A couple of months ago, we were in a fast food restaurant in an Atlanta suburb when I let Sprite climb around in the indoor play area. A man with two small boys came in and watched them play. From his accent, I guessed he was not a native born American but an immigrant.
I tried to strike up a conversation with him about his sons. Then I asked him where he was from. His answer– “Ethiopia.” He had a weary tone of voice as he added, “It’s in Africa.” I know all too well the irritation of explaining yourself over and over as a foreigner in a foreign land. (At least everyone knows where and what America is!) This man had obviously run into quite a few Georgians who had no idea where Ethiopia was.
To reassure him, I added, “Yes, I know. It’s on the Horn of Africa, south of the Red Sea. It’s by Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti.” His mouth dropped open with surprise. “Have you been there!?” he asked, in amazement. “Oh, no, I haven’t,” I replied.
There was a pause. Then, I just couldn’t resist asking the next question, “Are you from Addis Ababa?” The poor man almost fainted. “Yes, I am, in fact.”
“Yeah,” I said, “I thought so since it’s the most heavily populated city in that area.”
His surprise turned into a big grin. He’d finally encountered someone who knew at least a tiny bit about his corner of the world.
Bless his heart, he had no idea that all this knowledge was thanks to Geography Songs. I already knew that Ethiopia was in Africa, but everything I told that man was learned from the “Horn of Africa” song on the CD.
Learning through songs really works! For more about learning via audio means visit my new Audio Homeschool lens.
Fantastic! I can actually hear that song in my head as I read your words! 🙂 My kids often sing these in the car with me on long journeys. It is surely one of the best audio-lessons EVER!