The Other Side of the Sky

The title of Ahmedi’s memoir is also the single most enduring motif of the book. The title comes from her childhood memory of her second-grade teacher. Ahmedi recalls wondering what would happen if she climbed up a long ladder to touch the sky and peer through to the other side. When she learned that the world was not flat, that you cannot touch the sky, and that the stars are bigger than the earth, she was inspired more than ever to reach the other side of the sky. The difference being that from that moment, the other side ceased being a literal destination and became metaphorical. The other side represented connection to a wider world, with all of its diverse peoples, cultures, and possible ways of living life. In an immediate sense, the other side of the sky propelled Ahmedi towards her education. Her exposure to Western society during her stay in Germany enhanced this hunger for education. Her yearning for education and her knowledge that the world held more in store for her than she had yet experienced, sustained her during the dark years as a refugee in Pakistan.

The sky is also a