CRESTVIEW — If Northwood Arts and Science Academy second- and third-graders start greeting each other in Thai, they can thank Nick Belvin.
The Crestview resident, who teaches conversational English to 550 students in Thailand, spoke Wednesday to almost 100 students about the Southeast Asian country.
Through videos, photos and maps, Northwood kids learned about Thailand's location in the world and Thai plant and animal life, including the mighty “chong,” or elephant.
“Did you ever ride an elephant?” second-grader Kelvin Fleming asked.
“No, but I saw a baby elephant being born,” Belvin replied to a chorus of “awww.”
AROUND THE WORLD
Belvin’s visit — part of the Northwood Media Center’s “Around the World” theme — was the foundation for cultural exchanges between Thai and Crestview students.
The relationship will likely include swapping examples of each other’s culture and sharing videos of day-to-day life in Crestview and Chiang Mia, where Belvin’s school is located.
The year’s programs will “bring the world” to the Cougars, media specialist Kristal Petruzzi said.
“We’re featuring different countries,” she said. “It got kick-started with our school-wide theme, ‘Oh, the places you’ll go.’”
The program includes new books about different countries and cultures, and encompasses multiple disciplines including reading, geography and art.
“The students get excited and see that other cultures have different outlooks, mannerisms, food, art and music,” Petruzzi said. “It makes them want to try new things. It makes the world a little smaller.”
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Belvin said he appreciates the Cougars’ eagerness to learn about Thailand.
“I’m really surprised at how well they accepted all this information,” he said. “They were really excited about learning some Thai words.”
And, Belvin said, visiting Northwood was beneficial.
“It was good getting back in a classroom and teaching,” he said. “I was a little nervous because these kids speak English. My kids don’t speak English so I can be pretty whacky.”
Belvin, wrapping up his presentation for Allyson LaVictoire’s third-graders, said, “Maybe you can go to Thailand some day and meet my students.”
The kids expressed enthusiasm, especially when they learned that Thai children enjoy Minecraft and Angry Birds video games as much as American kids.
However, there was one condition.
“I’ll have to ask my parents first,” Chase Banks said.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwood cultural presentations ‘make the world a little smaller’