...and in English we call it an "artery clogger"

I never really put too much stock in the idea that field trips were supposed to be educational. Sure, they were usually (though not always) to places where you could learn something. My fifth grade trip to Old Sturbridge Village is still a fine memory, for example. But mostly, we kids always just looked at it as an excuse to get out of school for a day.

Besides, last week's new vocab words were mostly different types of junk food (French fries, chocolate, soda, etc.). So I wasn't too upset about our kindy field trip to McDonalds this morning.

Nutrition sensibilities aside, it was kind of fun. Seeing behind the counter and in the kitchen took me back to my Arby's days (and once again made me grateful for that summer of '92 slinging curly fries, which was more than enough to convince me not to drop out of college after all). Even the smell was pretty similar, for better or worse. The French fry thawer was new to me, and fun to watch for a minute or two. And the kids did pick up a few of the items whose names I'd taught them in English.

And of course, the kids loved it. The eating area of this McD's is two floors (as is the case with almost all of them in Taiwan for some reason), so after each batch of kids had had the tour, we shepherded them upstairs to play on the mini indoor playground while the others had their turn in the kitchen.

When it was all over, they brought up a big tray of fries for the kids to eat. I happened to be washing my hands in the bathroom when that happened, and I came out to find all the girls munching happily while the boys sat at another table looking like they were at a funeral. My co-teacher explained that "the boys don't eat. Because they fight." In what is becoming a second nature reaction, I immediately looked around for Chris, my one boy who can always be counted on to behave himself. Before I could ask, my co-teacher figured out who I was looking for and laughed. "Chris is here. He was good." Sure enough, there he was, amidst the girls and looking pretty happy about it.

Guess who Chris reminds me of? I hope he doesn't stay shy around girls as long as I did.

I wonder if the folks at CNN know that there are McDonalds in Iowa too?