Crowing about having gone to Crow

I learn a lot through my students.

When I tell students this, their facial expressions don't suggest that they believe me.  They probably think I am mouthing off some platitude.  But, I am dead serious.

One example is this: I pay attention to their descriptions of towns and high schools.  It gives me a phenomenally insightful view into a world that I might not otherwise know about.  And then, when I get a chance, I swing by those communities. 

Given that I grew up in a different part of the world, and given that I moved here from California, through my students I learn a lot about Oregon, its land and peoples.  And then, in some other class when a student says a town's name and I am able to relate my experiences with that town, that student and the rest of the class begin to see me as one of their own.  Yes, I can see that difference in their body language, their sudden warmth and respect ...

My first this way was about Astoria, many years ago ... That student was blown away with my stories of the tram by the waterfront and a restaurant in town.

Thus, over the years I have been to communities that I might not have visited otherwise.  I have now that much more of a feel for the places from where our students come.

Last year, one student was very hesitant to talk about her town--Crow.  I told her that I had seen signboards pointing to Crow, but that I had never been there.  She dismissed it as not worth a visit .. that it is a very small town ... but, I knew it was worth a visit, and that I would learn a lot.

And I did.



Crow is in a fantastically scenic setting.  It was late in the afternoon on a wonderful summer day--about 75 degrees, sunny, with scattered white clouds against a remarkably blue sky--when I was driving around that part of the country. Yes, it is country--large acreage homes with animals, trees, vineyards, ...

As I was driving, it occurred to me it could easily compete with the rural landscape outside of Firenze (Florence) that I vivdly remember from my only trip there twelve summers ago.  The small little church, the high school which definitely could be a focal point of the community, the gas-station/mini-mart ... what politicians would easily refer to the salt of the earth America.  I loved it.

I stopped for a bit to watch a few cows wandering about.  There was something soothing in watching those animals against the slowly yellowing setting Sun.

Thanks to that student, "H."

Now, I wish some of these students would invite me over, so that I can get a taste of the food their mothers and grandmothers cook :)

Update (August 20th):
"H." emailed me the following:

Hi Dr. Khe,

This made my day! I'm really happy you went out to Crow    If you ever head out that way again, let me know! I can meet you down there sometime and take you home for dinner at my grandma's. It's even further outside of civilization than the high school and the Crow store.

Thanks for the update!

All right, an open dinner invite :)