A Library Book for Bear

A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton is a great book to read to your children or students.  It is for preschoolers to eight or nine year olds.  Bear has agreed to go with Mouse to the library.  When the day comes, Bear wonders why he would need to go to the library because he already has all the books that he needs.  Of course, Bear changes by the end of the story, finding out that there are good things about the library.  If your child likes bears, books, or libraries, this book would be a good one to look for.

green and spacious

After being away from Minnesota for so long, I noticed when I got back how green everything appears.  It is also nice to not be surrounded by buildings, concrete, and people.  Staying in a city for nine months has made me appreciate even more life in a rural area. 

the end

Today is my last day in Mexico and my school year abroad.  The experience of learning Spanish and living in another country has been an educational adventure.  I am glad that I had the opportunity, but I am looking forward to several things- cooking, being out of a city, and spending time with family and friends.  It is going to be good to be back where I belong.

one goal met

This week I reached one of my goals for 2015, which was to finish the Spanish portion of Duolingo.  If you have studied a language in the past and want to review, this website and app are worth looking at.  I have been recommending it to my friends here who want to improve their Spanish.  One thing I am glad to note is that although I finished all the levels, there are still opportunities to practice.

ordinary things

It is getting close to the end of my time here, and one of my friends recommended that I take pictures of the ordinary things...as later I will be glad I did.  These pictures should give you a better idea of what Guanajuato is like.

 A view of the city after I leave my house in the morning.

A street I walk each day to get to the center of the city.

Another view of the city near my language school.

A callejon with many steps which I walk up and down to get to where I am living.  When I return to Minnesoa, any hill is going to seem like nothing compared to where I have been walking for the past three months. 

Fahrenheit 451

I read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury this week.  The story is set in an unidentified city of the United States where owning books is banned.  Firefighters have a different role in this futuristic novel.  Their job is to burn books, and generally the home where the books are found.  Guy, the main character, is a firefighter who realizes the value of books.   His life changes quickly and drastically in ways he could not have imagined.   Although this book was written over sixty years ago, there are some things that remind me of how influential mass media is in our culutre.  The book is worth reading even if you generally do not read much literature.  It would also be a good choice for a book club.