Jada Bebble 2-12-09 English 3rd Hr.

Scrapbook of Afghanistan

Autobiography of Pary Gul.

My name is Pary Gul. I am a young girl who lives in Afghanistan. I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1993 and have lived here my entire life. I spend my days going to school, caring for my younger siblings, helping around the house, and playing with friends. Since the Taliban left, life has been much easier. I remember waking up in the middle of the night hearing trucks go by looking for people in the streets. Once, I heard gunshots and found out that the Talibs killed a woman for being outside without her husband, whom she had lost in the crowd of people. This still worries me today. I go to school at Sarghuna Girls School in Kabul. There are 3500 students that attend and 121 teachers. My teachers name is Mrs. Khan, who teaches my class of about 30. While the Taliban had taken over, girls were not aloud to go to school, but now that they left we have begun to learn again. We have no books, tables, chairs, paper, pencils, or a chalkboard. Because of this, we only learn words and how to pronounce them. I met my best friend at school when Mrs. Khan told me to sit next to her. Her name is Freashta. Sometimes Freashta comes over to my house. We play with my younger siblings, Zabi and Zeeba. I love to hang out with her in my free time. In my home, I live with my mother, father, and siblings. My oldest brother, Khalid, is at Kabul college trying to receive a degree so he can get a job and help our family. I also have a brother who is 11 years old, Kaim. Kaim helps my father sell and

buy food for us. Zabi and Zeeba are 3 year old twins. We all live in one home, and manage very well. We all help eachother, with dinner, cleaning, and taking care of the twins. The sun shines brightly on our family. In our region, many take care of sheep or sell food for money. Our family sells food. I do not make the money, my father and brother do while I am at school. The boy my parents want me to marry is Qasem. He is a very nice boy who cares for sheep outside of Kabul with his father. They are very weathly, too. I am not ready to marry yet, but when Im older Im sure I will marry him. One of the things Im still most afraid of is the Taliban. Even though they are gone, they still haunt me. Going outside without my brother or father frightens me, because of what happened to the woman. But while I still worry, I enjoy going to school and being with my friends. Our meals usually consist of bread and hot tea. Sometimes we get vegetables too, if father makes enough money. We have this every night, and I help prepare for it. On a daily basis I wear a chador to cover up. This keeps me warm and closed in. Almost all the women wear it. I know this because I see them every Friday, when everyone comes together to pray. It is a tradition for Afghanistan to have prayer this day.

Bibliography: Culison, Alan. Land-Mine www.bigchalk.elibrary.com

Eliott, Rob. AFGHANISTAN-US ATTACKS-ENDURING FREEDOMSCHOOL REOPENING. Agence France Presse. 30 December 2001. eLibrary. Cary Academy Library, Cary, NC. 22 October 2004 www.bigchalk.eLibrary.com Juste, Carl. A Young Afghan nomad boy tends to a herd of sheep near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, November 30, 2001. KRT. 30 November

2001: . eLibrary. Cay Academy Library, Cary, NC. 22 October 2004 www.elibrary.bigchalk.com Nelson, Scott. U.www.elibrary.bigchalk.com Unknown. Afghan governor addresses the congregation at Friday prayers. Art Bulletin. 4 September 2004. eLibrary. Cary Academy Library, Cary, NC. 21 October 2004 www.bigchalk.elibrary.com

This is me on the first day of school.

This is my class that I go to school with every day.

This is my best friend, Freashta.

This is my brother, Zabi, hiding under the bed.

This is my sister, Zeeba, with my mother at the Friday prayer.

This is Qaseem, the boy my parents want me to marry.