“Josh Recommends” for February 29, 2020 (the Leap Year Edition) by Josh Garrick

Beginning with today's column, Wandering Educators is pleased to now offer the column, "Josh Recommends", in both English and Spanish.

A todos nuestros lectores: Estamo orgullos de includir una version en espagnol de la columna de esta semana..."Josh recomienda."

Whether you're new to family travel or an old hand, there is much to learn—each kid (and family) is different! Where to go for the best advice? We wholeheartedly recommend the latest guide from Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet's Family Travel Handbook. It is packed FULL of goodness, and is written by Imogen Hall, who, as a family traveler AND a writer, knows her stuff.

As the Big Island's top attraction, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is the perfect place to learn about the geological history of the Hawaiian Islands. Two volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea, can be visited inside approximately 500 square miles of a natural environment. About 90 percent of Hawaii's trees, plants, and flowers are endemic. They cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The remaining species are either indigenous (in Hawaii and elsewhere) or non-native (introduced by mankind). 

Dark and light, hard news and good news, in public life and in personal circumstance, always shift and change. It is vital to balance hard and discouraging with good and hopeful; that's what makes it possible to seek hope in challenging times, and to share that seeking and finding with others. As other musicians have through the music we have shared thus far in this series, and these artists do here.

Music for Hope and Celebration

Although Kalamazoo, Michigan is known as a craft beer town, it is also becoming known as a craft coffee town, to our great delight. We are lucky enough to have a slew of excellent coffee shops, creating artisanal, craft coffee drinks - think no chains (except one local), third wave coffee and small batch roasters. We have so many great options that it is hard to choose where to go! Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered.

Dynamic on stage, Queensrÿche is a phenomenal band, garnering new fans and pleasing old fans on their latest tour. We saw them this past week in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at 20 Monroe Live. It was a great venue for the bands that played; I personally cannot think of a better place to see a band. We were very close to the stage, right up against the barrier. And even people standing in the back said they could see the electric group.