Choose Your Own Adventure

Dastan’s Day

Will it be the best day of his life? Merely okay?Or a disaster?It’s up to you!

By Alex Holachek

Start:Dastan wakes up early today, before the alarm goes off—it is, after all, his

sixteenth birthday. He opens the window to admire his view from his apartment window, gazing at the courtyard below. The small playground there seems to have vanished. Everything is white—everything is covered in snow. The air feels fresh and clean, and Dastan has a good feeling about what the day will bring. He puts on his favorite jeans and a collared shirt.

On his way downstairs, he sees that his Grandmother is already up. She is in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on a big breakfast waiting on the table.

“Dastan,” she says “You are my favorite grandson!” (Dastan is her only grandson.) “So I have made you this breakfast feast in celebration of your 16th birthday!”

Dastan pauses for a moment. He had promised to meet his friends in the school yard to eat samsas for breakfast and talk about girls. He has to make a choice.

Choice A: “Thanks for thinking of me! I love blini!” Choice B: “No thanks Grandmother, I want to meet my friends before school.”

AThe breakfast is amazing. Dastan eats like a king. As he eats, he talks with his grandmother, who is sitting across from him at the table. “Dastan, my boy,” she says, chewing on a biscuit. “I have one very important piece of wisdom to share with you. In life, you have to make choices. Every choice you make is a chance to shape your future. Every day, every minute, is a chance to become the person you want to be.” Dastan nods in agreement, takes a final bite of breakfast, and gets up to go to school.The school bell rings just as Dastan is walking into the classroom. There are only two empty seats in the classroom: one seat in the front, next to the window. It is a seat normally occupied by the best students, because there they can best hear the teacher. The other seat is far to the back of the classroom. It is dark and hard to hear the teacher from back there. However, it is next to Madina, the most beautiful girl in the class. Dastan knows that if he sits in the back, he will be focused on Madina, not on learning. He has to make a choice.Choice C: Sit in the front seat so that Dastan can be a good student.Choice D: Sit in the back so that you can be close to Madina and, maybe, catch her attention.

B

Dastan pulls on his jacket and runs out the door. He catches a bus, and when he gets to the schoolyard, his friends have already gathered. “Hey Dastan,” says Kairat, handing him a samsa, “happy birthday. We were thinking about skipping school today, because I heard there was a store that needed urgent help moving some equipment. We can make 3,000 tenge an hour! What do you say, money or school?” Dastan has to make a choice.

Choice E: “Sure, I’d love to make a little extra money—I need to buy that new video game. School can wait.”Choice F: “No way! I can’t skip school today.”

E:Dastan follows his friends to the store where there is supposed to be work. They end up a construction site that does not look too promising. The head of the construction site, however, tells them to get to work moving materials. Dastan and his friends work all day, and it is very tiring and unpleasant work, not to mention the fact that it is quite cold. Towards the end of the day, when it is already getting dark, the boss of the construction site calls them over to pay them. Dastan looks at the money in his hand—it is not nearly as much as what he was promised. He is upset! All this work for nothing! Just as he is turning around to leave, he notices that there is a box of money kept behind the container. No one is guarding it. It would be so easy to just take it and run. He has to make a choice.

Choice G: “Take the money and run!”

Choice H: “No, it’s not worth it—I’m not a thief.”

G:

Dastan grabs the box of money, puts in under his jacket, and runs outside. He is not sure if anyone noticed what he did. He runs across the street, not waiting for the green walk signal. Unfortunately, a car is coming around the corner at that very minute, and he is run over. The money under his coat rolls in every direction. His last thought is “perhaps I should have made better choices today!”

THE END.

H:

Dastan goes out to have a birthday dinner with his friends. Everyone is disappointed that they didn’t make more money, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still celebrate. Everyone decides to go to Pizza Hut. On their way there, Dastan’s phone rings. It is his mother—she probably wants to know where Dastan is, and will ask him to come home for dinner, which means no Pizza Hut for him. Dastan has to make a choice.Choice I: Pick up the phone.Choice J: Don’t pick up the phone.

I:“Dastan, when will you be home?” says Dastan’s mother on the other end of the line. “We are all waiting for you to give you a gift and have birthday dinner!” Dastan realizes that he should go be with his family, and tells his friends he’ll see them tomorrow. When he gets home, his whole family is collected together, and there in the center of the dining room table is a big gift bag. “Open it!” urges his little sister. Dastan opens the bag and realizes that his family has bought him a Playstation 3. He is incredibly happy.“We got you this because your grades have been very good at school and we are proud of you,” says his father, and only then does Dastan feel a pang of guilt for skipping school today. He is touched by the fact that his family has bought him such a nice gift, and he resolves to start tomorrow on the right foot by going to school and working hard.

