e is away....: Three Yokels from California walk into a prep school......

(for the purposes of this entry, I define a 'yokel' as anyone who is not from South Korea, and does not play the violin.)

So the circus has come to town and three cousins have somulatepisly (combination somehow and simultaneously: a typo but now trademarked) been tucked into their dorm rooms at PEA. H is by far the most joyful: she loves every single thing- her small room with its white linoleum floor and its view of some pretty tress that will soon lose their leaves; she marvels at the sound of the old train in the distance; she has made beautiful, kind, adorable friends already; and she did homework on and off for many hours her first night, a Friday no less. She is my vote for most likely to be student body president and/or head of the board of trustees. She is into it I tell you.

M told me a great story about one of her very first classes.

The teacher wanted each to tell them about themselves and Hanna talked about her recent stint in Geneva. Apparently she tossed out the sentence "but Geneva is really just like any city" . Now a middle child from a large family might not assume anyone is actually listening, so what the hell- go with modesty. But this is the Harkness and there are some exotic birds around that table- birds with brains. So out it comes: "I totally disagree: Geneva has the GDP of most African nations, it has a potable lake, and its citizens represent 4,309 countries. (I'm paraphrasing) . To which H replied- how do you know all this? "Because I lived in Geneva for 15 years." Then as she was leaving, he approached her and asked if she spoke French? "Oui". And off they went to the next class speaking French after picking up another French speaker along the way.

C is in a house with very few kids: a hockey player roommate and some PG football players to name a few.

F somehow got the only kids room on campus I think with a balcony- with French doors. We are calling him Il Duce.

Charlie is also speaking a lot of French there- and not only in his French class. There was some kid who approached him asking if he could please only speak French together because "he really wants to live in France someday and he needs to practice". He also said he is the only blond in his Chemistry Ap class and to my knowledge the only one with a batman mask from Target (see below).

They have said the work load seems like a lot, but so far so good.

My favorite moment was when I took them to Target (M had a meeting with the faculty) and everyone ran around getting what they needed: Fans and toiletries and pens. That is except Charlie, who only bought a bat man mask and some old Spice. Can't be too careful....Oh and later he texted his mother who was in Bed Bath and Beyond, asking her if she would please get "four boxes of Christmas lights", for obvious reasons: at least they were obvious to Charlie and his roommate.

I am flying this Thursday so I wanted to get out the "first impressons' so we can compare them with the "two weeks later impressions". Stay tuned.
XXX