Long Beach

Our first field trip, quite the awesome adventure. We went to the Aquarium in Long Beach, and then we split up into groups, each intern and teacher with her own little group of students. I had four wonderful girls: Erika, Kimani, Gabriela and Graciela (aka Jacky). I didn't really know Erika until today, and I think she's wonderful! She is the littlest and quietest girl I've seen, but she was so involved in the trip - she was so excited to see all the animals and to pet the sting rays and the sharks. All the girls were, of course, but it was especially thrilling to see Erika enthused because she's so quiet and deathly serious. Gabriela also is pretty silent, but she smiles more than Erika does. She, too, was really excited to touch a slimy ray. While Jacky did not show much enthusiasm for the exhibits where you look in at the animals through the glass, she was ecstatic when it came to petting the sting rays and sharks (her sopping wet shirt sleeves were self-evident). That was very gratifying.

Ah, and Kimani. Well, she was great too. A little too set on getting something at the gift shop (which she wasn't allowed to do) and on getting her little booklet stamped at the different spots (which I asked her not to do - if you spend all your time trying to get all the pages stamped, then you lose the experience of just wandering and enjoying and being amazed). Nevertheless, she was enthusiastic about the animals and the way she clung to my arm was endearing. Also, most wonderful - Jacky and Gabriela, who have both been pretty shy in these past three weeks of SEP, started talking to each other a bit, asking each other questions and getting to know each other a little more.

I myself had an amazing time. I'm tired as hell now, and not nearly ready for another field trip, but the day was still fantastic. At the risk of sounding pretty corny, it was absolutely heartwarming to have these four girls follow me so trustingly and willingly, no matter where I went. When they listened to me or when they looked at an animal I pointed out they did it wholeheartedly, and they made the day that much more wonderful. I felt like a mother hen with her brood, pointing this way and that. When they asked me questions I tried to answer as best I could and they listened earnestly. They were the best girls I possibly could have gotten!

A funny thing I noticed, though, was that I began to sound like every hic I've ever hated at aquariums and zoos. When my girls pointed out animals to me, instead of saying anything sounding vaguely intelligent, I'd say something along the lines of "Wow, look at that thing - that's amazing!" or "What are those things? Itty bitty sea jellies?" I used the word "thing" more times today than in my entire life up till this point, trying to show my enthusiasm for the girls' discoveries, and make myself not some know-it-all snot trying to impress them, but just a slightly older kid learning along with them.

After lunch we had a chance to go back into the Aquarium one last time. My girls and I went into the sea jelly exhibit. It was pitch black (Yeah, really bad idea on my part to go in) so that we could see the glow of the jellies. My girls clung to me as though if they let go they would be swallowed in by the creatures. As we clumsily made our way through the darkness to look at the different jellies, we trod on virtually every toe in the room and tripped over every baby carriage (doh!), yet still we pressed on. The girls were torn between fright at the darkness, and fascinating with the undulating, glowing creatures so different from what we know. They pressed their noses into the glass, though I pulled them off it time and time again, staring fixedly at the jellies. At last we made it out back into the light, blinking blearily against the brightness. Erika and Gabriela still clung to me. "That was really scary," said Erika, just as Kimani grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward the entrance, saying "Let's go through again!"

But now I'm back at school (AAH I don't even go home during the summer!!!). Tonight: Dinner at Twoheys, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and... Harry Potter at midnight at Vromans! And then, up early tomorrow to Disneyland - Happy Sweet Sixteen, Saroya!