How does Sandra’s description of her childhood home in the Congo contrast with her description of her family home in Rochester? In what ways do these depictions of Sandra’s domestic life undermine common Western prejudices about life in sub-Saharan Africa?

During her high school years, Sandra wished her relationship with her parents more closely resembled that of her classmates’ relationships with their parents. Though she describes the differences in her relationship with her parents, what were similarities to those of other teenagers? How was Sandra’s estrangement from her parents key to her personal evolution? 

Imagine you are an immigration attorney. Using elements from Sandra’s book, how would you construct an argument on behalf of a Syrian refugee to gain admittance to the United States?