The Turtle of Oman

That night, Aref gets out of bed to look through the window. He thinks about Sidi, who remembers the days before electricity arrived in Oman and recalls when the roads were not paved. Aref is amazed that there are now international students in his class. He wishes that he had asked them about their experiences away from their respective countries. He reflects that there are no turtles with candles on their backs to light the way through the city.

Aref wakes the next day feeling strange. His mother comments that he does not seem happy, and Aref replies that he can’t be happy all the time. She suggests that it would be better to be excited about their journey. She also wants the house clean for those who are stopping to say goodbye and for their relatives, who will soon move into the house.

While turtles and birds both have instincts that tell them when to travel, Aref does not feel that this is the best time to move to the US. However, he hears his mother on the phone talking to someone about taking him camping.