hw:34 gold and tea

Gold is important to the families in Iraq because it plays a role in family savings. Riverbend states that "people began converting their money to gold- earrings, bracelets, necklaces- because the value of gold didn’t change" (Riverbend 100). Gold is so important to the families in Iraq that when they know their home is going to be raided, they often try to cover up any jewelry worn by them so it won’t get stolen by the troops. Riverbend also states that when troops invade their homes, they don’t think Iraqi people "like that" can own such nice things. But the thing about the gold is that most families receive it as a gift, like we do here in the United States. As with gold, tea is a very important thing to the Iraqi people. Tea is drank at all meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Riverbend says that the process of tea differs from family to family but regardless of the family she tells us "if you serve teabag tea" to an Iraqi, you risk scorn and disdain- teabag is an insult to tea connoisseurs. It speaks complete lack of appreciation for the valuable beverage" (Riverbend 108). Riverbend goes on to explain that the importance of tea to the Iraqi people, she says that it makes up a vast majority of the rations they have been getting because of the war. I think it is a good thing that even during the war and hard times, the families can sit together and have tea and some sort of normalcy during the day.