Chapter 20, page 261, "Tea with the Taliban": The reporters at the Marriot Hotel, Mortenson talked to Taliban ppl. He went to the Afghan border, but they tore a page out of his passport, so he went to the US people in Nepal. Then he was interrogated. They finally let him go. He flew back to the US, where he had got hate mail.
Chapter 21, page 278, "Rumsfeld's Shoes": To Afghanistan . . . schools in Kabul. Then a fatwa was issued, banning Mortenson from working in Pakistan. Burned school. Parvi will go to court. Destroyed schools in Kabul--brought supplies. He got mad because the teachers weren't getting paid or weren't getting paid enough from the US support. Back in the US, Mary Bono took him around Washington. Talked to people. Turned down money from military.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Three Cups of Tea Post 6-B
Dear Greg Mortenson,
I read that you got lots of hate mail. "'I wish some of our bombs had hit you because you're counterproductive to our military efforts'" (275; ch. 20). Don't let that get you down. You are certainly not being counterproductive! If kids in Afghanistan are getting brainwashed, I think the problem down there is ignorance. That goes for America too. Propaganda seems to almost always favor going to war in Asia. When I was working on a paper for English 10, I was surprised to find that the saying "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is often used in a positive way. Revenge is something that we should not even consider as an option.
Another letter stated that, "Our Lord will see that you pay dearly for being a traitor" (275; ch. 20). I'm not quite sure what he (or she) was thinking when he wrote this. I assume he was referring to you helping Muslims. As far as I know, the Bible doesn't say that we should kill anyone of a different religion. I'm not sure exactly how we should deal with them, but if I needed to guess, I would assume that they might have a hard time following the Bible if they're blown to bits.
I'm glad to hear that you haven't given up. Even if it was bad to educate Afghan kids, they are still better off learning at your schools than at the madrassa schools. "But the World Bank concluded that 15 to 20 percent of madrassa students were receiving military training, along with a curriculum that emphasized jihad and hatred of the West at the expense of subjects of like math, science, and literature" (244; ch. 19).
I hope you continue to help build schools!
Adam Anderson
I read that you got lots of hate mail. "'I wish some of our bombs had hit you because you're counterproductive to our military efforts'" (275; ch. 20). Don't let that get you down. You are certainly not being counterproductive! If kids in Afghanistan are getting brainwashed, I think the problem down there is ignorance. That goes for America too. Propaganda seems to almost always favor going to war in Asia. When I was working on a paper for English 10, I was surprised to find that the saying "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is often used in a positive way. Revenge is something that we should not even consider as an option.
Another letter stated that, "Our Lord will see that you pay dearly for being a traitor" (275; ch. 20). I'm not quite sure what he (or she) was thinking when he wrote this. I assume he was referring to you helping Muslims. As far as I know, the Bible doesn't say that we should kill anyone of a different religion. I'm not sure exactly how we should deal with them, but if I needed to guess, I would assume that they might have a hard time following the Bible if they're blown to bits.
I'm glad to hear that you haven't given up. Even if it was bad to educate Afghan kids, they are still better off learning at your schools than at the madrassa schools. "But the World Bank concluded that 15 to 20 percent of madrassa students were receiving military training, along with a curriculum that emphasized jihad and hatred of the West at the expense of subjects of like math, science, and literature" (244; ch. 19).
I hope you continue to help build schools!
Adam Anderson
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Three Cups of Tea Post 6-A
Figurative language:
1. "At night, the burning ends of their cigarettes glowed from the greenery like deadly fireflies" (262; ch. 20). It's a simile, because he's comparing the lit cigarettes to fireflies using "like."
2. "'The circus,' Suleman said, smiling proudly up at Mortenson, like a student demonstrating an impressive project at a science fair" (262; ch. 20). It's a simile, because the author is comparing Suleman presenting the reporters to a kid presenting a science project using "like."
3. "'I'm sure we can clear all this up,' he said, flashing a grin meant to be disarming as he took a pen out of his pocket and slid a notebook into place like a soldier ramming an ammunition cartridge into a military sidearm" (270; ch. 20). It's a simile, because he's comparing the soldier sliding the notebook to with using an ammunition cartridge using "like."
