Most of the time when teachers assign books to read in class I'm
disappointed because I don't really like to read, but for Mike Lohre's class he
always seems to pick enjoyable books. So far the book Holding on is a wonderful,
fast read, and I have really enjoyed reading the few profiles we have been
assigned. I would say the biggest strength of Holding
on is that the profiles
are short, allowing the readers to be able to stay concentrated and not get
distracted or lose focus while reading the profiles. Plus the profiles are full
of detail, which I also enjoy. One weakness of this book, is also that the
profiles are short. While they keep the reader entertained and focused, the
profiles keep the reader wonder What
happens next? What happened before? After?
One theme that I could relate to is:
Connection to ancestors and history. As I have previously stated in my first
and second exploration I am Palestinian and I am very proud of my culture and
my heritage. I have had the privileged to travel to the Middle East and
specifically to Palestine and was able to see the place where my parents,
grandparents, and great grandparents grew up. Along with the privilege of
seeing old historical places such as The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. These
were the most beautiful mosques I had ever been to. They were both so
beautifully constructed, with beautiful scenery. Being there and being able to
pray with everyone else that believed in the same religion as me, made me feel
like I was part of this country. I felt connected to the people, and I felt
like I fit in. After visiting Jerusalem we decided to visit Gaza, Palestine. Since
Palestinians (Along with Israelis) believe that Jerusalem is their holy city,
my family and I visited Jerusalem and then tried to travel to Gaza, Palestine,
where my grandparents, uncles, and aunts lived. It was very hard to get into
Gaza because it is considered "unsafe" and Americans should not be
allowed to enter, in fear that we get hurt or stuck there, but my family and I
were willing to risk getting hurt or stuck, to be able to see my mom's side of
the family. The Israelis finally let us in but we were only able to stay for a
week. Seeing my grandma for the first time was probably the best moment of my
life. She is the sweetest, kindest, down to earth lady I have ever met and it
broke my heart to only be able to spend one week with her. But for the week
that my family and I were able to spend with my mom's side of the family, I got
to experience life there in Palestine, along with their daily routines. This
experience connected me to my ancestors (grandparents and great grandparents)
and also to my history and heritage because they were places I had never seen
or been to that were connected to me.
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