Definitions

I want all of you to get further in the reading so I am going to make today's post shorter. I want you to pick one word or term that you have read so far that is unfamiliar to you. Then, write a short definition or explanation of what that word/thing is. It is similar to the assignment from last week. Try not to pick terms that others have picked, but I understand that that may happen. As long as there are no answers that are copied verbatim, that should be fine.

If you are familiar with everything in the book, then write a short paragraph about something you want to know more about from the book i.e petroleum engineering, Albert Einstein, baklavah, Bob Hope, Hare Krishnas, etc.

So Far...

We are now about halfway through reading the book. The author has a habit of moving through her life's timeline in the book, so it can be a bit jarring. But, remember that she is a person in the present writing about her past. Sometimes the past doesn't come back to us in chronological order, but as a random series of flashes. For this post, I want you all to respond to one of the following questions and also respond to another student's post. Your initial post should be at least 5 sentences long, and your response should be a minimum of three.

I did not comment on your last posts, but know that I did read them and was impressed with the wide range of opinions and thoughts. I look forward to reading your new posts and happy blogging!

1. Firoozah's family is full of different kinds of characters with their own dispositions and the propensities that go with them. Who is your favorite character so far in the book and why?

2. The term, "The American Dream" is mentioned a lot in this book. What do you think of when you hear the term "The American Dream"? What does it mean to you?

Introduction

Hi everyone! For the next few weeks we will be reading Funny in Farsi by Firoozeh Dumas. It is a story of a young girl who has moved to America from Iran with her family. It is a book that not only tells her story, but also shows what it is like to be part of two cultures that can sometimes clash with each other.

Today in class, we explored our preconceived thoughts of the Iranian people and culture:

Before reading these chapters, what did you know about Iran, Iranian culture, and/or the Iranian people? What have you learned so far that is the same/different from what you knew? If you didn't know anything about Iran previously, what did you find interesting about their culture? Or, write about your general thoughts of the chapters, and some things that stood out to you. You do not have to answer all of the questions.

Your response should be about one large paragraph (5+ sentences)in length, and I also want you to respond to at least two of your classmates' posts. Responses should be 3+ sentences and should be more than "I agree" or "that is interesting." Responses should contribute to and stimulate the discussion.