THE END

J:Dastan does not pick up the phone, letting it ring away in his pocket until it finally goes silent. He feels guilty for a moment for ignoring his mother, but then his thoughts turn to pizza. His friends order three large pizzas, and as they wait they sit around and talk about sports. Dastan realizes that he missed basketball practice because he skipped school. He feels somewhat guilty, but not as guilty as he does when he comes home at 10:00pm and realizes that his mother is still up waiting for him. “Dastan,” she says, “we were going to have a birthday party for you! Why didn’t you come home? We were going to give you a big present, but now your father has already returned it to the store. It was a playstation 3,” she says sorrowfully.Dastan has wanted a Playstation 3 from the day it came out. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,” he yells, shaking his fists at the sky, and regretting all of the decisions he made today. “Never again will I make such bad choices!” he promises himself.

THE END.

F:The school bell rings just as Dastan is walking into the classroom. There are only two empty seats in the classroom: one seat in the front, next to the window. It is a seat normally occupied by the best students, because there they can best hear the English teacher. The other seat is far to the back of the classroom. It is dark and hard to hear the teacher from back there. However, it is next to Madina, the most beautiful girl in the class. Dastan knows that if he sits in the back, he will be focused on Madina, not on learning. He’ll definitely want to talk with her. What does he care about more, being a good student or getting a chance to speak with Madina? He has to make a choice.Choice C: Sit in the front seat so that Dastan can be a good student.Choice D: Sit in the back so that you can be close to Madina.

C:Today’s lesson is about the benefits of learning English. Dastan’s teacher outlines the many ways that knowing English can help someone get a better job, can be useful in traveling, and can expose you to many different cultures and media. After his lecture, he turns to Dastan. “Dastan, why are you learning English?” he asks. Dastan thinks for a moment.

Choice K: “Because it will help me make money,” he answers.

Choice L: “Because it will be very useful when I travel to new places, and besides, there are so many interesting TV shows, movies, and books in English, it helps you learn more new things,” Dastan answers.

KDastan’s teacher responds that making money is certainly a possible reason for studying English. Throughout the rest of the day, Dastan studies hard, knowing that his education will help him get into a good university, and that in turn will help him get a good job and support his family. During lunch, he talks with his friends about future plans. Everyone has their own dream about what they’d like to become—a journalist, a manager for an international company, or a doctor. Later, on the way home from school, Dastan’s friends ask him if he’d like to go to Pizza Hut for a birthday dinner. He agrees and begins walking to the restaurant, when he gets a phone call. He looks to see who is calling: it is his mother. She probably wants him to come home to have a birthday dinner at home. Should he pick up the phone or not?Choice O: Pick up the phone.Choice P: Don’t pick up the phone.

O:“Dastan, when will you be home?” says Dastan’s mother on the other end of the line. “We are all waiting for you to give you a gift and have birthday dinner!” Dastan realizes that he should go be with his family, and tells his friends he’ll see them tomorrow. When he gets home, his whole family is collected together, and there in the center of the dining room table is a big gift bag. “Open it!” urges his little sister. Dastan opens the bag and realizes that his family has bought him a Playstation 3. He is incredibly happy.“We got you this because your grades have been very good at school and we are proud of you,” says his father. He is touched by the fact that his family has spent so much money on something they knew he really wanted, and he is proud of himself for working hard at school to earn such a fantastic gift.

THE END

P:

Dastan does not pick up the phone, letting it ring away in his pocket until it finally goes silent. He feels guilty for a moment for ignoring his mother, but then his thoughts turn to pizza. His friends order three large pizzas, and as they wait they sit around and talk about sports. Dastan enjoys his friends’ company. By the time he gets home, it is already late. He says hi to his mother, father and grandfather. They wish him a happy birthday. Dastan goes to bed satisfied, thinking that it has been a good day—although not a particularly exciting one.

