2

Page 2 Quotes:

"Yasmeen made a promise to herself: she vowed to go to college, regardless of how difficult her responsibilities were at home, being a wife to Saif, and a mother to her two other siblings." (277)

"She thinks she's going to college. She's not. '//Who's going to be your advocate?// No one-- not if she's in a situation where there are two people and a culture against her." -James Rice
 * Yasmeen is obligated to stay true to her culture by skipping college, marrying early, and possibly moving back to Yemen.But, American influences fuel her determination to finish her education.

"'You've already overcome so many obstacles-- learning English, coming to the U.S. There's only a few steps left. Just get the diploma, and then do whatever you want.'" (216)

"Students have trekked mountains, crossed deserts, and survived imprisonment to make it to International, which has as its motto: "Opening Doors to the American Dream."


 * Immigrants have to overcome immense challenges to indulge in the American Dream. They have to travel to the United States, find and enroll in a school that has a sufficient ELL program, and find a job to get appropriate funds for college.

When Yasmeen looks in the mirror, she sees a woman of marrying age who is not ready to marry (79).