When Hala was growing up in America she became accustomed to freedoms, which the people of Nawara have not experienced. While walking up the steps of Petra, she greets others by saying hello because she lived in America. When they reach the top of the mountain, Hala realizes that her shirt is sticky and drenched. She then "look[s] around and can see no one I take off my shirt and bra and then my pants as well. Fawziyya just stares at me- (Halaby 156). This quote shows that even though she has learned about her culture and to take things in slowly, she still forgets about how liberal things are in America. .
Khadija on the other hand is more suppressed compared to her cousins. "My father is a traditional man, my mother says. That's why he is so strict and why I'm not allowed to talk to boys.""(Halaby 149). Khadija's parents are very protective they do not allow her to do what other kids are allowed. When she invited her friend over for dinner her parents approved. However, when her friend invited her for dinner, her mother said no because she doesn't know her friend's parents. In addition, she was denied permission to go to a slumber party because her mother said " you are not going to sleep anywhere outside this family until the day you are married- (Halaby 173). Her friends laughed at her and could not relate to her situation. Khadija is brought up in a very conservative Arabic family, which is why she thinks differently than her American friends. .
Soraya is portrayed as the girl who dances shamelessly, at her cousin's wedding. .
" Wow, she knows how to shake it-, Jaffer says. "Who is that girl who's shaking her dance all over the place?'-.
"My mother and I look at each other. I know she is mixed between angry and furious. She always wants to do what's just right and appropriate and doesn't want anyone talking bad about her- (Halaby 27).
This scenario presents that she wants to show herself off.
