The Language of Baklava

Diana, who is now seven, and her mother and sisters are at home in the US. Bud has gone to Jordan to look for a job and a home for the family. Diana describes her mother’s calm, reassuring character and her intelligence and beauty. While Bud is away, Diana’s mother cooks American food: “Without Bud, we are living according to Mom’s rules” (31). This includes eating “Comforting Grilled Velveeta Sandwiches” (31), which Diana provides the recipe for.

After several weeks, the family flies to Jordan. Diana finds everything new and describes the block in Amman where they now live and its surroundings in detail. She becomes a member of a group of friendly local children, though she is unable to speak their language: “[T]his doesn’t matter because I know how to run” (33). She meets Hisham, a Jordanian boy her age, and they become close friends. Eventually Diana finds herself “speaking Bud’s language” (34), which her mother seems to disapprove of. She roams the neighborhood freely with the children, being welcomed by neighbors and eating their food.

The family has a Bedouin housekeeper named Munira; she often scolds the children and criticizes America and its food. At this,