People often ask me: "what do you find to be the main cultural and sociological differences between America and England?"
Well, alright they don't but that's what I choose to hear when what they actually say is: "what in heck you talkin bout, man?"
But, let's just suppose they are asking me the former; I would say one of the main differences is a greater celebration of life exists here - in the Midwest at any rate. Life is embraced here in a big way. Maybe it's because teeth are very white...but there is a lot more smiling than I'm accustomed to. Very little cynicism, very little sarcasm, very little moaning, lots os fun!
It's not just that calendar events are celebrated feverishly (we recently had May Day, for which our neighbours made us May Day Baskets) it also permeates school life. I can't keep up with the amount of fun Eva and Louis have at school. It is, of course awesome! There is an emphasis on learning and - despite thinking it would be otherwise - it is competitive. But the learning and competing is done in a very fun environment.
Louis has just been on his third field trip of the Spring....and then there is a Dad's Day coming up at his school which I'm eagerly anticipating... although the whiteness of my teeth won't make the grade, I know.
Eva has recently been Helper of the Day, whcich came on the back of her being Star of the Week. And then there was her Mother's Day concert; forty kindergarteners belting out some uplifting tunes whilst a rolling montage of each mom was projected onto the wall 20 ft high.
Also worth celebrating would you believe are school lunches! Parents are welcome to join their kids for lunch - which starts at 10.50!! I went along last Monday and for the fair price of $2.75 I enjoyed chicken fingers & fries with Eva and her classmates. I wasn't sure what to expect, eating lunch with a load of 5 and 6 year olds. It was of course lots of fun and there I was, enjoying my carton of chocolate milk when Sawyer - aged 6 1/2 - asked me if I was Eva's grandpa....
Naturally, the fun stopped right there....
