Although I've never experienced something like this, my parents have and they've told me stories of their experience. They were refugees fleeing Bosnia during the War in the 1990's as a result of the breakup of Yugoslavia. The horrific conditions the Villawood "inmates" live in is really a problem the world faces. Much like the Syrian refugees that the European Union won't allow to enter. People living in safe first-world countries have no sympathy for others, especially those of different skin colors and religious beliefs. Australians, Americans, British, etc really need to change their mindset on foreigners but I guess it's hard when they oftentimes cause their countries to break out into war and were colonizers less than 150 years before that.

It's interesting to see the authors description of the initial reaction of the Aboriginals to the British invaders. They automatically disliked Captain Cook. He was trying to teach them his "civilized" way of life but they weren't very happy about that. Europe has a long history of imperialism where they go into other lands and spread Christianity, steal their resources, and just change their culture altogether. In the case of Australia, they did that but also in a sense violated them by sending ships of prisoners. Instead of sending quality English people to "teach" the Aboriginals, they sent the worst of the worst to live there as a punishment.

This line really illustrates the author's relationship with her father, despite the fact that he is not completely normal probably due to some traumatic experience in his past. However, due to his fascination with ancient Egypt, he gave her a name with a really beautiful meaning. When he explains to her why he named her Ka, even though she her heard it numerous times in her life, she always stops being disinterested and starts to feel emotional towards her father. The most interesting part was how he managed to make her feel this way, even right after he threw her sculpture into a lake. Something like this would make people extremely angry.

It's crazy how much corruption goes on in these poor places like Antigua that criminals from all around the world rush to these "third world" countries to hide their ill-gotten gains. Meanwhile, the people who live in that country are barely surviving and want to go to the high end countries from where these criminals make their money. The most ironic part to me, is that the country with one of the highest standards of living (Switzerland) is openly storing the money of these people and then the little guys like Antigua do the same.

Black people in America oftentimes used brother/sister to refer to one another and I feel that non-blacks may think that is a way for them to single out other races. But really a lot of cultures/religions use that in conversation. Like in the Bible people are brothers and sisters of each other, and Arab countries use the term "Akhi" or brother as a term of endearment.

I found it funny that he is married to a Turkish woman and also has mistress in Turkey when he goes there on "business." His wife caught him by seeing the letter and beat him with a stick. He also admits to thinking with his balls and not with his brains here. It's interesting to see the dynamic of the relationship he has with his wife compared to what you would think a modern day spousal fight would entail when one person is found to be unfaithful.

This is a line I can associate with so much as a native New Yorker. It about sums up my daily travel. Since I started taking public transportation to middle school and beyond, everyday consisted of something like this. I'm always running late on top of train and bus delays, so you can always catch me experiencing these obstacles. Reading things that you can associate yourself with is so cool because you can really put yourself in the authors shoes.

PLOT TWIST! I was stunned by reading this. The whole time reading the play Gloria was in control of the situation and the conversation with Kerry. She seemed like the leading figure. The whole time she was messing with him and trying to bring up his communist past. This really shocks us as we see Gloria as this sort of racist and manipulative figure who finds out her father had a son with his black slave. This crushes her and we see how Kerry ends up winning the "fight" with just a few simples lines at the end and one short anecdote.

Seth, Pete, and Morafi are all "upper class" members of Dilepe society. Yet, they never think to cross Maru. Now that they did unknowingly by trying to oust his future wife from the village, they crossed him. That was a red line that no one would think to cross. Once you do that, there is no going back. Maru will ruin your life. So they run from the village. Maru is a God in his village of Dilepe. This gives him godly "magical" powers. He can be good and evil and Tladi "does his doing" for him.

This is a very interesting statement because the author categorizes 'kaffirs' and 'niggers' as one and the same here. Kaffir is the Arabic word for disbeliever or infidel. It is the term Muslims usually call pagans. To a Muslim, a kaffir is the worst thing you can be. Just like to a white person in Africa, a nigger is the worst thing you can be. The extremely contemptuous way the African tribes were categorized really shows you how terrible the apartheid era was.

This line describing Sirajuddin's dead wife automatically made me think of the "Sorry" story due to the vivid description of the stomach being ripped open. It is a horrific scene if you really picture it in your head. Someone's guts and blood would be leaking out and Sirajuddin was going through so much shock that he didn't even remember that right away. He forgot his wife was dead. He didn't realize he was separated from his daughter. It really show you the struggle and crisis war refugees go through.