Near the end, though, the Mother Superior catches Marjane eating pasta out of a pot and comments that Iranians don’t have manners. Though Marjane thinks Momo is a jerk, she knows she needs to learn more so she can fit in in Europe. Momo insists that Marjane should learn to enjoy vacation and take the opportunity to educate herself. However, Marjane isn’t thrilled when weeks later, she learns that there’s going to be yet another vacation. Lucia’s parents make Marjane feel welcome and loved. Fortunately, Lucia invites Marjane to join her and her family in the Tyrol. When Christmas vacation rolls around, none of Marjane’s friends care that she doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Momo is obsessed with death and war, so Marjane is an intriguing addition to their friend group. Eventually, an older girl named Julie takes an interest in Marjane and introduces her to her friends Momo, Thierry, and Olivier. Marjane hasn’t spoken French in a few years, so students either tease her for her rusty language skills or ignore her altogether. But when Marjane meets her roommate, Lucia, the girls realize they have a problem: Marjane doesn’t speak German, while Lucia doesn’t speak French or Persian. This living situation is okay with Marjane, because it makes her feel independent and more like an adult. But after 11 days together, Zozo drops Marjane off at a Catholic boarding house. She expects to live with a family friend named Zozo and attend school at the local French school. Marjane is 14 when she arrives in Vienna, thrilled that she escaped the Iran-Iraq War and the religious fundamentalism of her home country, Iran.

Persepolis 2 by Marjane Satrapi