Study Guide Questions for Chapters 1 - 3

Part One: Changes



Chapter 1, “Luma”:

1. Describe Luma’s family background. (p 15-20)

2. Explain why attending Smith College was such “an awakening” for Luma. (20-21)

3. What are some of Luma’s reasons for not wanting to return to live in Jordan? (21-23)

4. How did Luma’s father react to Luma’s news that she wanted to stay in the U.S. instead of return to Jordan? (23)

5. In what way is Luma like the players on the Fugees? (25)

Chapter 2, “Beatrice and Her Boys”

1. Summarize Beatrice Ziaty’s story in Liberia before coming to America? (26-29)

2. How was Beatrice “welcomed” to America? (31)

3. What does Beatrice do to assure her sons’ safety in this new country? (32)

Chapter 3, “Small Town . . . Big Heart”

1. How did Clarkson, Georgia, begin to change in the 1970s? (34)

2. What further changes happened in the 1980s? (35)

3. And then . . . in the late 1980s? (35)

4. Where did the first refugees arrive from? (36)

5. What point does the author want to make with the story of woman walking down the street talking to devil? (37)

6. What are some of the changes Clarkston experienced due to the influx of refugees? (38-39)

7. How was the townspeople’s reaction to all the newcomers in some way “natural”? (39-40)

8. Why did the decision to relocate member of the Somali Bantu ethnic group cause such a stir? (42- 44)

9. Who did Karen Felz, Clarkston Councilwoman and anthropologist fear would suffer the most if the Somali Bantu were relocated to Clarkston? (44)

10. What happened when the community met to discuss the resettlement? (44-45)