It Just Takes Time

Authors Note~ This is a character development piece on Amy Nelson form the book my independent reading book "How To Ruin My Summer Vacation" 

Who is Amy Nelson? This is the driving question that Amy is struggling to figure out. Amy is a 16 year old girl; of course she is confused about life and who she is. She needs to find herself, but where? Perhaps in the middle of a war zone. Her almost non-existing father finally came around again after a couple years. He wants Amy to travel on a 12 hour plane flight to Israel, where he grew up. He wanted Amy to be able to meet her ill Safta (Grandma in Hebrew). Amy not so fond of the idea was not to enthusiastic about spending her whole summer in such a dump. Little to her surprise her Safta had a bigger influence on her life than she had expected.

Amy a normal sixteen year old girl is stranded in a non-so normal environment. This city girl can’t get used to having sheep in her backyard. As a matter of fact she can’t  get used to having a backyard. Amy is all city she is not down to earth at all. She hates animals and anything that has to do with work, because she is afraid of breaking a nail. That goes to show she is not the kind of girl who voluntarily goes to a third world country for a whole three months.

Amy is all city but she is not  that stuck up. In a way her personality relates to mine. Amy much like me is an independent girl, we don't need someone telling us what we should and shouldn't do. The both of as are very opinionated and it is hard to change our view of things.  Also she doesn't really have filter on her mouth, she just says what she feels and  speaks without thinking how it may sound to another person. We wish things where simple, merrily perfect. And last but not least she can catch a bit of an attitude when things don't go the way she wants them too. That's definitely a mirror image of my personality. Though I am not the only person who relates to Amy, there is also Lori from "The Boys Next Door". These girls  are both strong and opinionated. Both of the girls have to go through a summer of misery to find themselves. The plots may be completely different but the characters are almost alike.

Throughout this book Amy shows us that she can get used to her new family and friends. This proves that Amy is a dynamic character. Her ill Safta has a lot to do with Amy's new view on life. Amy's Safta was her first friend in Israel. The first one who actually understood her. Amy learned a lot about her family and religion. While growing up in the states Amy didn't grow up with a religion, but now her Safta was sharing hers. Amy got a gift from her Safta it was a necklace with The Star Of David. At first she didn't realize how much she treasured that necklace and the stories she was told until the day she started taking conversion classes as soon as she arrived back in Chicago. Knowing her grandmother would be proud of her decision.

Non-so stuck up, but still pretty city Amy is bummed that she had to leave her adventure packed summer vacation in Israel. She was able to learn about the other half of who she is. Don't get me wrong she is still trying to find her place in the world. At least now her path is a bit clearer for now. Amy's Life will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean she is going to stop trying any time soon.