True Acculturation

For a number of reasons, our girls and I arrived on Guam a couple of months after Eric and Christian. We left California on September 30, 2007. I realize we are fast approaching our one year anniversary. As I considered this, I stumbled upon the following school assignment and I had to chuckle. First let me say that "professionals" had told us, before we left for the mission field, that the younger the child, the quicker the child will adapt to a new culture. In no time, we were told, the child would naturally integrate the new culture as their own. As most of you know, I have home schooled all four of our children at least through the fifth grade. Presently, I am home schooling our two youngest children (8 and 11). It is the younger who is in focus here. The assignment was: "Imagine that all of your relatives have gathered for a family reunion in a park. Some of the moms have set the food out on picnic tables. Name five things you would taste." Noelle's answers were as follows: macaroni, rice, beef, ribs, and licorice. Here's where it gets funny. The same book contained the answers our oldest had put down ten or so years ago while still in California. His answers: hamburgers, hot dogs, beans, apple pie, and bread. Do you notice a difference in the answers? Noelle's answers are an almost complete description of Guam barbecue cuisine! (We don't know where the licorice came from). I can only imagine how appalled my extended family would be if I showed up to a family reunion with rice. I can also only imagine how appalled a family on Guam would be if they showed up and there was no rice! I guess one could conclude that Noelle has truly acculturated!