In one of my classes with my international students today, I was telling them about the dream trip DH & I took in 1999 to Yellowstone National Park.
In the course of the conversation, they wanted to know how we got there.
“What do you mean, ‘How did we get there?'”
“How did you get there?”
“Um, by car.”
“No, no–How did you get there?”
“Well, we certainly didn’t have a GPS.”
“So, how did you get there?”
I just looked at them.
“We used a map.”
“A map?”
“Yes. A map,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Oh, that’s so dangerous!”
“What?!” I couldn’t believe my ears!
A map? Dangerous?
Really?
“Haven’t you ever used a map?”
“Oh, no!” That is too dangerous!”
Honestly! They’ve never considered using a map, never heard of a AAA Triptik, and have never pondered the possibility of setting out on a trip with just a map in hand and no GPS.
Truthfully, I still like a paper map to show the big picture. I love my GPS (I have 6 of them, after all, 8 if you count the ones on our iPhones), but there’s something reassuring about a paper map that a GPS just can’t provide.
Teaching continually opens my eyes in many ways, but today takes the cake.
Maps. Dangerous. Who’d a thunk it?
BisonWoman's Ballyhoo 