Carla longs for the familiar and comfortable home she left behind in the Dominican Republic, as any girl her age might after moving a long distance. Yet unlike a child who is allowed to keep their language and culture, she also must face an openly hostile environment. It is not clear the tactics Carla will use in order to adapt and survive in her terrifying new surroundings, since she returns to the past to pray for a safe and loving feeling. Her memories of her extended family back home sustain her at night when she has nightmares about the abusive boys. Yet, Carla will eventually have to create new relationships rather than longing for the old ones, and she does not seem to have the tools to do so.