Such a little island; such a big history.
ON the island of Key West there are many beautiful houses because there have always been a lot of rich people here. These rich people were very interesting because of their ability to make money. They were really like pirates! The waters around the island are dangerous because there are lots of rocks that can sink ships. The native people had little ships and they would go to get the treasures from the ships that sank. Today the island has a museum of these found treasures.
The famous writer, Ernest Hemingway lived on the island nine years. Hemingway loved Key West because it is a very relaxed life with nice, warm people. Life here is not rushed.
On the island there are lots of hens and roosters. They are everywhere. They are free to roam. They are wild. They walk on the streets and made lots of fuss. They were brought from Cuba. They are very aggressive. All the tour guides warn you not to touch the roosters and hens if you don't want to be bitten! They wake you up at 3 a.m. with a very loud song.
The island has a little white house that was built by President Truman. Other presidents stayed in this house too: President Kennedy and President Clinton, for example. This is such a little island to have such a big history. My dream is to go back to the island to discover more of this amazing island’s history. —Elena
—Elena’s native language is Russian. She has been teaching herself English with the help of family and friends.