Space devils

As an Environmental Education volunteer, my place is primarily at school. I run ecoclubs, plant school gardens, develop curriculum, and teach general tree-hugging to elementary school children. But, being a multi-tasking, masochistic overachiever, I am rarely satisfied with “enough.” Enough activities, enough commitments, enough work… it’s usually just short of my overbooked ideal.

As a result, I overextend myself by working at our Girls’ Mentoring Center (GMC). Last month, I conducted a session on astronomy. A few short years ago, astronomy was my passion. I was willing to endure the tedium of introductory physics and the aloofness of a university-run star gazers’ club. Well, for at least two and a half quarters. Short lived as my astrophysics career was, spiraling galaxies and exploding nebulae still stir my heart, so I asked the GMC girls to humor me. Those brilliant points of light dancing above your heads each night? Yeah those, I can tell you what to call them.

How did it go? I think the girls were more eager to learn than I was to teach. They devoured the vocabulary, extending their slender fingers in the air to define, translate and explain luminous bodies, planetary orbits, and interstellar dust. They were star-struck; I was impressed.

At one point, I was explaining that, given the vastness of the universe, an Earth-like planet with thoughtful, sentient beings is statistically guaranteed. To this, the girls gasped in French, “Non Madame! Surely they must be devils!”

“Ok then,” I suggested, “imagine on this planet that looks a lot like Earth, there is a classroom that looks a lot like this one, full of young girls who look a lot like you. Right now, these girls are telling their teacher that we – me and you and you – are devils.”

Their heads craned at me, their gazes thoughtful if bewildered.

“And are we devils?” I asked.

“Non Madame, bien sur non!!” they shrieked, hands clasped to their cheeks.

“No, of course not,” I smiled.

The earth revolves around the sun revolves around the galaxy moves through the universe filled with extraterrestrial beings. Sufficiently comprehensive (read: controversial) for a conservative Islamic Republic. Provided they Peace Corps doesn’t administratively separate this heathen volunteer, I count the lesson as an astronomical success.