Significant Quote:
"'We women of Afghanistan see the light through education,' Uzra replied. 'Not through this or that hole in a piece of cloth'" (289; ch. 21). Uzra Faizad, the principal of the Durkhani School, is being interviewed about wearing a burkha. She explained that she felt safer wearing it, and it wasn't really important.
1. "At night, the burning ends of their cigarettes glowed from the greenery like deadly fireflies" (262; ch. 20). It's a simile, because he's comparing the lit cigarettes to fireflies using "like."
2. "'The circus,' Suleman said, smiling proudly up at Mortenson, like a student demonstrating an impressive project at a science fair" (262; ch. 20). It's a simile, because the author is comparing Suleman presenting the reporters to a kid presenting a science project using "like."
3. "'I'm sure we can clear all this up,' he said, flashing a grin meant to be disarming as he took a pen out of his pocket and slid a notebook into place like a soldier ramming an ammunition cartridge into a military sidearm" (270; ch. 20). It's a simile, because he's comparing the soldier sliding the notebook to with using an ammunition cartridge using "like."
Significant Quote:
"'We women of Afghanistan see the light through education,' Uzra replied. 'Not through this or that hole in a piece of cloth'" (289; ch. 21). Uzra Faizad, the principal of the Durkhani School, is being interviewed about wearing a burkha. She explained that she felt safer wearing it, and it wasn't really important.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Three Cups of Tea Post 5-C
Chapters 17-19
Chapter 17: "Cherry Trees in the Sand" Bombing, Fatima Batool's sister died. Many people died. Had tea with Taliban people. They pump water for the refugee camp. Eventually, that place advanced.
Chapter 18: "Shrouded Figure" Shows presentations in US for money. Newspapers wrote about Mornenson. Complaints about Greg being unreliable. Went to weird old woman's house. Went dogsledding. Went to honor Mother Teresa. Mortenson nagged for money by lots of people. Worried about fighting. Had Khyber Bishop Mortenson.
Chapter 19: "A Village Called New York" Mortenson saw many Wahhabi madrassa buildings, which brainwashed. Inaugurated CAI water projects with George McCown and Faisal Baig. Musharraf became ruler of Pakistan. Ahmed Shah Massoud murdered by Al Qaeda. Heard about 9/11. Kuardu late inauguration with Syed Abbas. McCown flew away. Haji Ali was dead.
Chapter 17: "Cherry Trees in the Sand" Bombing, Fatima Batool's sister died. Many people died. Had tea with Taliban people. They pump water for the refugee camp. Eventually, that place advanced.
Chapter 18: "Shrouded Figure" Shows presentations in US for money. Newspapers wrote about Mornenson. Complaints about Greg being unreliable. Went to weird old woman's house. Went dogsledding. Went to honor Mother Teresa. Mortenson nagged for money by lots of people. Worried about fighting. Had Khyber Bishop Mortenson.
Chapter 19: "A Village Called New York" Mortenson saw many Wahhabi madrassa buildings, which brainwashed. Inaugurated CAI water projects with George McCown and Faisal Baig. Musharraf became ruler of Pakistan. Ahmed Shah Massoud murdered by Al Qaeda. Heard about 9/11. Kuardu late inauguration with Syed Abbas. McCown flew away. Haji Ali was dead.
Three Cups of Tea Post 5-B
In Chapter 19, Haji Ali, the nurmadhar of Korphe Village, died, and I realized how large of a role he played in "Three Cups of Tea" up to this point. In the beginning, when Greg Mortenson got lost after attempting to climb K2, Haji Ali let him sleep in his house with their warmest possessions. He was the one for whom Mortenson promised to make a school in Korphe (33; ch. 3), so if it weren't for him, the book most likely wouldn't exist.
Also, throughout the book, Mortenson was referred to as Haji Ali's "American son," which shows that he influenced him in many ways. Mortenson's father had died when he was young (260; ch. 19), so he didn't know a biological father for most of his life. Haji Ali filled that role nicely, as he is willing to get in Mortenson's face and order him around.
