Life in Shangla

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Questions and Answers

Why was the author grateful for Sumbul's offer to borrow a shalwar kamiz?

She wanted to show respect for Sumbul's culture after having teased her previously.
She realized her own clothes were too flashy for the conservative school environment..
Her packed clothes did not match, and she wanted to feel normal despite being displaced. (correct)
She wanted to embrace the local fashion to impress her new classmates.

What motivated the author to feel excited about attending school in Shangla?

She wanted to prove to the Taliban that she would not be silenced, despite their dictates. (correct)
She wanted to make new friends and integrate into a new community.
The school in Shangla had a better academic reputation than her school in Swat.
Her father encouraged her to continue her education no matter the circumstances.

What was the author's initial reaction to the girls' behavior during class in Shangla?

She was relieved to find other girls who shared her fear of the Taliban.
She was shocked by their silence and covering of their faces. (correct)
She admired their quietness and respect for the teacher.
She felt frustrated that they wouldn't help her with the classwork.

What internal conflict did the author experience while attending school in Shangla?

She felt out of place due to her different behavior and outspokenness. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What was the main cause of the author's family's displacement?

The Taliban's growing influence and threats in Swat. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why did the author's mother have difficulty contacting her father by phone from Shangla?

The phone service in the mountains was unreliable. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How did the author's family manage financially while displaced?

They depended on the generosity of friends and family and IDP rations. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why wasn't the journey to Peshawar as difficult as their initial displacement?

The routes were safer with fewer blockades and Taliban presence. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What did the author long for the most during her displacement?

To return to the familiar home she knew before the Taliban. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What does the author's experience suggest about the impact of displacement on personal identity?

Displacement can create a sense of feeling out of place, even among one's own people. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred from Sumbul's shrugging response when asked why she didn't speak in class?

She accepted the cultural norms of female silence. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why was the author disappointed on her twelfth birthday?

Her family forgot her birthday due to their displacement. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the detail about wealthy individuals standing in line for flour suggest about displacement?

Displacement can level social classes and create shared hardship. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How did the author use education as a form of resistance against the Taliban?

By openly defying their ban on girls' education and attending school. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the author's feelings upon reuniting with her father in Peshawar?

Relief, happiness, and a sense of safety. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why did the author's family move between her maternal and paternal uncles' houses in Shangla?

They didn't want to overburden any one household for too long. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the author's observation about her old home suggest about the long-term effects of conflict?

Conflict can irrevocably alter one's sense of home and belonging. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the IDP cards?

They entitled families to food rations. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the author's overall attitude toward her displacement?

Resilience, hope, and a determination to maintain normalcy. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the author's wish for peace on her birthday reveal about her?

She prioritizes peace and stability above personal comforts. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Shalwar kamiz

A traditional set of South Asian clothing, typically including loose trousers and a long shirt or tunic.

Displaced

Being forced to leave one's home or country, often due to conflict or persecution.

IDP cards

Cards issued to internally displaced persons providing access to food and other resources.

Study Notes

The family sought refuge in Shangla, alternating between the homes of the narrator's maternal and paternal uncles to avoid overburdening a single household
The narrator found comfort in the routine of school, a stark contrast to the Taliban's ban on girls' education, which had forced them to flee
The narrator borrowed a shalwar kamiz from Sumbul, showing gratitude for the country clothes
Every day after breakfast she walked a half hour with Sumbul up the mountain to school
There were very few girls
The narrator was surprised to see her cousin and the other girls cover their faces around the male teacher, she did not copy her
She also noticed that the girls were quiet during lessons and did not participate
She was not disrespectful but she spoke too much and did not look down when the teacher entered the room, she wasn't called on that often
The narrator's family stayed in Shangla for a few weeks, awaiting news from her father and longing to return to Mingora
The mother used a Nokia cell phone and had to climb on top of a boulder to get reception to call the father daily
After six weeks, they reunited with her father in Peshawar when he said it was safe

Life as IDPs

The journey to Peshawar was less dangerous than their initial displacement, but their eagerness to reunite with her father made it feel long
The family relied on the generosity of friends and family in Peshawar while displaced
Being displaced added the stress of worrying about being a burden to others
The formerly wealthy now stood in line for food rations with IDP cards
Her 12th birthday was spent at an aunt's home in Haripur, their fourth city in two months, nobody remembered except her cousin who brought cake after midnight
During her 12th birthday, she longed for the familiarity of her eleventh birthday and the home she knew before the Taliban
The narrator understood that returning to their old life in Mingora was impossible
Despite the circumstances, she wished for peace

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