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3 Check It Out! 4 Far and Away from Montana 6 Around the World 10 Celebrate Holi in India 11 Chinese New Year 12 Your Lunch for a Bento Box? 14 Puzzles 16 Fishing in West Africa 17 Max & Gracie 18 10 Far and Away Places 20 Dancing Embera Girls 22 Smell a Rainforest 24 Goo-Ten-Tag! 25 Samburu Herd Boys 26 Animals from Far Away 28 Far Away Winter Celebrations 29 Kids Corner 30 Puzzle Solutions 2
Congratulations! You’ve just won a trip that will take you to far and away places. Don’t worry about packing a suitcase. We’ll have you home before dinner. Just settle back in a comfortable chair or get cozy in your warm bed. Be prepared for exciting adventures. All you have to do is read and turn the pages. But WATCH OUT! BE CAREFUL! This could be habit forming! You may decide to explore more far and away places when you finish this magazine. Whether you travel by car, train, plane, bicycle, or book, we want to hear about your trip! Send us a postcard, a photo, or a letter. We will publish it and send you a thank-you gift. Safe travels!
Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock.com
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Last summer, my brother, Parker, and I took a trip that was far and away from our house. We had to travel on an airplane. We flew from Montana to Ohio to visit our grandparents. We had a fun time doing things and seeing places that we don’t have near our home. Before our plane took off, we were invited to sit up in the cockpit with the pilot and copilot. We took turns wearing the captain’s hat. We visited the Ohio Caverns. Parker and I had never seen stalagmites and stalactites. We enjoyed walking through the lighted passages from one room to another. Outside it was very hot and humid. But we wore sweatshirts because it was 54 degrees inside the caverns. We were told they stay at 54 degrees all year round, no matter what the temperature is outside. Next, we spent a day at the Columbus Zoo. We rode on a camel. It was called a dromedary because it had only one hump. Its legs didn’t move like a horse’s legs. Instead, both legs on one side would move together, and then the other side would move. It was a bumpy ride. I had to sit in the front because I was the biggest. We also fed lettuce leaves to a giraffe. I always knew a giraffe had long legs and a very long neck. I never realized it had such a long gray tongue. It liked the lettuce we gave it.
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Montana does not have lighthouses. We visited Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie. After we learned about how the lighthouse worked, we climbed a circular staircase to the top. It was a little scary to walk around the outside. It was up high and looked out on the lake. Large amusement parks our not found in our state. Two of the biggest parks in the country are in Ohio. We visited both: Cedar Point and Kings Island. We liked the rides we could go on by ourselves. We could usually get on those without much waiting-in-line time. Our all-time favorites were the big roller coasters. Even though we had to have an adult with us, and stand a long time in line, they were worth the wait. We were always busy while we were in Ohio. Soon, our visit was over. We were headed back home. Our far and away trip was awesome. And it didn’t seem so far, after all. Have you been on a trip that was far and away from your home? Write and tell us about it or draw a picture and send it to Kids Corner!
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by Chris Sabatino
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Pretend for a minute that you’re walking down a street in India. Watch out! Someone is sneaking up on you. Before you know it, the air is filled with colored powders, and now you’re a sticky mess of green and orange. But you don’t mind at all. It’s Holi! Every year, the people of India look forward to Holi (pronounced “holy.”) This is an exciting and sometimes wild celebration to welcome spring. The festival can last for days. On the last day, kids and adults alike throw neon-colored powder on anyone in sight! They throw dry powder by the fistful. Sometimes kids use sprayers and even throw balloons filled with colored water to get their targets. This sounds like fun! But why do they do this? The colors signify that the world is bursting with brightness after the gloomy winter. By the time the fun is over, colored powder is everywhere, and people are covered in blue, yellow, pink and other bright shades. It’s no wonder this celebration is also called the Festival of Colors! The festival of Holi has been celebrated in India since ancient times. It takes place during the full moon in late February or early March. Huge bonfires are lit at night. Groups dance to traditional folk music, and people sing special Holi songs. Sweet foods and drinks prepared only during this time are eaten. People visit each other. If they have disagreements, they forgive and forget. Holi is the only time Indian children have permission to get filthy! People from all over the world come to India to be part of Holi. Maybe someday you’ll be there during Holi. Then YOU can walk around looking like a paint-splattered canvas!
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Chinese New Year
“Happy New Year! I just got my red envelope!”
“I did too! Come eat dinner with us. We’re having a big feast with niangao. Then we can go to the parade together.” “Yum! I love those sweet rice cakes, and I can’t wait to see the dragon!” Does this conversation sound strange? It wouldn’t if you lived in China. In western countries, a new year always begins on January 1. The Chinese use the lunar calendar, which is based on the phases of the moon. A new year in China can begin any time between January 21 and February 21. Chinese New Year festivities go on for days. People have fun with traditions that began thousands of years ago. The color red is everywhere during this special time. It stands for good fortune, joy, and success. Red lanterns glow at night. Homes are decorated with red paper cutouts. Red scrolls with lucky messages are hung on front doors. People wear new red clothing. Elders even give children “lucky” money in red envelopes! Does your family eat certain New Year foods? Chinese families do! Very long noodles symbolize long life. Little round dumplings shaped like the full moon are shared to bring family togetherness. Golden round tangerines represent fullness and wealth. The highlight of the festivities is the parade. Floats, acrobats, drums, gongs, and cymbals fill the streets with noise and color. Then the dragon appears! It’s really just a giant puppet. Dancers hold up its flexible body with poles and snake their way through the crowd. People shriek when the dragon comes near, but it’s all in fun. Some dragons are more than 60 feet long! The longer the dragon, the more luck the town will have in the coming year.
Tam Nguyen/Shutterstock.com
So Happy New Year, Chinese style. Watch out for the dragon!
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