connections pg 175

"I have found a family for you!" the man tells us excitedly a week later. "They have some small children and an old grandmother. They need someone to help with the children and around the house and they are anticipatation to meet my new family.

This part of the book reminds me of a book I read when I was a child named Ruby Holler. There was two kids that that were in a foster home and they had many families that took care of them. Everytime there was a new family that was going to adopt them they always said "I found a new family that would like to adopt you." These two kids have been to many families and everything and they don't know who their real parents are unlike the children in this book.

connections pg 23

After many hours, we are finally out of the city and on the road, though still moving very slowly.
"Where are we going?" I ask Kim repeatedly, after it seems like we have been travling forever.

This part of the book reminds me about hurricane Katrina when it hit New Orleans and everyone having to evacuate. Traffic moving slowly and no one being able to leave.

Loung's hate

Quickly I turn and walk away, but the smell of death still clings to my cloth. "He was a Khmer Rogue soldier. He deserved to die, too bad they are not all dead," I say venmently to Pithy.

The passage showed how hate Loung had towards the Khmer Rogue that ruined her life, when Loung is actually a very compassionate person towards living things as she was towards the dead bird her mother killed. It showed how much Loung changed as a person throughtout the book.

Kim Decision

"Ma, we are starving to death. Many people are dying in the village. Yet the government trades our crops to buy guns ti kill more people." Shh... don't talk so loud. It is a crime to speak against the Angkar. If the soldiers hear you they will you away and kill you." "Ma, I am going to go and get us some corn tonight ." With a determined look, Kim has made his decision.

This passage shows the bravery of Kim and how much he cares about his family by going out there to find food for his family in a tough and dangerous situation. It made me wonder what will happen to kim as he goes out there to find food for his family. what are your predictions?

Caught bird

Loung's brother Kim caught a small bird and brings it home to his mom for her to cook it for dinner. The following passage showed a inside of Loung's feeling and thoughts about animals and living things, also shows a more compassionate side of Loung. "Tonight we will have a good dinner," Ma announces, smiling and finally letting go of the bird. Though dead and drained of blood, its body shakes violently in the dirt. "Poor bird," I whimper, reaching over to softly pet its feathers.

Loung feels so bad for the bird since she is still petting it as it dies, which shows how much she cares for a living thing.

"Waiting station"

In the chapter waiting station Loung Ung is woken up by her mother, and she is confused and scared to why her mother woke her up in the middle of the night. It made think whats going on too, something must be happening that Loung's family is in a hurry to move out of Krang Troup as quickly as possible. "why do we have to go, pa?" "it is no longer safe for us to stay here." "Are we walking a long way?" "No, your uncle talked the chief intoo arranging for us to be picked up by a khmer rouge truck. The truck will take us to Battambang. That is where your grandmother lives. This passage showed how eager Loung's family is to leave, and that something big is goin on.

The streets of Phnom Penh

As I read the first page of the book, i noticed how descriptive the author was towards the setting of Phnom Penh and the people that live there. "Already at 6 a.m people in Phnom Penh are rushing and bumping into each other on dusty, narrow side streets. Waiters and waitresses in black and white uniforms swing open shop doors as the aroma of noodle soup greets waiting customers". This following passage showed how the streets of Phnom penh is on daily day and how the people there start off their day with work. It gives a good Description about Phnom Penh.