Reading. Reading? Reading!

Visiting a country is a wonderful way to get to know a place. Living in a country allows you to get to know the people. Reading, allows you to really understand the people and the place. It can also keep you out of trouble! Let me explain.

Throughout my time here in New Zealand, I have been reading often and from many different sources. Why? Because it's interesting and fun; also because it helps me have a richer experience living in my new country. It gives me a deeper understanding about why the country is the way it is, and why the people think and act the way they do.

Reading the local newspaper every day has taught me a lot about the good and bad things in the society. Although I would like to think that no bad things happen here, I know that's not realistic. I think it's better to know the truth.

Reading fictional and non-fictional books about New Zealand has given me lots of information and insight into Kiwi culture. For example, I now know that Captain Cook sailed to New Zealand from England in 1770. He told the English about this country and they sent people over to colonize it. At first the Maori people welcomed these white people to their land, but then fighting broke out. A treaty was signed between the two groups over a hundred years ago. Unfortunately, they did not always deal fairly with each other, so there are still some hard feelings between these groups even today.

In a historical fiction book I read, The Rose, I learned all about living in a little coal mining town of New Zealand in the late 1800's. Although the people in the story were just make-believe, the author described that period of history and the town so well, I could feel the cold, damp, bleak winters of the west coast as the miners slogged to work every morning to get to the mines.

Another interesting book I read was Jack's Hut, a series of true stories written by a woman whose family used to visit a little vacation house up in the Southern Alps.

A few weeks ago, when I was driving through these same mountains, I discovered the real Jack's Hut!

In this photo you see me in front of the house with the book.

After visiting the area I could really imagine what it would have been like for the author living here in the 1960's.

While in New Zealand, you know that I'm also learning about the schools. It's interesting to find out what another country thinks is important to teach their future generation(Kids!). What knowledge, skills, and values you children of today learn will determine what kind of society we have in the future when you become adults. That's why I think teaching is the most important job in the world. Luckily for me, in addition to visiting classrooms and talking with teachers, I've discovered a great teacher supply store with a wealth of books about teaching in New Zealand, and I have the time to read them and think about them!

One type of reading material that can be fun, and exciting, but also very tricky, is the brochure. I get very enthusiastic about visiting the great places I read about in brochures, but they don't always turn out to be as wonderful as promised. I have to remember that the author is using persuasive writing to try to convince me to come, so I must read it very carefully and imagine what it will really be like before I take the journey or spend my money!

Wherever we travel in New Zealand, we make sure to take along a few little guide books to the birds, flowers, and trees. Seeing them in real life is great, but knowing more about them makes my life richer. Nature is fascinating! For example, did you know that kiwis have their nostrils at the tip of their beaks? (See top picture of this posting. Chirpy and his new friend, a kiwi, are reading a folktale about the kiwi.) Kiwis are the only birds that use smell to find food underground. They tap their long beaks along the forest floor smelling for worms and insects, but then have to blow out their nostrils because dirt gets up their nose!

Finally, I also told you that reading can keep you out of trouble. It's true! Check out these signs that I've seen on my travels around the country. They further prove that reading is important! It could save your life!! Good thing you're reading this, eh?!!