The Other Side Of The Sky Summary

Finding the True Meaning of Choices(leaving or staying)

Every day one makes choices. The choice to get out of bed, to go to school, to dance, to sing, to laugh, to cry, to hurt, or to forgive. In The Other Side of the Sky, Farah leaves Afghanistan and travels a heartbreaking journey through sweat, tears, laughter, cruelty and love, to come to America and start a better life. But, through her journey other’s choices affect her in many ways. These choices make the road longer and the process takes more time. In America one is taught that one is free, guaranteed rights under the constitution that one has a choice, but in Afghanistan throughout the war people didn’t have their own choices. People in Afghanistan were sometimes made free …show more content…
Afghanistan refugees can not wait to flee the country despite the hardships that come with that. Although once they flee, life still doesn't turn out to be as great as they imagined it. In Jeffrey MacDonald's article Stranded in an Unwelcome Land, he states that he and his friend could not wait to leave the war-filled country, but once they were in asylums or refugee camps they felt stranded and that life was very bland. Their knowledge was not appreciated or able to be appreciated for that matter because of the few opportunities that were given in the asylums. They ate poorly and did not end up living the dream that they had longed for and worked so hard for. Also, in the article Where thousands of refugees wait for food or death by Amy Waldman, Waldman states that many Refugees that are headed off to long term camps or asylums are not given the equal opportunity that they should be. Although, in The Other Side of the Sky by Farah Ahmedi, Farah had to go through so much to get her chance at a better life which she finally received, being a hard working and fortunate girl. All the refugees coming from Afghanistan and any other unstable places to be living, need to be taken into the best care and put into the best opportunities possible for their future, like what coming to America did for Farah. So, even though the refugees have high hopes for a life outside of Afghanistan, most are still not …show more content…
The Taliban recruits many Afghan citizens every day. Some are forced into the Taliban and others chose too out of beliefs or because of having no other way to survive. Many people believe that the “bad guys” one fights during war chose to cause harm and hurt people. This is true, but also false. A man in Afghanistan said that “Finding a job is not easy, they make enough money to live and I need to join them for economic problems and unemployment. I don’t agree with the Taliban’s beliefs, but needed a way to survive.” (CNN). The unidentified male along with many others join the Taliban on the pure need of survival. These people have lived in a war-torn country for many years and need a way out. Others are forced to become suicide bombers and killers because of the Taliban. “Because of the poverty, education, restraints on women, religious extremism, and war these limit opportunities for kids. The Taliban have a hard time finding adult suicide bombers so they use kids to do the work.” (Yale Global) The Taliban uses bribes, such as motorbikes or say they will remove any accused crimes upon them. They make children believe that everything will be okay and they won't die. Then, make it seem like everything will be okay and provide a false sense of security. Imagine one's neighbor or brother or sister being bribed into doing something that is a cover for an absolutely horrific event. The Taliban manipulates young minds