"It had become his custom to return to Korphe and share a cup of tea with Haji Ali each fall before returning to America" (256; ch. 19). Many people were becoming impatient with Greg Mortenson, and he promised Tara that he would learn to manage his time better (229- 233; ch. 18). He doesn't have as much time as he would most likely wish to have, but he still set aside time to drink tea with Haji Ali. "'Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time'" (150; ch. 12).
Also, throughout the book, Mortenson was referred to as Haji Ali's "American son," which shows that he influenced him in many ways. Mortenson's father had died when he was young (260; ch. 19), so he didn't know a biological father for most of his life. Haji Ali filled that role nicely, as he is willing to get in Mortenson's face and order him around.
"It had become his custom to return to Korphe and share a cup of tea with Haji Ali each fall before returning to America" (256; ch. 19). Many people were becoming impatient with Greg Mortenson, and he promised Tara that he would learn to manage his time better (229- 233; ch. 18). He doesn't have as much time as he would most likely wish to have, but he still set aside time to drink tea with Haji Ali. "'Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time'" (150; ch. 12).
Three Cups of Tea Post 5-A
Figurative language:
1. "Patches of purple lupines had been applied to the high meadows between mountains with broad brush strokes" (214; ch. 17). It's a metaphor, because he's comparing the scenery to a painting.
2. "The harvest he reaped from these envelopes made the slide shows just bearable" (225; ch. 18). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing earning donations to reaping harvest.
3. "When a potential donor in Atlanta began calling CAI's office dangling monetary bait, Mortenson bit down on the hook and booked a flight" (230; ch. 18). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing offering money to luring a fish with a bait.
Emerging theme:
An emerging theme in this book is death, because 9/11 just happened, and Haji Ali and his wife died. Also, Jean Hoerni died in Chapter 14.
1. "Patches of purple lupines had been applied to the high meadows between mountains with broad brush strokes" (214; ch. 17). It's a metaphor, because he's comparing the scenery to a painting.
2. "The harvest he reaped from these envelopes made the slide shows just bearable" (225; ch. 18). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing earning donations to reaping harvest.
3. "When a potential donor in Atlanta began calling CAI's office dangling monetary bait, Mortenson bit down on the hook and booked a flight" (230; ch. 18). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing offering money to luring a fish with a bait.
Emerging theme:
An emerging theme in this book is death, because 9/11 just happened, and Haji Ali and his wife died. Also, Jean Hoerni died in Chapter 14.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Three Cups of Tea Post 4-C
Chapters 13 through 16
Chapter 13: "A Smile Should Be More Than a Memory" Mortenson went to Peshawar, but he was captured.
Chapter 14: "Equilibrium" Mortenson returned home, and Tara had a baby named Amira Eliana Mortenson. They finished the school in Korphe. He shows the picture of the school to Jean Hoerni, and he dies soon after that, leaving a million dollars to the Central Asia Institute.
Chapter 15: "Mortenson in Motion" The sher of Chakpo declared a fatwa against Mortenson. CAI meetings at hotel to discuss new projects. Mortenson decides to build three new schools. Pakhora, Kuardu, and Ranga. He met Syed Abbas Risvi, a Shia scholar. Held inauguration ceremony for Korphe school, opened.
Chapter 16: "Red Velvet Box" Got approval from supreme Shia council in Qom, Iran, in box. Gets lots of requests. Jan Junkpa told police he was Indian spy. Mohammed Aslam Khan (story of going to school) asked for school.
Chapter 13: "A Smile Should Be More Than a Memory" Mortenson went to Peshawar, but he was captured.
Chapter 14: "Equilibrium" Mortenson returned home, and Tara had a baby named Amira Eliana Mortenson. They finished the school in Korphe. He shows the picture of the school to Jean Hoerni, and he dies soon after that, leaving a million dollars to the Central Asia Institute.
Chapter 15: "Mortenson in Motion" The sher of Chakpo declared a fatwa against Mortenson. CAI meetings at hotel to discuss new projects. Mortenson decides to build three new schools. Pakhora, Kuardu, and Ranga. He met Syed Abbas Risvi, a Shia scholar. Held inauguration ceremony for Korphe school, opened.
