Saturday, November 2, 2013

International

While talking with my son's kindergarten teacher (who's amazing BTW)
I am explaining how I believe 
Al perceives the world around him

Al will often ask me --- "is this in my world?" 
referring to people in proximity
family and very close friends are considered
in "his world"

Things that are not in "his world"
anywhere more than 25 minutes away from our home
 anyone he doesn't know by name
and somewhere he's never been
This doesn't upset him -- it's just not in "his world"

 Think of Al as an "International Student"
here on an assignment
 learning and observing
our customs (eye contact)
our language (figurative speech)
"our rules" for personal space and levels of engagement
He's trying to absorb and take in all the scenery 
However
it's so loud and smells awful
people are annoying and often demanding
everything is either too fast or too slow
it's just not his "world"

Al steps back and takes a breathe
It overwhelms him
but he heads out there every single day
 with a HUGE smile on his face
and he tries so very hard to be in "our world"

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