Me at Valley View Elementary School
On Friday I did a school visit at Valley View Elementary School in Austin. This time I had to meet kindergarten kids. I mean, I got to meet them. A lot of them. Maybe thousands. Or one hundred at least. Or maybe at most.
The kids had a really bright room, which I like. I also like that my bed was there and a couple of my favorite rugs. And a tub of lettuce, which you can see just at the bottom of the photo above. I even ate some of that lettuce.
Winston Bumblebee Barcode the 1st (aka WBB1)
The best thing was that WBB1 went with me. During the toughest parts of the presentation, especially when I was tired or the kids were especially loud, Melly would put WBB1 on me and that seemed to make everything better. I even rolled over so he could scratch my stomach, which he didn’t do but Melly did it for him.
Is WBB1 up there?
WBB1 took some of the pressure off me by walking around on the table with the kids. As you can see, I tried to get up on the table like WBB1 but Melly and Sheldon stopped me. I am a bit of a climber for a capybara.
The kids pet WBB1 and then they pet me and compared our hair. Melly also brought a crested porcupine quill that she got at Kapi’yva Exotics. The kids compared the three types of hair but I think they liked the guinea pig hair the best.
Passing out the coloring pages
I’m not so good at reading human facial experssions so I am not sure if Sheldon approved of the coloring pages or not. He is making a very funny face. Each kid got one and most of them enjoyed coloring them, I think. You want to know something funny? Sheldon is wearing a shirt that is one of the coloring pages! You want to know something even funnier? The shirt is a drawing of him! (And Caplin Rous.)
Hello!
I didn’t just visit with the kids, all of the teachers, helpers, parents and other adults came to visit with me too. Most of them were very nice but one woman kept calling me a giant rat, and not in a nice way, which I don’t understand because rats are nice.
The school made a nice donation to the ROUS Foundation, so I want to thank them for that. But I am not sure I am going to do kindergarten anymore. The kids are very loud and rambunctious and I’m not sure they properly appreciated having a capybara come to their school.
You and WBB1 did a fabulous job. He can do the table top thing, as he’s a mini capy 🙂 He would get lost under the tables and chairs doing the floor thing you do so well 🙂 I’m glad you had a good time, and didn’t bite the giant rat lady 🙂
I am glad you and WBB1 teamed up. It is so good to have a partner. I meet a few kids but mostly I meet senior citizens.
Sounds like you did a good job anyways, Gari, even though the kids were loud. And so nice of WBB1 to join you. My piglet, Dora thinks he’s handsome. Good idea for Melly & Sheldon to take your bed & other stuff to help you feel comfy.
I bet the kids enjoyed having you there, how could they not? Maybe they just didn’t know how to express it? Or maybe they were loud because of their excitement, which is really a compliment, even if it hurts your ears.
Gari, I’m really proud of you. I know you don’t like doing these school gigs. Frankly, I don’t care for a bunch of wild, screaming kids at ANY age. It’s an awful experience. Be glad you’re not Justin Bieber! (Melly will explain) Whoever thought of having WBB1 is a genius. You finally made it clear that doing solo appearrances, in strange places with mobs of stalkers, errr… fans, just wasn’t your thing. So, a big shout out to WBB1 for being a great wing man! Next time, try 4th or 5th graders. I think they might be calmer. Hopefully.
Thank goodness for WBB1!!! What a good thing it is for a Capy to have a GP helper!! Me and Miss Jasmine (the GP) are reading yr blog together — she thinks he’s SO cute . She’s a big fans of yours too!
Good thing yr Sheldon was with you! I’m sure the little kids loved you and will talk about you for many years to come!!
Just ignore the “rat lady” — some hoomans are just ignorant about Capys — and rats
You are becoming so brave, Gari! What a good capy ambassador. 🙂
Gari, you look so brave trying to get up on that table. That’s one of my favorite pictures of you! Those children sure are lucky to have you and WBB1 come to their school.
Janet
Not even kidding, I’m sure you’d have tons of people super excited to meet a capybara if you brought Gari to UT one day.