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I chose this book because I felt like it would help me "bridge the gap" between 2 different countries and cultures.

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The author drops the reader on the lines,

"I'd never heard of Zimbabwe. But something about the way the name looked up on the blackboard intrigued me."

I think it's a good opening, because it gives us background knowledge and foreshadowing on the whereabouts of the country in question.

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p60)

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p60)

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Dialogue between characters in this book is very important, because the entire book is based on 2 children exchanging words with each other across the globe.

An example of dialogue in the book would be on page 60, where Martin (the protagonist)'s brother compliments him, saying that, "Now you look like a professional movie star, Martin!"

This is important because Martin is about to take a photo, which is very expensive in Zimbabwe.

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p314)

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p314)

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Another example of dialogue in the book would be on page 314, where Caitlin (the other protagonist) offers to order food for Martin's classmate, Wallace.

"Do you want me to order for you? I asked."

This is important because Wallace has finally came to America, and Martin will be soon to follow.

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p100)

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#3 Important Dialogue between characters (p100)

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One last example of Dialogue between characters is on page 100, where Martin's teacher welcomes him back to school.

This is important because Martin is struggling to pay his fees to get into school.

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My book is filled with a lot of plot events and twists.

Such an example is on page 172, where Martin receives a huge package from Caitlin. "This must be the mysterious package Caitlin had written about."

This is important because Martin's family is very poor and cannot afford basic necessities, so Caitlin has shipped them to him.

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Another example of a major event happening in the story is on page 375, when Martin arrives in America.

This is important because Martin is leaving behind his family for a completely new life in a completely different country.

Caitlin said: " "That's him!" I cried. "

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One last example of a major event happening in the story is on page 198 when Martin gets a call from America.

This is important because Martin has never talked to Caitlin on the phone before, and is very excited.

"Martin, America is calling. For you."

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On Page 222, the book says, "The meeting adjourned, and no one asked me or Lauren why we were there."

I think adjourned means ended, primarily because it said that, "The meeting ______".

It couldn't mean "started", because it also said that "no one asked me or Lauren why we were there."

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Also, on page 260, the book states, "When I was far enough away, I started to ululate."

I think ululate means sing, because in the next sentence, it said that "my cries floated up in the air, and caught on the tree branches above..."

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The thematic statement of the story is that "Hard work always pays off."

Martin worked extremely hard for days and days on end to go to America, and at the end everything paid off.

On page 364, Martin exclaimed, " Mai, Baba, I have news," I started. "I will be leaving in a few weeks to study in America." "

The thematic concept of the story is forgiveness. Martin was forgiven multiple times throughout the story, as his family was dirt poor. He often couldn't pay money back. The kindness and forgiveness that people had towards him when he was young helped him become a successful adult.

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One example of Irony in the text would be on page 234, when Martin says, "This school was my jackpot."

This is irony because the school was basically in shambles at that point. I think that Martin said that because he was getting such good grades.

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A flashback in the text is on page 257, where Martin exclaims, "I was sure I would be taking a bus back to Chisamba Singles this evening."

Chisamba Singles is Martin's old impoverished community. Martin was able to receive the fees from the bank right before he got sent back home, so he made this reference.

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A connection I had to the book was on page 292, where Martin had trouble accessing the internet. I can relate because, in some areas in India that I went to, there was no internet which is very sad.

"I need access to the internet."

https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/over-25000-villages-in-india-still-lack-internet-connectivity-lok-sabha-told-1780758-2021-03-18

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Representational Image (Courtesy: Reuters)

By Rahul Shrivastava: The total mobile users in India may have touched 116.3 crore, but of the 5.97 lakh villages in India over 25,000 villages still do not have mobile or internet connectivity. In the 90 districts in 11 states that have been affected by left-wing extremism, there are over 10,000 villages that do not have mobile and internet connectivity.

While Odisha has maximum number of villages without mobile or internet, Arunachal Pradesh's 73 per cent villages live without this connectivity.

The communication ministry has informed parliament that of the 25000 villages that are beyond the mobile and internet grid in India, Odisha accounts for the highest (6099 villages) number of villages, followed by Madhya Pradesh (2612 villages) and Maharashtra (2328 villages).

( Source: Lok Sabha)

In a fact that reflects how Arunachal Pradesh, a sensitive border state, has trailed behind in mobile connectivity the government informed Lok Sabha that of the 3035 inhabited villages (as per 2020 data) in the state, 2223 villages do not have mobile or internet connectivity. That means over 73 per cent villages in this sensitive state are on the connectivity map. Seven states and UTs have zero villages without mobile and internet while Lakshadweep with five villages has just one without the services.

