"What is American Culture?"

Following a family emergency, on April 8th, the last day of Easter vacation in Martinique, I bought a ticket on the first flight out, which was two days later. That left two days, one at each of my schools, to try to close out my year of English classes and give my students, especially the older ones, some sense of closure. First, I finally spoke to them in French, and the jaw-dropped look of surprise on every last one of their faces was priceless. Then, I let them lead the class by asking any questions they had about the U.S., other English-speaking countries, or traveling abroad. That hilarious ordeal is the topic of today's post. My oldest classes made me going away cards / hope your grandma gets better cards, which, if things in my family continue to mellow, I'll share soon. While I miss all my students and hate changing my plans / not using my lesson plans, I'm glad to be out of Martinique and where I need to be with my family. They're not nearly as funny, though, as my 5-11 year-old students, the best of whose questions I present here, translated and unfiltered.

Size is Everything

Coming as they are from a tiny island, the kids really can't wrap their heads around the size of the U.S. and all of its implications, from the diversity of culture, to wildlife, to weather.

• What is America like? [More specific question requested.] What is American culture?
• Are there skyscrapers in America like there are in Miami / New York? [Followed by clarification that those places are within the U.S.]
• What do Americans wear?
• Do Americans wear school uniforms? [N:B From what I can tell, students in mainland France don't wear uniforms, either, but, as in the U.S., there's some sort of mania for putting black bodies in uniforms.]
• Does it snow in America?
• Are there black people in America?
• What kind of buses are in America? [No TCSP]
  

  

Of course, food is essential to culture. Some kids really don't realize what innovators Americans are on the fast food front.

• What do Americans eat?
• Is there McDonald's in America?
• Is there popcorn in America?
• Is there ice cream in America? What flavors?
• Is there Snack Elize in America?
  

  

  No. Snack Elize only exists in Martinique, actually.

Kids are still kids, though, and in many classes questions about American wildlife dominated.

• Are there different animals than in Martinique?
• Are there big animals in America?
• Are their wolves / koalas and kangaroos / electric eels / bears in America?
• Aren't you afraid of the bears? [Upon clarification that the bears live many states away from me] But can't the bears just walk to where you are?!

Woke AF

Sure, childhood is different now, since every adult and child is plugged in to all the world's happenings in real time. Also, though, kids are smarter and more compassionate than we tend to give them credit for. While most of the students doubtless maintain a Disney-Channel perfect view of the U.S. (and a lingering obsession for Frozen / La Reine des neiges), some critical observation is slipping through.

• Are Americans racist? [Another class] Are Americans racist against Chinese people?
• Is Donald Trump racist?
• [Same student] How did the same people who voted for Barack Obama vote for Donald Trump?
• [Same kid, after several questions about bombs] But why is the U.S. at war in Yemen?
• Why are there so many people in prison in America?
• Is it true that American jails are dungeons?
• Is it true that people are tortured in American prisons in other countries?
• Are there military bases in America?
• What are the American police like?

Same shit kids drew
 when I was in
middle school.

Kids are Still Kids, Though

They still say real dumb shit.

• Is the (dumb 'S' symbol) real?
• Is the American Mastiff real? [I had to google it.]

Every English-Speaking Country is not One and the Same

Most of them had yet to realize that the U.K. and the U.S. are actually distinct countries. I doubt I convinced them.

• Have you ever met Queen Elizabeth II?
• Are you Queen Elizabeth II?