The countries who do the best in international comparisons whether it's Finland or Japan Denmark or Singapore do well because they have professional teachers who are respected and they also have family and community which support learning.
Luckily I don't have to buy shoes anymore because I design them! I'm off tour so I can dive in and create the shoes that I want for my line. But okay I did buy a pair of vintage combat boots because they were so beaten up - I had to have them.
