No one understands struggle like a refugee does. Sandra Uwiringiyimana lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a child. Her people were stateless, meaning they did not belong to one certain area. Her world was full of happiness one moment and angry battles the next, because anyone who looked like her was discriminated against. War was a part of her normal, everyday life. It forced her out of school and moved her into temporary refugee camps. Her community would have their lives turned upside down for a few months, but then everything would return to normal. When Sandra was ten, another battle broke out, this one not temporary. Armed men came into their refugee camp and slaughtered everyone they could reach. Tents were set on fire, and Sandra was able to escape by only a miracle. She and her broken family had to pick up the pieces of their former life, but were unable to return to their sense of normalcy. Through a UN refugee system, Sandra and her family were able to immigrate to America. She imagined America as if everyone was rich and shiny. Upon arrival, though, they had to struggle yet again through hunger and discrimination. Sandra found a way to use her voice against racism and learn to heal from her traumatic past. I was surprised that the book wasn’t all sad or regretful. Many refugee stories focus only on the hard parts of their past, but How Dare the Sun Rise also allows good memories to surface. Many chapters are dedicated to the strength of her people and the beauty of her childhood home. Sandra found ways to let the light parts of her story in, making it seem much more human. I found this form of writing to be much more emotionally impactful, because you could see the drastic changes she went through in such a short amount of time. This book has changed my thinking process quite a bit. Many times throughout the story, I had to remind myself that it was a memoir, and therefore completely true. It is easy to read a book and disconnect from the story it is telling, simply because we allow ourselves to believe it is made up. I am definitely more open-minded towards people who’s past I don’t know. It really reinforces the fact that the people around you can come from many different walks of life, and how they could be struggling in ways you aren’t aware of. Empathy was a big part of this book, but it took effort for me to try and understand how I would’ve reacted in her situations. I’ve realized that I have to try harder to actually understand someone else’s point of view and not just feel sorry for them. By Bridget B.
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AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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November 2022
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