{"id":1079,"date":"2026-10-20T09:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T16:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/20\/things-that-will-surprise-americans-17\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T09:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T16:38:31","slug":"things-that-will-surprise-americans-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/20\/things-that-will-surprise-americans-17\/","title":{"rendered":"things that will surprise americans #17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"788\" data-attachment-id=\"1078\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?fit=940%2C788&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"940,788\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"brown and orange playful illustration pet shop facebook post\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?fit=940%2C788&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?resize=940%2C788&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-1078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?w=940&amp;ssl=1 940w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?resize=300%2C251&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?resize=768%2C644&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">use your privilege to undo the myth of american exceptionalism <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1078,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[24],"tags":[127,621,12,594],"class_list":["post-1079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meme","tag-american-education","tag-greek-system","tag-politics","tag-rape-culture","post_format-post-format-image","hs-inline-media"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paor1p-hp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":168,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/18\/the-three-ravens\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":0},"title":"The Three Ravens, Twa Corbies, Poor Old Crow, Crow Song","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"August 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Flute collection contains two songs that help illustrate the fascinating phenomenon of the folk process: The Three Ravens and The Crow Song. Taking a deeper look at the origins of these songs also allows us to make note of some of Ken Guilmartin's forebears in collecting and popularizing folk\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;family music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"family music","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/family-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/rSy8exrsR9u4cJOkKhNMQ-e1566099337701.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":837,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/23\/837\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":1},"title":"more spectra","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"July 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In my last reflection, I mentioned the intersection of race, gender expression, and neurodiversity in my family story\u2014qualities that all have spectra embedded in them. I didn't touch on culture and class, which are also observable as existing on spectra. I was shaped by aspects of Black domestic and expressive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;chronicle&quot;","block_context":{"text":"chronicle","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/chronicle\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/img_1690.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":769,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2026\/06\/06\/a-brief-history-of-school\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":2},"title":"A brief history of school","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"June 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"American K-12 education, 1750\u2013present Part 1 in a series. In my study of what works in the effort to serve children's needs and help them to become happy and healthy adults, I take copious notes. I find it helpful, occasionally, to compile and summarize these notes into a narrative. Why?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;didactics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"didactics","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/didactics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/img_1452.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":91,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/22\/way-down-yonder-in-the-brickyard\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":3},"title":"Way Down Yonder In The Brickyard","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"January 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Right-click to download WAY DOWN YONDER IN THE BRICKYARD Score and NotesDownload This song is brought to us from the Georgia Sea Islands by Bessie Jones, a great singer, teacher and popularizer of African-American culture in the 20th century. Here's what she had to say about this song: \"My grandfather\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;family music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"family music","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/family-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":228,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/01\/the-stillness\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":4},"title":"The stillness","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"August 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Feb 14, 1976: I had done something wrong. I don't remember what, but I had been sent to my room. It was after dinner. I was almost 10, but not quite. Being sent to my room was not the worst thing that could happen. Sometimes, when I did something wrong,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;reflection&quot;","block_context":{"text":"reflection","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/reflection\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/image.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":121,"url":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/09\/bessie-jones\/","url_meta":{"origin":1079,"position":5},"title":"Bessie Jones","author":"Ryk Groetchen","date":"February 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"In my internet travels, I came across some more information about Bessie Jones that's worth sharing. We'll be doing Way Down Yonder in the Brickyard again this week. Here is an article about Ms. Jones' life and work. This paragraph very succinctly sums up the place and value of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;family music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"family music","link":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/category\/family-music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BessieJones.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BessieJones.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BessieJones.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/BessieJones.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brown-and-orange-playful-illustration-pet-shop-facebook-post-1.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ryk.groetchen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}