Cambodia and etc.

Waterloo

"My father had a perfect track record, a topic he loved to talk about."

My mom had a perfect track record also in college and hopefully i will be near that in college. In children of the river Sundara is very smart and is going to well also. I usually talk during class as you can see.

 "When I was eight years old, we went to Swittzerland to visit my aunt Parvine, my mother's sister"

when i was eight i went to canada on a cruise with rick shurett as a singer and at that time he was my favorite because of 2 of his songs: mud, mud, I love mud. Aligator in the elevator. Canada is the only place I have been outside of the US. In the children of the River, Sundara travels to the US for her longest journey outside of Cambodia. But obviously not for the reason I had

Teasure Island

"It was a poster announcing a competition for fulbright grants."

I sure wish i could get a grant that way haha, but I would have felt bad if he couldn't go because of the post office situation. In The Children Of The River, Sundara hopes to get a grant like that so she can become a doctor.

"His older brother finally persuaded him to live a little and join him on his favorite wall for a night at the movies."

I wish it was possible to do that because I would be the older brother because it is a FREE movie. In The Children Of The River, Sundara takes this chance with going to jonathons for the boat ride, but then the luck ran out when she let him in her house when Soka came home early for her list.

i ran and i ran and i ran

"My brothers clearly did not understand the lure of the phrase all-expense-paid trip"

I would jump to my feet for an off like that but, what happened was sad, very sad, and it's just bad to think that people could hate a race enough to lure them to the white house and do that. In Children Of The River, the khmer do a similar thing but, actually killing instead of beating them up.

"Our next stop is the Lincoln Memorial, built in honor of Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States."

I went to the Lincoln Memorial in DC. also in 8th grade. In Children Of The River, I dont see any connection.

The F WORD

"It's like adding a few new spices to the kitchen pantry. Move over, cinnamon and nutmeg, make way for cardamom and sumac."

My brother and I used to take and hide all the spices all around the house. In The Children Of The River reminds me of this when Sundara must harvest the tomatoes with Soka

"My name, Firoozeh, chosen by my mother, means Turquoise in Persia"

My name, Tyler, Chosen by my parents, means to tile roofs. In Children Of The River, Sundara is happy with her name and what it means

misqiutos and men

"That is when Francois told me that this romantic getaway was in India"

I have a friend named Calvin Stanley and he is from India. I go to his house very often and his mom cooks all kinds of different kinds of food from India. In Children Of The River, Sundara wishes to go ack across the world so she can help her home country by being a doctor

"the next time i saw frogs up close was on our honeymoon in paris"

My mom is obsessed with frogs and we used to have pet frogs but we had to let them free because we needed to use the tank that we kept them in for other uses. In Children Of The River, Sundara for what we have seen, has not seen any frogs

bernice

"during the same year,i was asked to speak about my home land to a seventh grade class at my school"

This reminds me of when I lived in NY because I was asked to describe Maine and interesting things we did in maine. In Children of the River, Sundara makes a personal poem about her home town and it feels awkward because you feel so much different than everybody else

"Oh my God! Are you Alaskan?"

This reminds me of gym class in New Gloucester because, My friend would always be asked are you sweedish then he would say no i'm German or something. In Children of the River I think Sundara feels like Firoozeh because they are both different and in the same situation

in the gutter

"like a bride preparing to walk down the aisle, my father carefully chose his clothing and got a haircut, and practiced saying, hello I am kazem."

my mom moade me do practically the same thing when i had to be the ring carrier at my moms wedding. In children of the river. Sundara thought she wouldn't get a nice dress for the wedding because of jonathon being over.


"My father returned that night looked sadder than I have ever seen him"

This reminds me of when my cousin tried out for the school play but didn't make it. In children of the river, this reminds me of when soka was very sad to find out her friends had died

hot dogs and wild geese

"Thanks to my dads translations we stayed away from hot dogs, cat fishand hush puppies, and no amount of caviar in the sea would have convinced us to try mud pies"
           I think all immigrants have the same problem because of our sarcasim in our vocabulary. When I was younger i wouldn't eat mud pies because i thought they were made of mud. this connects to children in the river not a lot because Sundara understands the Sacasim Americans have.
"He was the only one who read each and every document before he signed it"
          I think every one who does sign something should have to read the pages because what if the papers say like you have to work for free for 3 years or something. In Children Of the River they also should read all of the info putting out there like if jonathon payed attention when sundara tried to explain the situation of her not being able to see him then Sundara wouldnt be in trouble.

Leffingwell Elementary School

"To him, America was a place where anyone, no matter how humble his background could become an important person." (pg. 3-4)

My thoughts about this are the same. Many people come here to make something of their lives, and most of them do. Many become doctors and all those people that we need to save lives and be "important." In Children of the River. I think it is the same way everybody wants to go to America where it is safe instead of everywhere else where they are in wars with everybody around them. I would not want to live any where else because I agree with it all.

"After a few awkward attempts by my mother to find Iran on the map, Mrs. Sandberg finally understood that it wasn't my mothers lack of English that was causing the problem, but rather her lack in world geography." (pg. 6)

My thoughts about this are... I kinda feel bad for her because she doesn't know where her own country is and she is a grown women. Children of the river are they are probably the same way. The men are the only the educated. I feel grateful to have the education I have and hopefully everyone gets one that wants one.