Apr 14, 2012

Small like a star, cold like the moon

“So in America, how many days out of the year will you see the sun?” the teacher asked. I’d been observing his class, and he’d finished the lesson with some extra minutes he was devoting to explaining America. Specifically, how “not sweet” America is. This annoyed me. I may complain about America’s cold weather, selfish people, and mango scarcity, but what right did he have to call my country names?

I reply, “All of the days, but sometimes there will not be as much sun.”

One student, trying to comprehend this, says, “Oh, it will be like a star.”

“…I meant, some days the sun will be there but it will be covered by clouds. The sun is always there, but sometimes it is not hot.”

Says another student, “Oh, like the moon.”

Before the bell rings, the teacher explains that due to the lack of sun in America, everyone is suffering from vitamin D deficiency. “Isn’t that right?”

“Actually, vitamin D is added to the food. So when you drink milk, or juice, you will drink the vitamin D. You will not have a deficiency.”

The thought of vitamins being added to the food makes the students laugh. The bell rings.

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