In Mandarin, the 8th graders wrote pen pal letters to us. We got to choose who we were going to respond to, and I chose to respond to this letter:
你好。我叫罗壵春，十三岁，你呢？我的家有五个人。我的头发是深棕色，我的眼睛也是深棕色，你呢？我的头发不长，不短。我喜欢穿运动衫，裤子，和运动鞋。我的眼镜是黑色。你有眼镜吗？
你有宠物吗？我没有那个宠物可是我想有一只狗。我喜欢鱼和猫，你呢？
我喜欢垒球(softball)和排球(volleyball)，可是我不喜欢打篮球和高尔夫球(golf).
我是美籍华人，你呢？我的爸爸和妈妈是中国人。
我喜欢中国菜系！我最喜欢的中国菜是干炒牛河和饺子。你喜欢中国菜吗？你最喜欢的菜系是什么？我不喜欢吃汉堡和热狗。你不喜欢什么菜？我喜欢喝奶茶。
我最喜欢的颜色是紫色和黑色。你呢？我最喜欢的课是体育。你最喜欢的课是什么？我不喜欢作业。我喜欢看书，你呢？
Once we chose our letters, we wrote letters back. In my letter, I talked about food, pets, my family and other things too. This is the letter that I wrote:
你好罗壵春！
我叫左玉， 我今年十二岁。我上六年级Lynne的班。
我是美国人。我的妈妈是美国人， 我的爸爸是美国人。我会说一点中文，也会说英文。
我的家有四个人。我有一个妈妈，一个爸爸,一个妹妹和我。我的妈妈最喜欢的颜色是黄色。我的爸爸最喜欢的颜色是橙色。我的妹妹最喜欢的颜色是紫色。
我最喜欢的颜色是粉红色。
我最喜欢跑步。你喜欢垒球和排球， 我也喜欢垒球。
我的朋友是Kate, Ruby, Emily, Dora, 和 Margaret。 Kate有咖啡色的头和咖啡色的眼睛。Ruby有咖啡色的头和咖啡色的眼睛。Dora有咖啡色的头和咖啡色的眼睛。Emily有钱咖啡色的执法和咖啡色的眼睛。 Margaret有黄色的执法和蓝色的眼睛。
我有一个狗。她叫 Midnight。她是黑色的。
我的最喜欢吃是巧克力蛋糕。我喜欢中国菜。
你的笔友，
左玉
Translation:
Hello (Pen Pal’s name)!
My name is Zoe and I am 12 years old. I am in 6th grade in Lynne’s class.
I am American. My mom is American, my dad is American. I can speak a little Chinese, also I can speak English.
My family has 4 people. One mom, one dad, one little sister, and me. My mom’s favorite color is yellow. My dad’s favorite color is orange. My sister’s favorite color is purple.
My favorite color is pink.
My favorite sport is running. You like softball, I also like softball.
My friends are Kate, Ruby, Emily, Dora and Margaret. Kate has brown hair and brown eyes. Ruby has brown hair and brown eyes. Dora has brown hair and brown eyes. Emily has light brown hair and brown eyes. Margaret has blond hair and blue eyes.
I have one dog. Her name is Midnight. She is black.
My favorite food is chocolate cake. I like Chinese food.
Your pen pal,
Zoe
In humanities, we made articles and newscasts. In my group, we talked about weather and the sandstorm in the Cholistan desert, but we also interviewed Shabanu and Dadi.
SHABANU NEWS ARTICLE
There have been some interesting weather patterns throughout Pakistan recently. But the main story has been the sandstorm that covered all 10,200 square miles of the Cholistan Desert. Some families have had to deal with the sand covering tobas and animals and family members blowing away in the harsh winds. We interviewed two residents of the Cholistan Desert. Shabanu and Dalil Abassi. Here are some things that happened during the sandstorm according to Shabanu:
“The night that the [sandstorm] happened, I was sleeping and my sister, Phulan woke me up. I thought that my skin [because of the sand], was being pierced by a thousand needles.” The storm’s high winds prevented Shabanu from seeing anything until the winds subsided. Her luck didn’t turn out very well.
“We found that our camel, Mithoo, Sher-Dil, our dog and my grandfather were all gone. The storm injured Shabanu’s grandfather fatally, but he was found alive under sand. He survived for a few days. He died in his sleep. After talking to Shabanu, we interviewed Dalil Abassi, Shabanu’s father. It was a very scary moment for him because he was the head of the family. He had to make sure that everyone was safe.
“When the storm hit, I was very scared. Not for me, but for my family. I didn’t want anything to happen to them.” They stayed inside and waited out the storm. Somehow, Dalil’s father blew away. “I was very scared [for my father], but I knew Allah would save him.”
We also talked to Dalil about his other daughter, Phulan’s wedding. “I wasn’t worried that the storm would hurt the wedding. “I knew that Phulan wanted this very much, and I knew she would do to what she had to do [to make the wedding happen]. Let’s all send Shabanu and her family our best wishes.
SHABANU SCRIPT
Newscasters: Breaking news!!!!!
Harvey: There has been a very intense sandstorm in the Cholistan desert.
Grace: The storm covered all 10,200 square miles of the desert. Tobas have dried up, camels have gone missing, and families have lost members.
Harvey: Today, we are going to give you an exclusive look into one of the Cholistan residents, Shabanu Abassi. Welcome to our show, Shabanu!
