Saigon
What are 3 challenges that people faced on the ship?
-overcrowding
-no food
-no water
-no bathrooms
-danger (had to remain silent)
What strange food did Ha receive on her first day of school?
hot dog
"Mother can't allow idle children. Hers or anyone else's."
idle: lazy
What is nuoc mam, and how does it help people in the camp?
fish sauce
it made the poor food they were served more edible
The tree Ha loves most, with fruit that symbolizes the members of her family.
Papaya
In addition to necessities, each family member brings one choice item in their backpack with them. What does Ha bring and why is it important?
She brings her doll, with mouse-bitten ears, because she thinks it is more beautiful for her scars.
The name of Ha's teacher, who does not tell the class anything about the beauty of Vietnam.
Miss Scott
"I was superstitious, that is all. If anything, you brought us luck..."
superstitious: having faith in magic or chance
What does the amethyst ring symbolize?
it symbolize the love between Ha's father and mother. When the stone was lost, Ha's mother finally accepted that her husband was too, and that he would never return again.
Ha's mother always wants to do what is best for her family. Why does she finally decide to go to the United States?
She needed to leave Saigon to protect her family, and her sons could earn a scholarship for their education in America.
What did Khoi and Ha throw overboard and why did they do this?
the dead chick and the doll
Ha wanted Khoi to not be alone in his grief and to support her brother
Why is Miss Washington kind to Ha? What part of her past makes her more sympathetic?
Miss Washington's son died as a soldier in Vietnam. Before he died, he taught her all about Vietnam and the people there, both the positive and the negative. With this information, Miss Washington is less ignorant than her neighbours.
"I can’t think of anything but can’t let my brothers beat me, so I blurt out, What if Father is really gone?"
blurt: to say something out loud impulsively, or without thinking first
What does "Our Cowboy" bring for the children to eat? Did they enjoy it?
KFC (no, they thought it was greasy)
Name 3 superstitions people have during Tet (things you must or can't do).
-can't sweep the floor (that would sweep away hope)
-can't frown
-can't splash water (that would splash away joy)
-can't wear old clothing
-can't have a girl's foot touch the floor first (only boy's feet bring luck)
After one week aboard the ship, what does Ha's mother tell her older son to do?
teach English to the crew
Why does Ha feel regret once she starts learning English?
Now she understands the horrible things people say to her, and about her, at school. She wishes she didn't understand.
"GOOONNNNGGGGG rings out; how soothing a real gong sounds."
soothing: freeing from fear and anxiety
What happened that finally made Pink Boy and his friends stop bullying Ha?
-she stood up for herself
-her brother Vu drove up on his motorcycle and scared him
-Everyone thinks Vu Lee is cool so they like Ha now
This person gave Ha flower seeds in a tin before leaving Saigon
her best friend TiTi (Ha's mother saved them for her the entire time, and presented them to Ha again during Tet a year later in Alabama).
The man with _____________________helped the children get onto a smaller boat.
golden fuzzy armhair
Ha thinks that her life is so unlucky because of three naughty things she did in the past. What did she confess to have done?
-pulled a classmate's hair
-steal money for fried dough
-put her toe on the floor first at Tet
What is the meaning of Tuyt Sut?
Tuyt Sut is the Vietnamese way to pronounce the French phrase tout de suit- meaning “right away”- Ha remembers her father often using this phrase when she was younger.
The dried papayas were, "Not the same, but not bad." The Tet rice and bean treats mother made were, "Not the same, but not bad." How does the repetition of this motto reflect Ha's new life in Alabama?
Ha can't expect her life to ever be the same as it was in Saigon, but she can change her attitude and be positive. With a new mindset, she might see that her new life is "not bad" after all.