Chapter 16: "Red Velvet Box" Got approval from supreme Shia council in Qom, Iran, in box. Gets lots of requests. Jan Junkpa told police he was Indian spy. Mohammed Aslam Khan (story of going to school) asked for school.
Three Cups of Tea Post 4-B
As I read the last few chapters of Three Cups of Tea, I have been forced to ask myself why this is the first time I've heard of about this.
Jean Hoerni, a very rich man who had been assisting Greg Mortenson for awhile, gave him a million dollars to make the schools when he died. Greg Mortenson built a school in Pakhora , Kuardu (where Changazi tried to have a school built), and Ranga (189; ch. 15). Shakeela, a girl who went to one of his schools, was the first woman in the Hushe Valley to have the opportunity to get a higher education.
Why haven't I heard about this in the newspaper?
Anyway, something else that surprised me was how controversial the idea of educating women appears to be. When the sher of Chakpo declared a fatwa (religious ruling) against Mortenson, he accused Mortenson of planning to educate girls at his school (184; ch. 15).
Something very similar occurred awhile back, and I got the idea that Muslims were against the female education. I was proven wrong when Mortenson got approval from the supreme Shia council in Qom, Iran, in a red velvet box. It explained that, "'.. our Holy Koran tells us all children should receive education, including our daughters and sisters" (199; ch. 16).
If that is true, why is it regarded as being bad before that? Although this whole idea might have been simply cultural, it isn't presented that way. It explained earlier in the book that the people of Korphe couldn't read (153; ch. 12). Maybe since they can't read the Koran, they assumed that it forbid the education of women.
Jean Hoerni, a very rich man who had been assisting Greg Mortenson for awhile, gave him a million dollars to make the schools when he died. Greg Mortenson built a school in Pakhora , Kuardu (where Changazi tried to have a school built), and Ranga (189; ch. 15). Shakeela, a girl who went to one of his schools, was the first woman in the Hushe Valley to have the opportunity to get a higher education.
Why haven't I heard about this in the newspaper?
Anyway, something else that surprised me was how controversial the idea of educating women appears to be. When the sher of Chakpo declared a fatwa (religious ruling) against Mortenson, he accused Mortenson of planning to educate girls at his school (184; ch. 15).
Something very similar occurred awhile back, and I got the idea that Muslims were against the female education. I was proven wrong when Mortenson got approval from the supreme Shia council in Qom, Iran, in a red velvet box. It explained that, "'.. our Holy Koran tells us all children should receive education, including our daughters and sisters" (199; ch. 16).
If that is true, why is it regarded as being bad before that? Although this whole idea might have been simply cultural, it isn't presented that way. It explained earlier in the book that the people of Korphe couldn't read (153; ch. 12). Maybe since they can't read the Koran, they assumed that it forbid the education of women.
Three Cups of Tea Post 4-A
Figurative language:
1. "The great curving ramparts of the Bala Hisar Fort loomed over the receding town, glowing in the fiery light like a long-dormant volcano on the verge of awakening" (157; ch. 13). It's a simile, because it uses "like" to compare the color of the rampart to the color of lava.
"... Mortenson lay awake much of the second night, test-driving and rejecting various strategies" (166; ch. 13). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing the trial and error of different plans to trying out vehicles.
"the rising sun iced the hanging glaciers of Masherbrum pale pink, like a gargantuan pastry dangling above them at breakfast time..." (206; ch. 16). It's a metaphor, because it compares the color of the mountains to that of a pastry.
Vocabulary:
1. rampart (157; ch. 13): n. a fortification.
2. phlegm (162; ch. 13): n. thick mucous.
1. "The great curving ramparts of the Bala Hisar Fort loomed over the receding town, glowing in the fiery light like a long-dormant volcano on the verge of awakening" (157; ch. 13). It's a simile, because it uses "like" to compare the color of the rampart to the color of lava.
"... Mortenson lay awake much of the second night, test-driving and rejecting various strategies" (166; ch. 13). It's a metaphor, because he is comparing the trial and error of different plans to trying out vehicles.