To get a comprehensive and objective data about the availability of mobile and internet connectivity in villages, the department of telecom led by minister Ravishankar Prasad had asked all telecom service providers to collect the data village-wise. This data shows that out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages in the country, (as per Census 2011) 5,72,551 villages have been provided with mobile and internet connectivity.

As per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 90 districts in 11 states are affected by left wing extremism (LWE). In these 90 districts, 85,894 of the 96,794 inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) have mobile and internet services. This means 10,000 odd villages in naxal affected areas live without mobile and internet connectivity.

( Source: Lok Sabha)

The Government through various schemes approved under Universal Service Obligation Fund is trying to connect these villages. These schemes include LWE-Phase-I and Phase-II projects, Aspirational Districts Scheme, Border Area Villages Scheme, commissioning of submarine optical fibre cable connectivity from Chennai to Andaman Nicobar Islands, scheme for connecting submarine optical fibre cable from Kochi to Lakshadweep Islands, BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II projects.

TRAI had released data on telephones and broadband connectivity on March 17. Closer scrutiny of the data reveals that the urban rural divide in the number of telephones is dipping. While urban telephone subscription increased from 64.7 crore at the end of December 20 to 65.3 crore at the end of January 21, the rural subscription also increased from 52.5 crore to 53 crore in the same period. This indicates that the monthly growth rates of urban and rural telephone subscription were 0.83 per cent and 0.81 per cent respectively during the month of January 21.

The overall tele-density in India has increased from 86.38 at the end of December 20 to 87.01 at the end of January 21. But this is where rural India is unable to keep pace with urban India.

While urban tele-density increased from 138.34 at the end of December 20 to 139.25 at the end of January 21 rural tele-density increased from the low of 59.05 to 59.50 during the same period. This means the share of urban subscribers at the end of January-21 was 55.20 per cent while rural subscribers made up the rest 44.80 per cent.

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Over 25000 villages in India still lack internet connectivity, Lok Sabha told

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Representational Image (Courtesy: Reuters) By Rahul Shrivastava : The total mobile users in India may have touched 116.3 crore, but of the 5.97 lakh villages in India over 25,000 villages still do not have mobile or internet connectivity.

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Another connection I had to the book was on page 319, where Wallace felt lost in his new place.

I can relate, because whenever I travel to somewhere else, I feel lost and in a completely different continent.

"I wasn't so sure. Wallace seemed so lost. I realized that we had to carefully choose the right place for Martin."

https://www.fodors.com/news/travel-tips/the-art-of-getting-lost-on-vacation

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Writer Henry Eliot tells us why it's a good idea to have no idea where you're going.

How do you get lost? It's harder than you might think. When you venture out of your immediate neighborhood, signs and street systems funnel you towards bustling urban centers. On vacation, you are assisted by guides and guidebooks with maps in a variety of helpful scales. Meanwhile, the screen in your pocket monitors your whereabouts constantly. You check it, ask it directions, share your location, pin photographs for friends. These wayfinding aids are comforting, efficient, and becoming increasingly hard to live without, but if they mean we never lose our way anymore, we are in danger of losing something else.

Perhaps because of diminishing navigational forays, one of the most popular attractions in the United Kingdom is the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace. The Hampton Court Maze is 300 years old and still baffles hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Like all mazes, it is a strange space, specifically designed to muddle you and make you lose your bearings. The experience of walking a maze is uncomfortable. Many people find them distressing, and yet at the same time, there must be something deeply appealing about them, because there are more mazes in the world today than there ever have been before-and more are being constructed all the time.

I encourage you to get lost. Mazes are popular for the same reasons that you should cut loose and travel without a compass. Leave your phone at home next time you take a city vacation. It's disconcerting at first, but the rewards are enormous.

Rome is often described as the quintessentially "labyrinthine" city, with winding alleys, narrow side streets, dead-end courtyards, multiple levels, and plenty of stairs. It is easy to lose your bearings in Rome, even with a map, so I recommend ditching the itinerary and letting yourself wander. It is extraordinary what you'll find through being lost. A city like Rome is packed with secluded restaurants, hidden shops, masked churches, and secret corners that you would never find if you stuck to the tourist thoroughfares. "Unless you err," says the devil Mephistopheles in Goethe's Faust, "naught can be truly known." Let serendipity be your guide in this ancient capital and see what discoveries you can make. You'll have better stories when you get home.

Recommended Fodor's Video

In the 1960s, the Situationists came to believe that the avenues and advertisements of Paris were forcing citizens to conform to capitalist norms. Led by Guy Debord, they championed the concept of the dérive: ignoring the city's subliminal routing, they drifted instead against the prevailing tides of movement. The Situationists played games on street corners, consulting pigeons or rolling dice to decide which way to turn. Getting lost in this active way is a statement, an act of rebellion, defying the imposed structures of a city and taking ownership of your own destiny. Don't follow directions passively, but instead get deliberately lost: you'll have to make decisions for yourself, take risks, and learn to navigate. Getting lost throws you in at the deep end and forces you to engage.

