Bringing the Middle East to the Midwest

I am about to start a unit with my seniors at the high school; we are going to read The Kite Runner. The book itself has a lot of great information about Afghanistan and the Middle East's tumultuous history; what makes it great is the intimacy of Amir's story and how his childhood history is somewhat parallel to his country's.

My mentor teacher has already suggested showing the movie Osama, which is about a young girl in the Middle East. However, I really desired to make this book a personal experience for all my students. Reading and watching movies doesn't always hit home.

So, I was pooling my resources, and my Facebook status read, "Does anyone know any Farsi or know of anyone who does?" for about five minutes before a friend posted the name of one of my dear high school friends. I had completely forgotten that she could speak Farsi! It seemed like such a small part of her personality when I knew her that it didn't occur to me at all to ask her. Besides, I hadn't spoken with her since graduation. I had only stepped into her house in the past five years to get my hair cut by her mom, who has a shop set up in the back of her house.

And then the idea slowly spread its tendrils... her mom... so in love with her home country, Iran, and simultaneously happy for her children to be in America but deeply saddened by their naivety to their homeland, to what might have been if her parents hadn't escaped to Germany.

Not only am I going to ask her mom to translate some of the Farsi words in the book, I want to see if I can record an interview with her! She's only spoken about Iran and her migration to America when I've asked about it. But it sounds like such an exciting story: fleeing the country at 18, going to Germany, and meeting her husband there, who brought her to America. Going back five years ago, seeing her brother, who casually pointed out a nuclear manufacturing plant. Ask her what she "is," and she'll reply, "Persian."

I am so excited about this, not just for my kids, but for myself as well. Hopefully she will agree to do this and I can post the results!