I read a story from The Inheritance of Exile entitled, “The Journey Home” about a woman named ‘Hanan.’ I enjoyed reading the story. I liked how John was not from Palestine and dated Hanan. They fought a lot, and things did not work out. However, early on in the story John was nice to Hanan and would rub her feet and take care of her. When Hanan had a son, it changed her life, but her life was not perfect. John could be abusive and even with Aliyah’s help, she struggled. Hanan did not have a great relationship with her Mom. Hanan planned to visit her parents and bring Michael along despite knowing in advance that there might be conflict. Hanan took off and drove with Michael to her parents’ house, which is in South Philly. Hanan got along with her baba, but since there is tension with her mother, Hanan did not stay long. This was upsetting especially for her baba because he enjoyed the time they had together. One night, Hanan received a scary call. She learned that her Baba had a heart attack, but thankfully lived. I am glad the story ended this way, rather than a sad ending. I enjoyed this story because it shows that relationships are not always easy and living as the daughter of a Palestinian immigrant is tough. It shows real life and the truth in some ways. I really liked when Susan Darraj was able to join our class on Zoom and share her story and talk a little about her books. She seems so busy but finds time to write. When things slow down when classes end, I might look into some of her other books. Her book The Inheritance of Exile can hopefully help other children of immigrants get through more difficult times.
