Tate's trip to the State Capitol

I had the opportunity last week to take Tate - along with some college students I teach English to - to visit the OK State Capitol for International Student Day. I took him for purely educational purposes, but we ended up having a great time, and of course, with Tate's you-never-know-what-he-will-say-but-you-had-better-be-ready mouth, lots of interesting discussions! Tate took this beautiful shot of the State Capitol.

This is our whole group from Tulsa Community College International Association. We took a charter bus and Tate soooo enjoyed it. We are middle row far right, behind the man on the ground with the blue shirt.

Tate with a fellow-OBU grad, Mr. Shane Jett, OK State Representative. He was nice enough to pose for a picture. Tate was impressed I knew someone "kinda like the President," as he said.

Well we sat in on a session in the house, led by Rep. Shane Jett (above). It was great, but I noticed Tate was counting ceiling tiles during some of it. They eventually started announcing students by country (over 400 internaional students) in alphabetical order. Tate had comments for several countries that I mustn't post here in public. Needless to say, we are seriously thinking of curtailing his CNNWorldHeadlineNews intake! He stood up and proudly waved and cheered when they called out "Thailand!" even though his four-month stay may not count for everyone, he is so proud to have been born there.

Tate with some of my students from Mexico, El Salvador, and Syria.

There were many dances and songs. Tate liked the Chinese dancers and was brave enough to get a picture with a dancer. We had an international buffet for lunch which I took full advantage of. I miss my years with an Indian cook and a Thai cook! Tate made good friends with the Papa John's Pizza guy. He said he is an international traveler but what's wrong with good pizza?

He kept referring to the Governor as "The President" so I took him to see the actual door with the title: "G-O-V-E-R-N-O-R." I think he believed me after this. So then he went looking for the "Vice-Governor's" door. Good luck.

It wouldn't be Oklahoma without the WIIIIIIIND! Tate and I on our way to catch the bus home.

Tate teaching the international students how to play tic-tac-toe on the bus. You wouldn't think it, but they had never heard of this game. This is one of my students from Bangladesh. Once he could beat Tate, Tate found someone else to play!

The bus ride home was my favorite part. Tate had warmed up to everyone and the students had noticed a free English-practice partner was ready and willing! He interviewed seven or eight students and tried to learn a little phrase from each language. He wasn't sure about the Syrians... it sounds too much like Assyria, which we just studied in classic history. They had very brutal war tactics (3000 years ago) and Tate wanted to be sure they weren't the same guys. They assured him that they are very different now and even have cars and electricity. He also had a funny reaction to the Japanese student. When he asked her where she was from, she naturally said, "Japan." He wouldn't even talk to her after that. He just looked at me like, "Can you believe her?" I realized that he was thinking of the zillion WWII documentaries (produced in the 1950s) that he watches over and over (he is quite the WWII Pacific battle expert). I was terrified he was going to start lecturing her on the atrocities of Pearl Harbor, but he just turned around in his seat and ignored her. Time to renew relations with the Japanese, Tate!

His favorite people were the young, pretty Asian ladies right behind us. One was from Vietnam and is a very outgoing person. She flirted with Tate and another student even teased her that she should go ahead and ask him for his number. Tate overheard and said eagerly, "Do you want my number?" She just stared at him as he got up, looked up on the top of his seat and read out his bus seat number: "13A and B." He smiled and her and they are now friends for life. The other lady is a Thai, and so right away Tate felt that they were kindred spirits. He talked to her about Thai food and showed off all six words of Thai that he can say! He asked the Latin American about soccer tips (this is his first season), the Middle Easterners about weather and life in the dessert, and played my student from Bangladesh in tic-tac-toe and Hangman. Never mind that their English skills are intermediate. He played round after round of Hangman and had the time of his life! I hope we will be able to take more trips with the international students in the future! (permission granted to post these photographs)