"Teachers say the darndest things?"

So yesterday (Wednesday Sept 19), I went to visit my prac school to meet the students and gather some more information from my supervising teacher for a uni assignment. Two funny things happened.

I was hanging out with the Year 6 students doing a math experiment on displacement, and at the end of the lesson a Year 5 boy came up to me and said "You may think I sound weird, but it's because I'm from New Zealand." And I simply said "Well that's alright because I sound weird because I'm from Canada!"
Needless to say, we have a bond.

THEN another boy comes up to me and asks "Can you say watermelon?" and immediately I'm running through the rude things I can think of that sound like watermelon... none. Okay if he isn't trying to make me look bad, then what's going on here? I'll ride it out: "Watermelon?"
Instant smile... "Ha! My friend has an American accent and he sounds so funny when he says that!"

Of all the words (out and about most commonly) I've ever been asked to say, who knew that watermelon was also a marker of an accent? (for the record, I think Aussies say it without the "er" -- as in Watamelon)

Just thought that might make you smile. I love being introduced to new kids and watching their faces as I start speaking. My supervisor didn't say anything about where I was from, and when I started working with the Year 6's ... I asked them a question and they looked at me with that blank face that says "I can't listen to WHAT you're saying, because I'm trying to figure out HOW to listen to you." So you have to repeat the question. HA that will never get old :)

xo
ps. also we're going away for a week so we'll be MIA until Oct 1 - Labour Day! :p
Figure that one out!! We'll post photos from our trip to Fraser Island, Cairns and THE REEF around the 2nd or 3rd of Oct. See you then!