Maya and her family move to America after they lose everything in Kazakhstan. Her parents go from teaching at a government level to driving a taxi and cleaning people's houses. While Maya and her brother are already well adjusted to American culture, their parents don't find it as easy.
Slajd: 2
Exposition
Maya's younger brother Nurzhan gets into a fight with a boy that was making fun of him. Maya calls her father to the school and goes to Nurzhans school in order to translate. The principal of Nurzhans school explains that he will be suspended and that he should be punished. Maya translates all this in a way that makes it look like the other boy was at fault.
Slajd: 3
Rising Action
After their gymnastics meet, Maya and Shannon run into David and Daniel from the wrestling team. They begin to joke around and while they do, David and Daniel pick up Maya and Shannon trying to prove who was stronger. Maya's dad arrives to pick her up and when he sees the American boy picking up his daughter, he is enraged.
Slajd: 4
Climax
GULNARA!
Maya’s parents are really mad at her and blame each other for what happened. Both parents begin ignoring Maya and her brother Nurzhan, something which has never happened before. Nurzhan tries to explain how things were different here in America than in Kazakhstan but their parents refuse to understand.
Slajd: 5
Falling Action
Maya really wants to go to the school dance but her parent won’t sign the permission slip. Nurzhan takes matters into his own hand and gets their parents to sign the slip but under one condition. Maya’s parents say that the only way she could go to the dance was if she took Nurzhan with her as her chaperone. At the dance, Nurzhan mysteriously disappears when Maya and Daniel dance, returning after the dance was over.
Slajd: 6
Resolution
Maya finds out that Nurzhan was hiding out in the bathroom during the dance to give Maya some privacy. After thanking Nurzhan, Maya realizes how much things had changed since they arrived in America. Her parents were finally beginning to understand American culture and were slowly adapting to it.