When Heaven and Earth Changed Places

Ch. 11 & Ch. 12, Almost in Paradise; Finding a Family

Le Ly is at her first day of work as a nurse. She loves it! I like this chapter because she sees that there is actually good in the world. Le Ly says, "This is heaven,' I thought. "Strangers come to solve your problems even before you ask for help!" (275). I feel like Le Ly just wants to help others in this job, but things keep stopping her, like her supervisor. An American man offers her help with this problem and he gets her transfered. Le Ly learns that the war is still affecting Vietnam with Anh. As they are touring, they pass an albino buffalo, which you are supossed to make a wish upon seeing. Le Ly makes her wish. I believe her wish was that one day a mother won't be able to recount the memories of this war. The IMAGERY Le Ly uses is very vivid because i can see the picture she is trying to paint in her own head. In chapter 12, Le Ly meets a nice man who again says he could make living easy for her. They move in together and things are going smoothly until he starts drinking. He then gets violent with her and Le Ly keeps having this dream of her leaving, which needs to happen. She sees more of her family againa nd is questioned about why she came back. Le Ly says no matter where she is, she would have wanted to come back. Le Ly wants to learn from her mother and gets a tape recorder to have all of what she says, but her mother refuses to talk while it is one. So Le Ly must use her mind to rememeber and keep what her mother says for the future.