1.  Analyze why you think Mawi remembers the woman with bleeding feet so vividly?

2.  Describe a life-changing moment from when you were younger that you cannot forget. Why do you remember it?

3.  How do you think you would cope if you had to leave your war-torn country by leaving everything behind?

4. What person or personal item would you miss the most if you had to leave it behind?

1. Compare the discipline style at school with the way Mawi and his classmates were disciplined at the school camp.

2. Contrast what Mawi had to fear while being a refugee to any of your own personal fears. Would you react that same way as Mawi?  Why or why not?

3. Would you leave your homeland if you were in Mawi’s family situation? (Think about what finally made Mawi’s father decide they could no longer stay. What would convince you to leave?)

4. What do you think of Mawi’s parents letting the kindergarten teacher get away with abusing their child? Would your parents do the same?

5. Do you think you could survive the conditions in a refugee camp?

6. How accurate are the “words of wisdom” about America on page 11 from  the village elders?

1.  Would you still go to a free America if it meant you had to leave a family member behind in a refugee camp?

2. What type of sacrifice have you had to make for the benefit of your family and/or friends?

3. Analyze Mawi’s meaning of “rumors are malignant tumors” on page 15

4. Evaluate your own ability to pass the interview that Haileab took to come to America?

1. Analyze the quote “Her culture had taught her that only men could speak with important visitors” (Asgedom 18).

2. Would you mind staying in a motel room with 6 other people for a week?

3. Would you ever consider being a World Relief Case worker like Beth? Why or why not?

4. Would you be scared or excited to venture out into a new place?

5. How do you think American TV is perceived by people unfamiliar with the United States?

1. Analyze “No matter how much strangers resembled beetles, my father always maintained they could be angels, given to us by God to test deepest sentiments of our hearts” (Asgedom 25).

2. Analyze the cultural belief that “the exchange of gifts blesses the giver even more than the receiver” (Asgedom 26). Do you agree/disagree?

3. Share a life lesson you were taught by a family member.

1. Do you think a child can really understand the value of an education?

2. How does a person begin to understand and respect the importance of education and excelling in school?

3. Analyze Mawi’s words: “What’s both beautiful and scary about young children is that they will believe most anything that their parents tell them” (Asgedom 29).

4.  What do you think about Mawi’s parents not taking his side after he was defending himself from someone else attacks?

5. What did Mawi and his brother Tewolde do that almost got them expelled from elementary school?

1. Compare/Contrast how Ethiopian and American cultures treat their elders.

2. Why do you think it took so long for Mawi to learn his lesson about stealing?

3. What does it take for you to learn important life lessons? Stories? Experiences? Mistakes? etc?

1. What does “Libee Migbar” translate into in English?  How old is Tewolde when he starts to go through this special transformation?

2.  How does Tewolde show true selflessness on page 58?

3.  Analyze the genius behind Tewolde’s successful business venture while still in high school.

4. What did Mawi learn about his brother Tewolde after his death? How did this info impact Mawi?

1. Asgedom children knew not to mention certain topics to their parents; analyze the topics you know you can’t discuss with your parents.

2. What was the purpose of “coffee tales” for Mawi and his siblings?

3. Why did Haileab have to flee Adi Wahla for the Sudan?  Why couldn’t he bring his family with him?

4. What is tekh-tekh-ta?  How are people treated who have it?

5. Analyze the ways that the Asgedom family proved they were “survival of the fittest”

1. Haileab Asgedom lived a wild young adulthood primarily due to the lack of parental figures in his life.  What did he say was his greatest regret about this period in his life?

2. What do you think are the most vital skills for survival and success in life?  Explain.

3. While living with his uncle, Haileab regularly went without food for many days.  What is the longest amount of time you have gone without eating?  Do you think you could go without food for more than 24 hours?  How does feeling truly hungry make you feel?

1. Do people need rewards for their behavior? Should they be intrinsic or extrinsic rewards?

2. Do you agree w/ Mawi’s words on page 99, “Sticks and stones can indeed break bones, but words can often do worse”?  Can words be more painful than physical injury sometimes?  

3. Why do we care what people say? Should we?

4. How did "seeing angels" help Mawi get to Harvard?

5. What causes Mawi to almost give up his goal of being a top student?  What causes him to change his mind and keep working to his fullest ability?

6. What is your view on PERSEVERANCE and NEVER GIVING UP?

7. Why is Mawi “always thankful that Coach Kroger stopped me alongside that bus freshman year”? (103).

8. How did RESPECTING himself and others pay off for Mawi?  How has it or how can it payoff for you, too?

1. Why does Mawi include the stories of praise about his father?

2. Analyze how Haileab made a good lawyer? Evaluate his reasoning skills and persuasive speech skills?

3. How was Haileab’s death ironic? What type of legacy did he leave behind?

1. Evaluate Mawi’s statement: “it will be the small things that all of us can do that will have the most impact” (Asgedom 127).

2.  Describe a small act someone has done for you that made a big difference in your life or in that person’s life?

3. Describe a small act YOU have done for someone else that made a big difference for that person.

4. What does it mean to remember where you came from according to Mawi?

5. What lesson do you think you learned from reading this book?