Gym stories!

As you can see from my picture above, I like to go to the gym. I can't do much there, because I'm so small, but I have found ways to have fun. One of my favorite things to do is to talk to people. I have learned several cool stories from people at the gym.

Lots of the people who work out there are from different countries, and they have interesting lives. One man I met is from Mexico City. I also met a former ballerina who was born and raised in Sicily, Italy. I first talked with her because I noticed that her water bottle had the Slovakian flat on it. (I know the Slovakian flag because I have a friend who is from that country.) The lady told me that she married a Slovakian man, and now they live in Birmingham. Another ballerina works out at my gym too, and he is a dancer for the Alabama Ballet.

The most interesting story I've heard so far is from a lady from Belarus. Her story is particularly interesting to me because I am a tennis fan and she has direct ties to Victoria Azarenka- currently the #1 women's tennis player in the world. In Belarus, Victoria lived in an apartment one floor above my acquaintance's in-laws. They were familiar with their neighbor, who has since moved to other parts of the world. Lots of these people have moved from their mother countries and landed in Birmingham, Alabama. I'm thankful I drummed up the courage to talk with and listen to them. 

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Another treasure I've found in my own backyard! Do you ever say to yourself, "I should really make time to come down here- it's so close to me and so valuable!"? That statement came to mind as I toured the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI). It's a world-class museum located in the heart of my hometown. 

The BCRI tells stories of life in Birmingham over the past 100+ years. Many of these stories are presented from the point of view of African-Americans who lived at the time. The stories are not hum-drum or mundane; they are full of passion and fight. The stories tell of oppression and the struggle to undo it. The last room in the institute contains exhibits of similar struggles that happened in other parts of the world. It makes me wonder, "What inequality or injustice is happening now? Does it seem normal, or do I take it for granted? What can I do about it?" Memories of the past can help us make today better.

Southern Museum of Flight

http://southernmuseumofflight.org/

Wow! Through this week, I have continued to find amazing experiences. On Friday, I visited the Southern Museum of Flight. A friend invited me to go with her to watch a movie there. We arrived a bit early, so I had time to wander a bit and get my photo taken (above). The museum is full of flying machines and the stories behind them. My friend and I were fortunate to meet the director of the museum, and he even invited us to his office to see pictures of projects the museum is undertaking. It's astounding how people are always finding new stories to investigate and tell.

One story I heard at the museum was told through the film we watched. It was called Lest We Forget, and it told of a young pilot from Birmingham, Alabama who flew in World War II. German airmen shot down his plane in a dog fight over France. A woman from a village near his crash found the young pilot's class ring from West Point and kept it for two years. After the war, she gave it to an American soldier she met in town. This soldier contacted West Point, and the people there put him in touch with the pilot's family in Alabama. After about 65 years, the village in France invited the family to visit and commemorate their lost relative. It turned out that the village planned several days of tours, celebrations, and discussions for their visitors from the States. The movie showed all of these events, including a trek through the woods to the site where the pilot crashed. Some of the people in this family practically live in my back yard. I wonder how many of my other neighbors also have exciting stories that I don't know! It makes me want to talk to people!

Fun school!!!

This week, several friends and I visited a marvelous school- Cherokee Bend Elementary! In the morning, we watched two math lessons, one in a fifth grade classroom and one in a second grade classroom. The kids were very well-behaved and intelligent! Their teachers also really how to get them to think powerfully. After these observation times, my friends and I ate lunch at Zoe's restaurant nearby.

Returning to school after lunch, we found even more friends and visited two more classrooms. This time, we watched language arts lessons in fifth and second grade classrooms. The fifth graders seemed like adults, because they were discussing books they'd read and what part of a plot was the most important part. You might think they were all English experts, judging by how excitedly and sophisticatedly they stated and defended their points. (Look out world - we may see a lot more lawyers in a few years!) 

Down the hall, the second graders were writing nonfiction books on animals. They plan to share their finished works with a class in Ohio and even celebrate their accomplishment with a party! Those kids were writing and drawing and reading up a storm! After a while, an alarm sounded, and everybody had to move out for the fire drill! It was cold outside, but the fireman said the school's performance was "excellent." I think his word sums up the whole day; it was excellent!