Ita da ki mas; we are thankful for the food that we are about to receive

After our discussion in the Park visitor center, we were treated to a lunch especially prepared for us by one of the wive’s of our hosts. Each Bento Box contained delicate and artistically presented small portions of fish, rice, exquisitely flavored salads and chicken. The beauty and care put into the food makes it hard to disturb. However, hunger won out. After the meal we had a leisurely wait for the school group we would be joining as they finished their own lunch outside underneath a tent. The school group had set up a BBQ, and the children were just finishing tending to the cleanup and extinguishing the coals. All elementary children are required to wear a reversible colored hat. We saw bright yellow heads scurrying about the landscape as the children ran to and fro tidying and getting ready for their excursion. The students were then taken to a debriefing area where they were given instructions on safety as well as the protocol for catching aquatic macro-invertebrates. The students were being taught about water quality and how insects can be used as an indicator of ecosystem health. Next, the 60 little yellow capped heads bobbed up the road to the field site, where after dousing themselves with un-godly amount of insect repellent (I couldn’t find any mosquitos myself), the children waded into the river with their boots and began lifting up rocks and debris to find the hiding critters. Imagine over 60 ten year olds splashing about in the river, managing to stick to the agenda and not succumbing to the urge to push, soak or trip each other up. I am not sure we American teachers have the pleasure of such well behaved children.