THE END

L:Dastan’s education is very important to him. He has the reputation of being an excellent student, and all of his teachers agree that he will go far in life. During lunch that day, he talks with his friends about future plans. Everyone has their own dream about what they’d like to become—a journalist, a manager for an international company, or a doctor. Dastan likes thinking about the future, and about the many opportunities it holds. That day, he stays late after school to help tutor younger pupils in English. When he finally gets home, he sees a letter on the table, addressed to him. It is from the college that he has applied to—he opens it with shaking hands. He has been accepted on a scholarship! His family gathers to congratulate him. This is truly one of the best days of his life.THE END

D:Dastan remembers that today, there will be an English exam. He is not worried, however, as he has thoroughly prepared—he studied the night before. As soon as he sits down next to Madina, Dastan notices that something is wrong. She seems unhappy. The teacher begins the lesson, but Dastan doesn’t listen to what he is saying, because he is excited to get this chance to talk with Madina one-on-one.“Hey Madina, is something wrong?” he asks. “Yes,” she answers. “I do not understand this class at all. My English is terrible. Is it all right if I copy off your exam?” Dastan knows that this is his one chance to do a favor for Madina. Maybe she will be romantically interested in him if he lets her copy off his exam.Choice M: “Sure, you can copy off my exam,”Choice N: “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea—it’s dishonest.”

M:

Madina copies all of Dastan’s answers, but after the test is over, she doesn’t even say thank you. Dastan is unhappy. He realizes that cheating is wrong, and that he should never have agreed to do it in the first place. He goes about the rest of his day in a bad mood. Later, on the way home from school, Dastan’s friends ask him if he’d like to go to Pizza Hut for a birthday dinner. He agrees and begins walking to the restaurant, when he gets a phone call. He looks to see who is calling: it is his mother. She probably wants him to come home to have a birthday dinner at home. Should he pick up the phone or not?Choice Q: Pick up the phone.Choice R: Don’t pick up the phone.

Q:“Dastan, when will you be home?” says Dastan’s mother on the other end of the line. “We are all waiting for you to give you a gift and have birthday dinner!” Dastan realizes that he should go be with his family, and tells his friends he’ll see them tomorrow. When he gets home, his whole family is collected together, and there in the center of the dining room table is a big gift bag. “Open it!” urges his little sister. Dastan opens the bag and realizes that his family has bought him a Playstation 3. He is incredibly happy.“We got you this because your grades have been very good at school and we are proud of you,” says his father. He is touched by the fact that his family has spent so much money on something they knew he really wanted. He still feels bad about letting Madina cheat off of his test, however, and hopes that his family never finds out about his mistake. He decides that tomorrow he will live according to his conscience, and be a responsible and honorable young man.

THE END

R:Dastan does not pick up the phone, letting it ring away in his pocket until it finally goes silent. He feels guilty for a moment for ignoring his mother, but then his thoughts turn to pizza. Dastan comes home at 10:00pm and realizes that his mother is still up waiting for him. “Dastan,” she says, “we were going to have a birthday party for you! Why didn’t you come home? We were going to give you a big present, but now your father has already returned it to the store. It was a playstation 3,” she says sorrowfully.

Dastan has wanted a Playstation 3 from the day it came out. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO,” he yells, shaking his fists at the sky, and regretting some of the decisions he made today. “Never again will I make such bad choices!” he promises himself.

THE END

N:Madina sighs unhappily, and turns away from him. When he gets the exam, Dastan is happy to see that he knows most of the answers immediately. As the class lets out, he accidentally bumps into Zhansaya, who is the best pupil in the class. “Oh, hello,” she says. “What did you think about the exam?” she asks. “Oh, it wasn’t too bad,” he answers. “Would you like to eat lunch with me and my friends?” asks Zhansaya, and Dastan agrees. During lunch with Zhansaya, he talks with his friends about future plans. Everyone has their own dream about what they’d like to become—a journalist, a manager for an international company, or a doctor. Dastan likes thinking about the future, and about the many opportunities it holds. He is also impressed with Zhansaya’s plans—she would like to study abroad and then open her own company to encourage international tourism in Kazakhstan. He notices how smart and attractive she is. He thinks maybe he is falling in love. That day, Dastan goes home in a good mood.When he gets home, his whole family is collected together, and there in the center of the dining room table is a big gift bag. “Open it!” urges his little sister. Dastan opens the bag and realizes that his family has bought him a Playstation 3. He is incredibly happy.“We got you this because your grades have been very good at school and we are proud of you,” says his father. He is touched by the fact that his family has spent so much money on something they knew he really wanted, and he is proud of himself for working hard at school to earn such a fantastic gift.THE END