“I guess my trip to Europe had changed me. For the first time, I saw that being different wasn’t a bad thing. It was actually kind of cool.”

Prior to writing to Martin, Caitlin visits Europe, where she encounters cultures that are different from her experience as a US citizen. Her visit to Europe gives her context for understanding cultural difference across nations, which proves to be vital for recognizing the ways in which Martin’s life contrasts her own. It gives her the basis for empathy for Martin’s circumstances.

“I was beginning to see parallels: The Africans wanted to be free from British rule, just as colonial Americans did two hundred years earlier.”

When Caitlin chooses Martin as her pen pal, she knows little about Zimbabwe. Her mother explains to her that Zimbabwe was formerly known as Rhodesia and used to be under British colonial rule. To explain the effects of colonialism to Caitlin, her mother uses the US as an example for comparison, as the US was also formerly under British colonial rule. Caitlin still struggles with understanding the concept of colonialism, despite her mother’s explanation.

“School is your only hope […] Otherwise you will end up like me.”

Here, Martin’s mother expresses the importance of education to her son. Martin’s mother grew up in a poor rural family in Zimbabwe. She had to drop out of school at age 12 to support her family. She pushes Martin to do well in school, accepting nothing less than top scores, because she wants him to gain opportunities she never had the chance to pursue.