The Distance Between Us

Mila is Natalios second wife. What are Reynas earliest perceptions of

her? What influence does Mila have on Reyna, Mago, and Carlos?
Your Answer:
1-

Her perception was that, that woman had broken up her family.
She wanted to yell at her and say something mean. She
compared that woman with her mother. For example, she wore
her wavy black hair in a stylish cut, but her mothers hair was
short like boys. Her skin was light and she wore makeup in soft
colors such as peaches and browns, but her mothers skin was
dark and she used dark colors such as purples and hot pinks for
her makeup. Mila was wearing white pants and sandals, and
pink blouse; whereas her mother usually wore flowery dresses
like what old women such as Abuelita Chinta wore. Although
Mila was five years older than her mother, she looked younger.
She wished her 1skin was not light and smooth looking except

her mothers sunburned skin that lined with wrinkles. She felt
she was betraying her mother for thinking those thoughts and
she should hate Mila instead of admiring her.
Reyna attends school in both Mexico and the United States. Compare
and contrast her experiences in both places. What can readers learn
about the challenges poor children have in negotiating school?
Your Answer:
2.- When she entered to the Aldama Elementary School, she
was surprised of how big it was. The school was three times as
big as her school in Iguala. Also, she found that the instruments
to play were free to use, they belonged to the school, but she
could borrow them she also was excited because she wanted to
have new friends. Her step mother told her that no one would
yell at her since she is left-handed, in the event that in Mexico
the teachers usually yell at her and students laughed at her
because of being left-handed. In Mexico, she was with her sister

all the time but in the United States, her sister was send to
another school, Burbank Middle School, so she missed to be
with her sister. Reyna felt uncomfortable in school because she
could not speak English, but her teacher had an assistant who
helped Reyna and translate what the teacher was saying to her.
In my opinion, the readers can learn how a child at that age can
goes through many difficulties and problems, and finally
overcomes them by her attempts and perseverance.
Reyna does not speak English when she enters school in the United
States. How does she overcome this challenge? How is she received
by her teachers? By her classmates? What accounts for her ability to
succeed?
Your Answer:
Reyna didnt speak English when she entered at the Aldama
elementary school in the United States, this makes Reyna feel
uncomfortable because she didnt understand anything about
what other people were talking about. She felt miscommunicate.

Reyna felt supported by her teacher, Mrs. Lopez. The teacher

helped her a lot in her English by translating her whenever she
couldnt understand. School wasnt easy for her because some
of her classmates make laugh of her because of her last name.
Her teacher, Mrs. Anderson ignored her since she could not
express herself in class; therefor, lack of English kept her silent.
But she knew that she will understand English and speak English
fluently one day in the future; therefore, she tried her best to do
well on school and get good grades.
Reynas father believes in education and supports Mago and Carlos
when they enroll in college. Why does he not help Reyna? How does
his refusal impact Reyna?
Your Answer:
Papi was so disappointed with the decision that Carlos and
Mago drop college so he thought about Reyna as if she may
take the same decision like her siblings. But Reyna didnt want

to do the same that her siblings were doing she wanted to

show her father that she will not do the same thing that her
siblings did and that she will not disappointed her father, by
quitting the college or leaving the house. But there was a
problem because her father did not want that she send her to
send in her paperwork, which includes her fathers financial
information and personal information, which also includes his
signature to the university of UC Irvine, and he did not want to
lose his time in encouraging Reyna about school, and how
education is important because he thought that she will not
make it to college.

To whom does Reyna owe thanks for her success? Why? Do you agree
or disagree and why?
Your Answer:

She thanked and inspired her teacher, Diana, who was a mentor,
a friend, and also was like a hero for Reyna, for all the good
things she had done for her. She had changed Reynas life for
the better. She felt helpful because she was a good person,
when Reyna needed someone to talk to Diana was the only
person who she could trust. She helped Reyna to stay at her
house. She felt safety at Dianas house because there was no
one yells at her, beat her or put her down. In her house she
thought she was in heaven. Diana encouraged her to write. . She
hoped to be like Diana, an inspirational teacher. She thanked
her mentor because she had come into her life and helped her
when she had most needed someone.