Thank you so much to everyone who has submitted questions so far, answering them is a lot of fun as it gives my memory a much-needed jog! Please keep them coming! We’ll gradually make our way through the list. Here goes:
Look how happy we are when you send us questions! Keep them coming!
What was the most interesting thing you learned or saw? (The TomKat Center)
Learning to navigate conversations surrounding my workshop curriculum in different settings has been very interesting for me. I’m teaching on social identities and intersectionality, yet when I first designed my curriculum, I didn’t realize how controversial words like “intersectionality” and “pronouns” were beyond the Bay Area bubble. Before each teaching day, I’ve sent curriculum drafts to site coordinators and have had to adjust the curriculum nearly every teaching day to prevent controversy. From learning to exercise far more caution than I anticipated to run my hour-long workshop, I’ve started thinking much more about how school curriculums impact what conversations people are allowed to have access to as young children, and how much that may shape social and political views into adulthood.
What was the group's high point and low point of the trip? (Kim Ratcliff, Stanford Transportation)
For me, a high point in this trip has been receiving gifts from the kids — often accompanied by the sweetest smile. These moments have seriously warmed my heart, and they remind me how rewarding getting to hang out with these wonderful kids have been. A low point on this trip has been the barrage of insect opponents we’ve faced: the mormon crickets of Nevada and Colorado, the biting gnats of Kansas, and the endless swarms of mosquitos and spiders and massive flies relentlessly tagging along for the ride.
Gifts from our amazing students! Thank you!!
Helen, if you could dangle an animal best friend out of your truck, what would it be and what would you name it? (Anonymous)
I found this lovely Michelin Cat on Pinterest the other day. A few weeks back in Farmington, I heard from fellow bikers at the bike hostel that they had just met another biker who traveled with a grumpy cat named Marilyn Monroad in his front bike basket. Therefore, I would name my Michelin Cat best friend Marilyn Michelin Monroad, and travel down the southern Illinois highway with Marylin Michelin Monroad hanging out the window.
Meet Marilyn Monroad <3
For Helen: What has surprised you the most about this immersive experience in "American Culture" (as mentioned in the day 44 blog post)? (2022 Spokes Alum)
Being able to have very long and wonderful conversations with people who were raised with entirely different backgrounds and values as me has been the best surprise from this trip. I can clearly and fondly recall all the late-night kitchen conversations with hosts with views across the political and religious spectrums, friendly encounters with strangers in rural gas stations who were curious about our van and bikes, and opportunities to share experiences such as cheering with Kansas City locals at the baseball game or having an in-depth conversation about tattoos with Denver locals in a thrift shop.
Near the thrift store (RiNo area in Denver!) where we had a wonderful conversation with some very well-dressed people with super cool tattoos :)
Thanks again for the questions,
Helen