After reading the passage, India was still the same.

It accurately described the India that

imagined and of what I see on the television, pictures and on the internet. I haven’t been to
India, I cannot accurately relate to the scent of the streets but the way I imagined it with
pungent odor from the open sewers and strong smell of spices from the food that were being
cooked and from the mixture of jasmine and orange everywhere, it seems to be true. India is
also known for it’s magnificent architecture and rich culture. The building have its original
design that cannot be found in western countries. Aside from this, there is also rampant
poverty in India. As described from the passage there are people dressed in rags which
covered their bony bodies. There also covered in mud, dust and some have wounds scattered
throughout their bodies. In order to survive they must beg for alms from the passers by. It is
evident that there is unbalanced distribution of wealth in India. For a child, seeing the horrors
of poverty can be traumatizing, as their sweet, innocent and curious minds have not yet
understood the reality of the world.

At first going to India might not be that bad. Children especially Fiona have learned a lot
there while staying for a year. She learned how to be kind and humble as she teaches her
classmates how to read English language. It seems like Fiona and her sisters have grown
through their stay there. They have discovered animals that they usually see on the pictures in
real life. They also begun to understand that the world has so many faces. No country is alike
from one another. They have learned that the poverty is the States is far different than that of
India. Poverty in India as described by Fiona is worst than the US. This served as an eye
opener for them to slowly understand how the world works. Also, they learned that there are
people who work as their helpers in exchange for money in terms of salary. They were taught
by Wolf that in this case they are helping one another to survive. In order for them to have an
easy life adjusting there and for the people to earn for a living. They needed someone who is a
native from the country to take care of their needs.

On the other hand, moving to India was the turning point of there relationship as a family.
They experienced difficulty in adjusting with the new life they had back in the States. Aside
from the differences with the weather, their is a language barrier and a swift change in
lifestyle that the family find it difficult to adjust. They are not used to weather there because it
is hotter compared to the US. There are a few people who can understand and converse in
English and communication back then is quite difficult. In terms of food, Indian food are
made with very strong spices which omits pungent odor to the foreigners. And I believe that
these circumstances lead to a tough life of moving to India. Even though they stayed for a
year already, it is not a guarantee that they have successfully managed to coped up with their
everyday struggles. This also, prompted Hannah together with her daughters to go on separate
ways with Wolf leaving Fiona behind.

I believe that they made the wrong decision in moving to India. Their experiences there lead
to them being separated again from one another. They did not think through with the decision
that they have made. It was like they made it in a spur of a moment. Trips like this must be
carefully and thoroughly planned as it will become the basis of their future. They must also be
prepared of what will be the situation that will welcome them there.

This new milestone in their relationship as a family greatly affects Fiona. She begun to
question about the love of a mother which she did not received any from her biological
mother and she doubts if her stepmother genuinely loved her as a daughter. She is getting
tired of always being the one left behind. She asks herself why is it always her and if it is her
fault why this happened again to her blossoming new family with her stepmother Hannah and
her sisters. Fiona begun to lose hope in receiving a warmth motherly love from the woman
she calls mom. After reading the letter left by Hannah, she wonders if is it really true that
Hannah misses her but she begun to question Hannah’s age and remembered the second rule
that she instills on her mind, “ never trust an adult 30 and above”. This really left Fiona
devastated because she thinks life is unfair for her. But eventually after Wolf and Fiona,
followed Hannah and her sisters, they had decided to travel back to the States in the opposite
direction with Hannah passing through Europe and Wolf to Asia. This brief moment gave
Fiona a sprinkle of hope that their family will be whole again. As a child experiencing this, it
is quite traumatizing especially Fiona is beginning to understand the situation. Unless her
parents will reconcile, this will eventually leave a mark on her heart that she will remember
while she grows up.