"Endado": Talking about "army brats and children of diplomats," the narrator writes, "The problem is.... that they adapt so quickly and so well." What do you think she means by this? Do you agree?

In "Endado", the narrator speaks about children who are forced to move often, such as "army brats and children of diplomats." She goes on to write, "The problem for such children is not being isolated or always new, but that they adapt so quickly and so well." What do you think she means by this? Do you agree with the statement?

Sometimes people who move frequently learn to fit in but it can be very superficial. You are less likely to have deep friendships because you know you will be gone in a short period of time. I know this from my own childhood. To this day, my closest friends are my cousins.

I have a friend who grew up as a military dependent. Her family lived in the same place the first ten years of her life. After that, they moved about every 18 months. She is one of the most adaptable people I've ever known. She meets people easily. I don't see that as a problem which is implied in the negative "the problem is...." I realize not all people adapt to the frequent moves. Even people who move frequently can develop strong, long-lasting friendships; it just takes effort.

The constant moving usually goes one of two ways in my experience. One becomes a hoarder hanging on to every thing in order to have attachments and the other becomes one who won't have anything around in order to not have any attachments. I agree, peggyt, that the fitting in can be superficial - which works for cocktail parties but not so well for close friendships.

I read the title at first as “andaNdo”, walking or moving in Spanish. And the story made sense that this young woman is moving through her life experiences as she moves toward adulthood. Andado seems to mean safe or secure, however. Which definitely puts a different turn on the meaning of the story. Safe as her father is a CIA operative, safe as she is left alone with an older man, safe as she returns home wondering about the result of her encounter? She adapts quickly and well...perhaps that is how one may stay safe.

I think that perhaps the way these children adapted was quite superficial. They knew from experience what would make them fit in, what clothes to wear, how to talk etc to be accepted readily. But is that adapting or just knowing outwardly how to act?

Berlin may have been referring to the dilemma that Laura found herself in at the end of the story. She had adapted well to the adult situations her parents thrust her into--hosting the party, caring for her mother. Now her father thinks Don Andres (the older guy who raped his 14 year old daughter) is a classy guy, and that her mother overdosed on sleeping pills because she wanted a little attention. But the watchman is calling out that the moon is full and all is safe and sound. All except Laura.