"the rising sun iced the hanging glaciers of Masherbrum pale pink, like a gargantuan pastry dangling above them at breakfast time..." (206; ch. 16). It's a metaphor, because it compares the color of the mountains to that of a pastry.
Vocabulary:
1. rampart (157; ch. 13): n. a fortification.
2. phlegm (162; ch. 13): n. thick mucous.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Three Cups of Tea Post 3-C
Chapter 9 through 12
Chapter 9: The People Have Spoken: Greg was fired and dumped by his girlfriend. Mortenson started staying at Witold Dudzinski's appartment, which wasn't pleasant. Mortenson was mugged. He called Jean again.
Chapter 10: Mortenson ordered the bridge cable. He stayed in Changazi's house for awhile. The truck carrying the cable was blocked, so the Korphe villagers carried it. Then Mortenson went hunting with Twaha and others. Then they finished the bridge.
Chapter 11: Six Days: Mortenson turned down Marina when she tried to come back to him. Then he met and married Tara Bishop.
Chapter 12: Haji Ali's Lesson: Ghulam Parvi helped Mortenson get most of his school materials back. Then they built the foundation of the school. Haji Ali told Mortenson that he couldn't read.
Chapter 9: The People Have Spoken: Greg was fired and dumped by his girlfriend. Mortenson started staying at Witold Dudzinski's appartment, which wasn't pleasant. Mortenson was mugged. He called Jean again.
Chapter 10: Mortenson ordered the bridge cable. He stayed in Changazi's house for awhile. The truck carrying the cable was blocked, so the Korphe villagers carried it. Then Mortenson went hunting with Twaha and others. Then they finished the bridge.
Chapter 11: Six Days: Mortenson turned down Marina when she tried to come back to him. Then he met and married Tara Bishop.
Chapter 12: Haji Ali's Lesson: Ghulam Parvi helped Mortenson get most of his school materials back. Then they built the foundation of the school. Haji Ali told Mortenson that he couldn't read.
Three Cups of Tea Post 3-B
Mortenson's life has taken a sharp turn for the better. During Chapter 9, Mortenson's girlfriend left him, and he was fired (101; ch. 9). To add to that, the school wasn't getting anywhere either. In order to bring the school supplies to Korphe, they needed a bridge (97; ch. 8)!
However, Mortenson soon met his wife, Tara Bishop, at mountaineer celebration (130; ch. 11). Also, Greg met Ghulam Parvi, an accountant of Changazi. He helped Greg get back the building materials, although some of them had been stolen by Changazi (137-138; ch. 12). Jean Hoerni decided to make a company for Greg's school to create one school per year (145). Finally, the men of Korphe cooperated very well and helped build the foundation for Greg's school (ch. 12).
Greg certainly could have given up during chapter 9, but he continued to follow his dream of the school. I must admit, however, that there was as much luck involved as there was persistence!
However, Mortenson soon met his wife, Tara Bishop, at mountaineer celebration (130; ch. 11). Also, Greg met Ghulam Parvi, an accountant of Changazi. He helped Greg get back the building materials, although some of them had been stolen by Changazi (137-138; ch. 12). Jean Hoerni decided to make a company for Greg's school to create one school per year (145). Finally, the men of Korphe cooperated very well and helped build the foundation for Greg's school (ch. 12).
Greg certainly could have given up during chapter 9, but he continued to follow his dream of the school. I must admit, however, that there was as much luck involved as there was persistence!
Three Cups of Tea Post 3-A
Vocabulary:
1. roguery (109): n. mischief behavior.
2. advocate (123): n. a supporter.
Significant quote:
"'Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time'" (150; ch. 12). Greg Mortenson is trying to make everyone work fast on the school. The villagers in Korphe like doing things at a slow pace, unlike Americans for the most part.
1. roguery (109): n. mischief behavior.
2. advocate (123): n. a supporter.
Significant quote:
"'Doctor Greg, you must make time to share three cups of tea. We may be uneducated. But we are not stupid. We have lived and survived here for a long time'" (150; ch. 12). Greg Mortenson is trying to make everyone work fast on the school. The villagers in Korphe like doing things at a slow pace, unlike Americans for the most part.
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