Funny in Farsi

     I started this book a few weeks ago and I love it so much! It so informational and educational but makes me laugh out loud. I started reading it because I am very interested in Middle Eastern culture and it was recommended to me. This real life story about a young iranian girl's transition in American. Her name is Firoozeh Dumas and she wrote this comedic novel about her childhood. She came to America when she was 7, with her parents. Her mother did not know any English upon arriving and her father spoke "a version of English not yet shared with the rest of America" (8) than other people did so they did not always understand him. Firoozeh learned English quickly and soon her mother was taking her everywhere to be the translator.

funny excerpt:

     "Asking my father to ask the waitress the definition of "sloppy Joe" or "Tater Tots" was no problem. His translations, however, were highly suspect. Waitresses would spend several minutes responding to my father's questions, and these responses, in turn, would be translated as "She doesn't know." (9)

     I think the entire book is a message. She moved to the United States before 9/11 and she watched as her situation began to change and acceptance of her background and heritage changed. I think she wrote this book as a funny read to lighten up the mood because there are many underlying meanings. She laughs about it now but moving when you are very young is incredibly scary and all of our traditions seemed very strange. The adjustment must have also took some time. This book was written in 2003, just two years after 9/11. I think she was desperately trying to send the message that she and her family are normal humans and are not terrorists because after 9/11, people were very paranoid and scared and took those emotions out on people of Middle Eastern background, including Iranians. In the book there is also much to learn about culture. For example, she explains in an amusing manner to an amusement park worker that not all Middle Eastern people speak the same language and they are not all alike. She breaks down many stereotypes that are not as obvious as the fact I just mentioned. 

     Throughout her book I think her purpose is to spread knowledge and humor on her situation and humanize and Americanize herself, her family, and immigrants in general.