Arriving in a new city is overwhelming: the guidebook is stuffed with suggestions and review websites are overflowing. You cram your schedule with as many suggestions as you can, but you end up feeling frazzled. Nothing is quite as good as the hype, and it feels like you're missing the real city: it's happening somewhere else, just out of sight. Allow yourself to get lost instead. Don't attempt to recreate the city in the guidebook; make the city for yourself. By getting lost and stumbling on chance happenings, you navigate experiences by how they actually make you feel, not their online ratings. You get under the city's skin in this way, and it will get under yours.

It is easier to get lost in Venice than any other city, because Venice is two cities interlaced: canals and bridges. They rub alongside each other and weave one above the other, but you can only be in one at a time. In Invisible Cities, the Italian writer Italo Calvino describes a series of fantastical cities, all of which, you gradually realize, are different ways of imagining Venice.

One of his visions describes a crumbling, chaotic place "which spreads both upwards and down, with winding alleys, steps, dead ends." In this city, he writes, "it is easy to get lost." But the point of Calvino's story is that, as well as being maze-like, Venice is also "the true map of the universe." The world is a confusing, discordant place. Seeing it through the safety of an air-conditioned bus window does it no justice: you must get lost in the world to get to the heart of it.

"Not till we are lost, in other words not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations," wrote Henry David Thoreau in Walden. Being lost is always relational: it is a state of separation. Temporarily, it severs the ties that bind us to the rest of the world, to our companions, to our jobs, to our responsibilities. We experience the world afresh when we are lost and appreciate those worldly connections anew. It is a mirror we hold up to ourselves. Teju Cole captures this experience in his wonderful, dreamy novel, Open City, in which Julius, a Nigerian immigrant, wanders New York City, finding himself reflected in the differences he encounters. Nowhere is life more intense than in New York, where something is happening on every block. As Julius discovers, it is the perfect city to wander aimlessly, making connections and learning about yourself.
Henry Eliot is the author of Follow This Thread: A Maze Book to Get Lost In.

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How do you get lost? It's harder than you might think. When you venture out of your immediate neighborhood, signs and street systems funnel you towards bustling urban centers. On vacation, you are assisted by guides and guidebooks with maps in a variety of helpful scales.

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On page 366,  It says that "Tecla informed me a prophet was going to see me."

Do you believe in prophecies like Martin? Why?

I don't believe in prophecies because there is no evidence to back them up, and Martin shouldn't either.

I believe that Martin is a very hard-working boy who can achieve almost anything if he works hard enough, so why believe in prophecies?

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One last connection I had to the book was on page 276-279, when Caitlin reacted to the terrorist attacks on 9/11. I felt the same way during the recent mass shootings in schools during the last year. I am worried, because anyone could be involved.

" "Why do I have to go home now?" I asked. "We're not in any danger." " -P278

https://www.k12dive.com/news/2022-worst-year-for-school-shootings/639313/

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Listen to the article 11 min

National leaders split

School leaders have been consistent in their calls to address increased school firearm violence with policy changes. Those calls got louder after the Uvalde mass shooting on May 24 that killed 19 children and two adults, becoming the deadliest K-12 mass school shooting after the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre that left 26 children and educators dead almost a decade earlier.

"In that decade - the decade that passed between these two murders of our children - no substantial gun safety legislation was ever signed into law," said Rep. Lucy McBath, a Democrat from Georgia who lost her 17-year-old son to gun violence in 2012, during a congressional hearing on the Uvalde mass shooting last week. "We cannot afford another 10 years."

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law in June, provides schools with federal funds toward expanding mental health support, improving learning conditions, and school safety.

However, lawmakers are still starkly divided over gun control measures that educators have long advocated for, namely increasing the age limit for buying firearms and prohibiting AR-15-style weapons, commonly used by mass school shooters.

The issue will now be handed over to the incoming Congress, which will convene Jan. 3.

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School shootings reach unprecedented high in 2022

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There's been an on-campus shooting 'pretty much every single school day' this fall, the founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database said.

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Discussion Question #1:

How would you have felt if you were Martin and couldn't pay his test fees?

I would have felt terrible and lost all my hope, because I knew it was all over and my education would end there.

However, Martin managed to persevere and maintain calm. On page 257, Martin, keeping his calm, said that "I will tell my cousin if we don't receive the funds today, then it's over."

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If you were Martin's mom, would you be superstitious like her?

On page 364, it said, "Keep quiet! This is no time to brag."

I would also be superstitious like Martin's mom, because what Martin got was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I feel like I even may be more, because things like that only happen once in someone's entire life. You don't get multiple chances.