Popcorn shaped corn puffs, fried sausage bites, capri-sun, fun-yun balls, chocolate covered pretzels, crispy fries, and pineapple filled candies are a few of the treats i consume on Friday's field trip bus ride to a forest museum and African culture center.
These treats come courtesy of the kindergartners... It becomes quickly apparent that each parents has equipped their child with a backpack full of fun.
Rainbow lights line the bus ceiling as intricate baby blue curtains line the entirety of the ceiling, catchy sing along music is played, which is a mix between American childrens tunes, "k-pop", and techno. The recorded voice which comes over to relay messages literally sounds like a kindly fairy creature taken from a Disney movie.
It is pleasant ride, and an interesting time upon arrival.
We have a charismatic guide which makes the forest come alive a bit for the children. He pulls up plants which 'bleed' from the stems, blows floaty seeds through the air, picks leaves that smell like bananas, fruit which resemble mini banana bunches, and finds ripe blackberry bushes. Afterwords, a thunderstorm, threatens but never comes. Mist, drizzle, and thunder accompany the rest of the trip and the kids runaround wild happy and engaged finding caged animals and shouting their names in English "wild duck" "tiger" "bear" "big pig."
At the African cultural center we watch a concert show of an African dance team. Towards the end they pull some of the kids and ME up to the stage where i am required to dance an African dance with a member. White mud paint is placed on my face with drawing African fingers symbolizing good luck for the day.
My job is a good one on this day... i feel especially special to be doing the things i am and getting paid; on this day.
