Tie me kangaroo down, sport

Ashbourne Hilltop Infants School is still recovering from Australia Day madness... Dylan's teacher has asked me if I could come in next week for a repeat performance for their Foundation Assembly!

Dylan was thrilled with the entire day (except the bit where an exhausted Jason and Sara sneaked out of his school for a quiet lunch). Hilltop Harry, our inflatable kangaroo friend, drove into school with us and caused quite a stir as soon as he emerged from the car.

Dylan's classmates were very enthusiastic in their discussion of Australian animals and listened patiently while I read them a story (Rosie & Mack head Outback). They were then rewarded with a clip on koala each (thanks, Dad), fairy bread and lamingtons. Fairy bread was a revelation to them - they have hundreds and thousands here but the idea of putting it on buttered white bread appears to be uniquely Australian.

The highlight of the day was definitely the Assembly, thanks to Mrs Pedlar (the music teacher). We managed to get the entire school (120 children under 7) singing "Kookaburra sits in the old gumtree" - in rounds. Mrs Pedlar then launched into an impromptu rendition of "tie me kangaroo down, sport" on the guitar, accompanied by a volunteer 2nd grader on wobbleboard (actually a piece of white cardboard) and Mrs Winbow (nursery teacher) on didgeridoo (a real one).

Jason, Dylan and I then did the rounds of the older classrooms, who had some very good questions for us to answer (do they have toy shops in Australia? what do you eat? is it very hot all the time?) Dylan was very confident in his answers (especially the questions about toys, his speciality)

When I picked Dylan up again this afternoon, his friends all farewelled him with a "g'day mate" in their best aussie accents, and his teacher handed me a huge bag of anzac biscuits, that the class had learned to bake that afternoon.

That night, we let a few fireworks off in the garden (they are legal here) - to the sound of bolting, terrified sheep and horses. There is something about being abroad that makes you feel "more Australian" - and it was wonderful that Dylan's school went to so much trouble to help us celebrate it.

One of Dylan's classmates has asked if he can celebrate "Germany Day" - but I wonder what his version of Hilltop Harry the inflatable kangaroo will be?