July '26 Newsletter

July 6, 2026

July 2026

From the Publisher

Hello July!

Summer is in full swing now. It's time for slowing down, finding relief from the heat, listening to the chorus of cicadas, enjoying cool drinks, and spending lazy days by the pool. I remember our tiny municipal pool in rural South Australia, refreshing cool water and no adults other than the canteen lady. I honestly don’t remember there being a lifeguard. The only downside to an afternoon at the pool was a baking bike ride home over dirt tracks in 100 degree heat.

This year, though, summer also belongs to the Mundial, with the expanded FIFA World Cup being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The games have been thrilling to watch and it’s fascinating to see how cultures and fan bases interact off the field.

On a much sadder note, this summer has brought awful earthquakes in Venezuela. This natural disaster hits close to home for me as in 1987, I lived there as an AFS exchange student. I remember taking a city bus across Caracas from Cumbres de Curumo, through the tunnel beneath El Ávila, to the coastal region of La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit. A group of us would sneak into a luxury hotel and spend the day by the pool, a carefree adventure that remains one of my happiest memories. I returned to Venezuela in 2003 to give book presentations to groups of English teachers for Macmillan, traveling from Caracas to Mérida in the west and back again. Seeing the recent devastation along the coast and in the capital, recognizing familiar places among the collapsed buildings, and knowing that so many people remain missing and unaccounted for is truly heartbreaking. My thoughts are with my Venezuelan friends, and everyone affected by this tragedy.

Hug your loved ones, stay safe and wear sunscreen.

Best wishes,

Annette