fandomhigh | Culture Shock, Thursday, 5/21, Period 2

Algren wasn't even going to wait particularly long after the students gathered around the main campfire today before launching into his lecture. He was just patient that way.

"As I said in the last lesson, there are four basic stages to culture shock. Today, we'll be focusing on the 'Wonder' stage, which typically includes 'jet-lag' as well." He made a bit of a face at the phrase. It was still relatively foreign on his tongue. "I'm certain we've all gotten over the trip here. And if you haven't, I'd seriously consider looking into writing a nasty letter to whoever manages whatever method of transportation you used."

Algren allowed himself a moment to be amused at that notion. Of course, he'd gotten to Fandom via leaky rowboat. He'd also written himself many angry journal entries since.

"The Wonder stage of culture shock is really just what it sounds like. You're in a new place, be it a new town, state, country, or world, and everything seems fresh and exciting and different. You might be moving in, or you might just be passing through, but you're discovering this new place for the first time. For all intents and purposes, you're a tourist until the shiny newness wears off some."

He smirked faintly and gestured toward a box of island maps and binoculars sitting on the ground beside him.

"It's possible that you haven't managed to get this stage out of your systems yet, considering how many of you are new to the island. I'm giving you the chance to do so now. The maps are marked with points of interest that you might want to investigate on the island. The binoculars, for those of you not in the know, will make things that are far away appear closer than they actually are if you hold them to your eyes. I'm giving you the remainder of class to visit as many of the locations on that map that you care to visit."

A beat.

"And just so you don't think that this is a throwaway class and I'm giving you free reign over the rest of the period, I have a box of cameras here. You point this end at what you want to take a picture of, and you hit the button. It's apparently what modern tourists do. And it means that I get photographic evidence that you guys did your assignment today. Feel free to make the photos as touristy as you wish. Take it in. Welcome to Fandom."

[~~Please wait for OCD!~~ OCD is up! Have at thee!]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

In tourist mode!

Blah blah blah, Wonder, blah blah blah, binoculars, blah blah blah, freedom!

Grab a map, grab some binoculars, grab a camera, and feel free to ping into as many of threads as you'd like, alone or in groups, playing tourist. The more touristy the 'shots' you take, the better!

The note on the back of the map about these guys says that in order to attract them, you have to talk. A lot. They'll show up, just to stare. The note also says that they're a protected species. Not for eating. Or something.

They're terrifying. You'll need your binoculars for these guys, just so that you don't get nightmares. There is a shield up around them, so you can't get close enough to disrupt the horrifying ring-around-the-rosie that they've got going, here.

Rumour has it there's some kind of tentacled beast living below the calm surface of this duck pond. See if you can get a photo of it, yourself! Or, you know, just take a picture of your buddy feeding the ducks.

There are apparently spaceships among the scrap metal here. If you find them, don't vandalize them, or you'll most certainly regret it. But feel free to take a picture of yourself in among all the scrap, with your arms out to the sides while you play airplane or something.

Formerly Selkie Cove, this peak probably offers one great view. Don't fall off, however. I don't want to do the paperwork.

You're tourists. You have a map. Explore! There are plenty of fine NPC businesses to harass, for example, or stop into open townie posts around the game and then link to them back here! Or, if you don't feel like wandering far, there are those friendly wee Canadian moose milling about too, eh?

No, they are not Ta-Tas. Though that could be fun, too!

Who will be sitting at the main campfire, writing in his journal about how easy it is to make a free period for himself simply by telling the kids to go out and explore.

I couldn't actually find a listing of the NPC businesses around town, but I did learn that if you go to this post and click on the business name, it takes you to another page that tells you if the aforementioned business is NPC-run and thus fair game for crashing into in this post without asking store-owners first.

I'll consider that a success!

Also, I'd say I want a moose of my own, but I'm Canadian. Saying such a thing would be silly, as it is a well-known fact that all Canadians are already possessive of their own moose.

It's science!

Peyton was here and glad to help out in any way she could.

NPC Businesses!

(You're not crazy; it wasn't there before. But it is now!)

Hooray! Thanks muchly! :D

Elspeth of Valdemar

Elspeth took a camera (though she wasn't entirely sure how the thing was supposed to work) and went out to the Preserve to see the strangely-colored deer. She'd been curious since Arthur mentioned them on Tuesday.

She couldn't think of anything to say that might attract them, so instead she began reciting the lyrics to Sun and Shadow. "'She dances in the shadows; like a shadow in her hair. / Her eyes hold the midnight captive, like a phantom, fell and fair. / While the woodlarks sing the measures that her flying feet retrace./ She dances in the shadows like a dream of darkling grace...'"

"Excuse me?" Karla asked, holding a camera gingerly, as if it were about to bite her. "How do I work this device?"

Arthur Pendragon

Karla (di Glacia)

Arthur was not a ta-ta, nor did he have any. So he was here, vaguely wondering what happened to his own 'wonder' stage.

It may have ended the moment he started freaking out about light switches.

Peyton patiently explained the basics of picture taking. "It's really a lot simpler than it looks. Basically you look through here till you see what you want and then you push this big button here."

Even from this far away, the stone angels seemed a little... worrying, to Arthur. You could say that too much time around wizards had made him paranoid. You could also say he had some sense under that reckless exterior. Both would probably wind up somewhere in the middle.

As it was, he clutzed about with the binoculars for a moment or two before he actually got to see them.

Edited 2009-05-21 03:31 (UTC)

Karla nodded with understanding right up until Peyton finished speaking. "Right, that's what he said. But what happens next?" she asked. In her defense, Mr. Algren had given more detail about the binoculars than he had the cameras.

~~Himura Kenshin~~

緋村剣心

Page 1 of 4

Culture Shock, Thursday, 5/21, Period 2

Sign In [5/21]

Lecture [5/21]

Sightseeing! [5/21]

The Preserve: Teal Deer [5/21]

The Preserve: Stone Angels [5/21]

The Duck Pond [5/21]

The Junkyard [5/21]

Selkie Peak [5/21]

Elsewhere [5/21]

Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Talk To Algren [5/21]

OOC [5/21]

Re: Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Re: OOC [5/21]

Re: OOC [5/21]

Re: Sign In [5/21]

Re: The Preserve: Teal Deer [5/21]

Re: Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Re: Sign In [5/21]

Re: Sign In [5/21]

Re: Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Re: Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Re: The Preserve: Stone Angels [5/21]

Re: Talk To The TAs [5/21]

Re: Sign In [5/21]