"The Kids are Alright"

Those of you who are familiar with The Who, will instantly get the title of this blog and those of you who know about my travel buddy, Keith Spoon, will get the link even more...

I was given Keith as a 'loser prize' at an Anixter pub quiz, although at the time, he was just a wooden spoon. With a bit of black marker and a brainstorm session for his name, he gained his own profile and I was given a mission by my team to get him in as many photos as possible on my trip - who's the loser now, Anixter?!

He was going to get his own blog, but can you believe that 'Keith Spoon' on blogspot is taken?! Outrageous...if you google it, you get what seems to be an abandoned blog about absolute nothing. What a waste. So I will just have to post his photos here:



Keith went to meet some of the host family's pets in the backyard. He wanted to get a little closer but the cows started to moo in alarm. Best kept at a safe distance, I think.

And so back to the kids. The eight year old kids that The Tuba City Boarding school have entrusted me to assist...Stephanie, the teacher. Strange. What's even stranger? Stephanie doing great with children! Who knew?

It's hard to not find these Navajo little'ns adorable. When their teacher announced that I had come across the ocean from London, they all lit up with pure amazement as if someone had just told them that unicorns live on Jupiter. Gasps and a chorus of 'woooooooow' broke out as I nodded in confirmation. It is true, I have traversed oceans and battled beasts to be with you today, children. May it not be in vain.

At somepoint I'm supposed to do a lesson on London for them and I've got a few stereotypes on the list, but I want to try and stay away from the usual rubbish like 'fish and chips' and 'cor blimey'...hmm...real London. How do I do this without scaring the kids?

But in true arrogant English style, I can't help but scoff every morning when class begins with 'The Pledge of Allegiance' and the American national anthem. On the outside, I am making the effort. On the inside, I'm ruthlessly mocking it - it's what we do, isn't it?

By the way, does anyone know the words to ours....?