The week was filled with sunshine, mosquitoes, and nature. We didn’t learn a whole lot, but the point of the class was evident. Place-based education is important in giving meaning to a child’s learning. Connecting on a local level is more powerful than imagining far away lands. There are times and places for both types of learning, of course.
We spent hours at Lake Wapato, in our quiet spots. Here’s the thing… I love being in nature, but it’s just too nerve wracking for me. I was being eaten alive by mosquitoes each time we stepped outside. My quiet spot ended up being near a beehive, which was terrifying each time they buzzed by. I never felt “one” with nature, and I typically just wrote in my journal about how I wished quiet time were over.
I had these horrible bug bites on my legs, and I was extremely itchy. The moments of self-control were seldom, as I typically gave in and scratched to my hearts content. This week the Billings were in town, and one night we were having a big BBQ for friends and family who wanted to also visit with Sue, Bob, Alison and Van! That night I felt horrible. I was light-headed, I felt nauseous and shaky, and my bites were itching uncontrollably. I went upstairs to lie down for a little while, when I leaned down to scratch my ankles. Well, something had happened to my alleged bug bites. They were suddenly extremely swollen and blistering. I didn’t know what was going on, but I knew these weren’t ordinary mosquito bites. I started googling different scenarios: West Nile, Mad Cow (why not?), etc. and nothing seemed to fit the bill. Eventually I searched poison oak, ding ding ding! My calves and ankles were covered in poison oak.
How in the world did this happen, you ask? GREAT question. Everyone in my class was going off the trail for their quiet spots and I sat smack dab in the middle of the trail, avoiding any more unwanted creatures/insects than absolutely necessary! I’m guessing I stepped in it at some point, and when I sat crisscross applesauce it must have spread. Clearly I’m quite allergic to such plant. Lucky me!
I couldn’t miss the next few classes, so I suffered and went to class. I had been taking medicine and applying cream in the most discreet way possible—I wasn’t about to show off my “oozing blisters,” to anyone. Yes, that’s disgusting. You’ll survive. It’s better than me posting a picture, right?
The last day of class we headed to the coast. A bunch of people camped, but it was becoming dramatic. I was planning on carpooling with some girls from my class, when I decided to drive to the coast Thursday night and stay with Alison and her family for the night! It was so great getting to spend even a few more hours with her J Their trip was certainly way too quick.
The beach was a great break from the Island, I was thankful to have no contact with poison oak!
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