FREEBERRY: Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

Hey Scholarberry readers! I'm glad you came across my blog and reading books. People I know at my high school doesn't really like to read books. They REALLY judge the books by the cover--which is wrong, but we all do it!

What's a FREEBERRY?
A Freeberry is a giveaway, but with rules and some bonus/extra chances (Freebie + berry). There's some requirements needed to be fulfilled before someone can actually win a book (or two)!

This FREEBERRY will be LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman. As you guys know (or not), I went to Japan as an exchange student from August 2010 - March 2011. The exchange program didn't want to risk me getting some radiation, so they dragged me back to Minnesota, Saint Paul. It was hard but I'm over the whole reverse-culture-shock thing now. I lived in Ashikaga city, Tochigi prefecture. That's about 2 hours north by car from Tokyo...
I know you guys are here for the FREEBERRY, but for those who are interested in my adventure/some culture shock/reverse culture shock; read the whole post! :)

So anyway. LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman is a book about a girl who was forced to move to the United States. If you guys have never get on an airplane and move to another country, you guys wouldn't know how intense it is (if it's not for vacation). If you have done that, this is a must read. So click the link for my review to read more about the book!

RULES and INFO:
Deadline: June 15
Prize: One hardcover, autographed copy of LIFE, AFTER by Sarah Darer Littman.
HOW TO: Fill THIS form and you guys must post either a; comment, Facebook post, Tweet, Buzz or etc (and link it in the form) If you guys want to post a comment asking a question about Japan, that counts too :D
BONUS: If Scholarberry has 100 followers before July 15, I will add another FREEBERRY of ARC of Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin. If Scholarberry has 150 followers, I will add another FREEBERRY of TANGLED by Carolyn Mackler (review coming soon).
NOTICE: When I wrote this, the Followers list seems to be down on every blog or every browser. I hope it won't be down forever. -.-

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Culture shock:
When I got to Japan, I was so happy that the culture shock didn't hit me bad. In fact, now I think that having your toilet in the same room as your shower is just disgusting...
I wore blazer uniform to the high school in Japan, but I also experienced the middle school (fortunately one of my host family is a member of the middle school board ;) ).

One of the most memorable thing:
It was my first day of school there, and I had to introduce myself throughout the TV system in the school. Afterwards, I came to my classroom for the first time and found an empty desk with my name on it. So I sat down and waited awkwardly--the teacher wasn't there yet, she was still talking to the principal about me. Then two boys came up to me (I think they were dared by the whole class, really), and asked me--IN JAPANESE--if I've had sex yet.

Boy A: エッチやった事あるっすか？
Me: HUH?! (Yes, I understood it. But I was so surprised that it was the first question that I just said HUH?)
Boy B: You ever had sex? (Yes. In English!)
Me: 意味が分かったけどさあ。。。お前と関係ねーでしょ！？("I understood the meaning but...WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH YOU!?")
Whole class: O.O *realizes that I understood Japanese, even the informal/rough slang and laughs*

Ever since that, all 32 of us are best friends because of my bluntness. :D It was weird, but in a good way.

Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

"'Open mouth and insert foot. That's a Brian Harrison specialty.'
I had no idea what he was talking about, and my confusion obviously showed on my face.
'It's an expression. To put your foot in your mouth means to say something stupid and tactless that you shouldn't have said. You know, that offends the other person.'"

Publisher: Scholastic
Publication: July 1st 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-15144-3
Ages/Grades: 12-18/7-12

Before I read Life, After, I thought it was going to be sad and filled with emotions. Now that I've finished it, it was funny and more than just life-changing sad. It was crying-sad and I-can-relate-to-some-of-this-sad.

In Life, After, the main character, Daniela Bensimon is from Argentina. July 18, 1994 was the AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Because of it, Dani lost her aunt Sara.

Her father, was nice and kind. Her father was gentle and caring--not short tempered and fussy about every little thing and impatient. Dani loved and liked him very much. But these days, it's a bit hard to, really.

Sarita, Dani's little sister, doesn't understand that the crisis is changing her father's life. Or her mother. Or Dani's. She was innocent--and curious. She asks a lot of questions, and asks them bluntly.

Dani lost Gaby, her best friend, who moved to Israel because of the crisis. But Dani still have Roberto, her novio (boyfriend in Spanish). But her novio had to move, too. To Miami in America.

After not being able to pay for electricity and a crazy protest-scene in front of the hospital (where Dani's mom works), Dani's dad finally gave in to move to America. But no, not Miami. New York, where Dani's uncle, Jacobo, lives.

In America, the high school is huge. The hallways are mean. First day, right off the start Dani was found wearing another girl's shirt from charity. They kept picking on her, although Dani made a friend with the girl's brother.

But Dani had her personal GPS--Brian Harrison. Who she can't help but think about even though her novio is still Roberto. Roberto, Roberto, Roberto. Whom she misses so much but when in contact with, couldn't speak much to.

Dani is changing. So is Sarita. Will her dad change? Will he try to live normally again? Will Roberto's feelings change?

What I love about the book: I didn't come from America (I came from Indonesia to America in 2007) and I struggled with the idioms, too. Or maybe just the expressions and slang, really. So I definitely relate to that, and this book was just hilarious. I would love to reread this book again and again. Also, Dani's not exaggerating. She's frustrated, but she keeps it under control, until (of course, just like any other teens) her parents doesn't listen anymore.

What I dislike about the book: To be honest, I was a bit disappointed about the ending--but that's just because I don't like the hanging ending. And to be honest, that's because I wanted more of Sarita's blunt remark and also Dani and Brian's hilarious relationship.

:D

This is a very amazing book--Never judge a book by its cover, it's really good!! Highly recommended!

Sarah Darer Littman's Official Life, After web page