Zoe: Hello and thank you for having me on your show.
Grace: It’s so nice to have you here.
Zoe: It’s so nice to be here!
Harvey: So, today we are going to ask you some questions about the sandstorm that hit your home.
Zoe: Ok.
Grace: What was your first reaction to the sandstorm?
Zoe: Well, the night that it happened I was sleeping and my sister, Phulan, woke me up. I thought that my skin was being pierced by a thousand needles.
Harvey: When you looked around, was anyone missing?
Zoe: I couldn’t see anything until the storm subsided, and then we found that my camel, Mithoo, Sher-Dil, our dog, and my grandfather were all gone.
Grace: We also heard that your grandfather has passed away. Are you willing to share anything with us?
Zoe: Yes, I am, even though it was sad for me. When I found my grandfather’s body, all I wanted to do was scream. I wanted to scream for the rest of my life. My grandfather was a very big part in my life and it was really hard to let him go.
Harvey: Well, we are very sorry for your loss.
Grace: Well, we will be back in just a minute, after this short commercial. Stay tuned!
Harvey: So, welcome back.
Grace: Let’s all thank Shabanu for coming into be on our show!
Zoe: Goodbye!
Harvey: Now, we are going to meet Shabanu’s father, Dalil Abassi.
Grace: Hello Dalil.
Dora: Hello!
Harvey: We would like to talk to you about the sandstorm. What are your thoughts?
Dora: When the storm hit, I was very scared. Not for me, but for my family. I didn’t want anything to happen to them.
Grace: How did you keep safe?
Dora: Well, we stayed in the mud hut and prayed that we would all be okay. Thankfully, Allah saved us.
Harvey: That’s wonderful. When you found your father, what were your thoughts?
Dora: I was very scared again, but I hoped that Allah would save him.
Harvey:Were you worried that the storm would ruin the wedding?
Dora: I wasn’t worried that the storm would hurt the wedding. I knew that Phulan wanted this very much, and I knew she would do what she had to do.
Grace: On a different topic, we know that you and your family are nomads. Is it hard for you to move from place to place, and leave homes behind?
Dora: Well, it is hard, but I know that it is best for the family. I know that we need water to survive.
Grace: Well, thank you for coming to our show!
Dora: Goodbye!
Harvey and Grace: Tune in tomorrow for more news!
SHABANU NEWSCAST LINK
Shabanu Newscast
In art, we are making map art. My idea is to cut out Manhattan and put the letters H, O, M, and E. I colored letters in yellow. Then, I ripped up the map and glued it down for a background. Here are some pictures:
My next step is to glue on Manhattan and use water color to color the background, so that you can tell the difference from Manhattan and the background. In the feedback that I got, a lot of feedback that wasn’t very useful. I was able to use some of the ideas and I think that I’m going to make the letters 3D.
How To Make a Wedding Dress:
I can’t believe that I’m already planning my wedding! It seems like it was just days ago that I would sit in my bed and think about my wedding. One time, my mother yelled at me for day dreaming. “Phulan, stop daydreaming and bring more milk,” she said. The thing that I would think about the most would be my wedding dress. I always imagined that it would be beautiful. I’m sure that I’m not the only bride to be in Pakistan who has to sew their own dress, so I have a few tips for making your wedding dress.
Here they are:
There is lot’s of embroidery on traditional Pakistani wedding dresses, and all of that should be done with silk thread, to enhance the beauty.
Zardozi is the detailed applique that you see on so many wedding dresses these days. If you want your wedding dress to be in the height of fashion, than you should definitely use zardozi.
Cut dana are the small beads that are sewn on as a border or extra pattern. Cut dana can be VERY hard to use, but it still makes the dress even prettier. When sewing with cut dana, you must loop the thread through the bead multiple times, if you want the bead to stay on.
My last tip is about the shape. It should be a very tight bodice with a very full skirt. It also should have small, short sleeves. The color should be something rich and deep, like red or dark blue. This is to symbolize growing older and being more mature. You can’t use childish colors, like pink or yellow.
I am making my dress with my mother and it has been a great bonding time for both of us, before I have to leave my home. I hope you all love your wedding dresses!
Diary Entry:
It seems so strange, to be thinking about my wedding. It seems so far away, but so near as well. I have a strange mixture of feelings. I cannot decide which way is better. I cannot wait to leave this place, to start a new life with my new husband! I will get to start a family of my own and build a new life. I will live up to what Mama and Dadi expect of me. I will become a mother. Of boys, I hope. Sharma says I will. But what if I don’t? What if I have girls? Then who will work? I know that I am just being nervous, but what if that happens? What if I end up like Mama? That might not be a bad thing, but what if it is?
I hope that Hamir is kind to me. He is wild, like the wind, like Shabanu. I hope that I have the same luck that Mama had with Dadi.
Then, the other part of me wants to stay home. I will have to abandon the camels, the mud hut, the chapatis, Auntie and her boys. Mama and Dadi. I will have to leave them. I don’t know how I will be able to deal with that. Then, there is Shabanu. She cares for me in a way that no one else does. ” ‘ Don’t worry.’ I say, smoothing Phulan’s hair and kissing her tears.” She is the only thing that keeps me happy. What if I never see her again?
I want to believe that I will see them again, that that part of my life isn’t over, but I know it is .
