Chapters+9+&+10

ch 9+10 pgs. 98-124

pg. 100-101 The scene is when Greg gets back from pakistan after he started dating Marina. Marina tells him that she has started to talk and go back out with her old boyfriend Mario. This is because even though Greg sent postcards while in Pakistan, they weren't about their relationship. This made Marina sad so she broke up with Greg as soon as he got back. While he is sleeping in a hotel room, she brings Greg a half full bottle of alcohol. The book says “ he stood in the empty room, holding the half-full bottle. Or was it half empty?”

This is a part in Greg's life where nothing is going good for him. He has recently failed to complete his school in Pakistan. When he returns from all the hard work, his girlfriend leaves him. The statement that he made about the bottle symbolizes a turning point in his life. He had two choices, he could have given up and given into a worse lifestyle (symbolized by the alcohol). His other choice was to get up, move on, and accomplish what he wanted to with his life.

pg. 102-103 This scene is when Greg remembered being told by Haji Ali that in order to complete the school, the village will need to first have a bridge. Haji Ali explained that dynamite was going to have to be used, and that the bridge wouldn't be an easy feat. Greg was met with the challenge of the fact that he had run out of money. So he decided to return to America to raise funds. He also talked to Lou Reichardt who helped him though the hard times. He then called Jean Hoerni and got the funding for the bridge.

This represents another hindrance or speed bump that Greg needs to get by. The task that he is trying to accomplish is tougher than attempting to climb K2. Greg is frustrated that The people of Korphe will have to wait even longer for their school to be built. Greg again has the choice of just giving up or fighting through the obstacles. As we know, his perseverance is astounding and he again manages to stay on path.

pg. 123 In late August, Mortenson and and all the people who had helped build the bridge across the Braldu river finished. Mortenson offered to let Haji Ali place the last plank on the 284-foot span bridge. Building the bridge had exhausted Mortenson's funds, but it holds a vital role to building the school.

- This is a significant part of this chapter because Mortenson's hard work has payed off a little. Even though he wanted to build the school right away and he has trouble adopting the Korphe people's patience. The fact that he managed to build the bridge without giving up is an achievement in itself. Completing the bridge is yet another turning point in Greg's life where thing start to slowly get better for him and his cause.

1. A very important scene was when Greg brought the pictures of the bridge to Jean Hoerni. Hoerni sent Greg a plane ticket, and Greg flew out to Seattle to finally meet Hoerni in person and show him what his money had done. Although Greg was nervous because Hoerni had a reputation of being a jerk, he was very kind to Greg. Hoerni then invited Greg to an American Himalayan Association event, where Greg would get to talk to his idol, Sir Edmond Hillary, and meet his future wife.

This is an important scene because Hoerni gets to see what his money has done, and how wonderful it is that he gave Greg the money, because it did so much to help the village of Korphe. It's also important because these pictures, of the bridge and the school are the things that help Hoerni to die peacefully later on in the book. It makes him feel like he did some good in the world.

2. Building the bridge at Korphe was also a very important scene because it's the first project Mortenson builds. It was a long process, but definatly worth it. Hoerni gives Greg an extra $10,000 to build it. With the village's help, Greg builds the bridge, while also touching the hearts of the Korphe people, like Sakina, Jahan's grandmother, who begins to see Mortenson as her "American Son".

This is a very important section of the book because Mortenson builds his first project for the people of Pakistan, it's like the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Since he is such a kind person, he begins to earn the respect of people all over Pakistan, and it also helps to spread the word about his work building schools.

3. Mortenson has a very cool experience while working in Korphe. He goes on a hunting trip, and gets to help provide food for the whole community. Since the foundations that the men were building for the school wouldn't set in a monsoon that they were having, they decided to go hunting for ibex. The cold was nearly unbarable, the climb trecherous, and it took them 4 days until they spotted their first ibex, but the group still kept in good spirits. It wasn't until the 7th day that they actually shot an ibex and got the pleasure of bringing it home to a hungry village.

This scene is amazing to me. While it takes us 10 minutes for us to drive to the grocery store and buy some hamberger, but these villagers travel 7 days to shoot one animal, and I'm sure that most of the time the people of Korphe are more graceful about getting food than we Americans can be. I also think that this scene is very important to Greg because it seems like he is becoming one of the men in the village, he's a true family member, who cares for the village as much as any of the villagers.