Where is Flat Kat?
Hello,
My name is Flat Kat, and I’m accompanying Mr. Roberg on his trips to India, Israel, and China.
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Pictures and Presentation to the best 5th Graders at C-A
Here are the pictures from Israel that I promised, and there are a few thrown in from the presentation that we did for the 5th graders at Coxsackie-Athens.
Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
http://picasaweb.google.com/Leif518/FlatKatInIsrael2008
Visiting the Holy Land
Now I’m not a very religious cat, but even I can appreciate how seriously you humans take your religion. In fact, it seems like religion is one of the most important things to understand when you travel to another culture.
In India, I learned a lot about Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Islam. Here in Israel, I’ve learned even more about Islam, and have also learned about Judaism and Christianity. Visiting the holy places has really helped me learn about each religion and helped me keep them all straight! Here’s a quick overview:
Judaism in Israel
In Israel, Judaism is the most common religion today, but that wasn’t always the case. In ancient times, the Jews lived here and were the very first religion to belief in only one all-powerful god. Their first prophet (a person who speaks for God) was Abraham, and the Jews lived in the land of Israel for hundreds of years. When Abraham made the covenant (agreement) with God, he was promised a holy land, and Jews believe that Israel is that holy land and Jerusalem became the most holy of all cities for the Jews.
The most important religious spot for Jews is the Western Wall.
This wall used to be part of one of the holiest temples in Jerusalem before it was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews were kicked out of Israel. Ever since, the Western Wall has been the holiest shrine in the Jewish religion.
Christianity in Israel
Jesus lived, preached, and died in Israel, so this land is holy to Christians too. One of the most important places in Jerusalem for Christians is the place were Jesus was crucified. According to tradition, that spot was located 300 years after his death and Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built on the spot to mark the holy place. Christians now worship at the spot place of crucifixion, shown below:
the area where you kneel down to pray at the site of Crucifixion
a close up of the spot
Islam in Israel
People who worship Islam are called Muslims. Like Christians and Jews, Muslims believe that there is only one God who is all-powerful and all-knowing. The name of God in Arabic is Allah.
The main difference between Islam and the other monotheistic religions is that Muslims believe that the prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest of the prophets. Muhammad’s explanations of God’s will were written down in the Quran, the Muslim holy book.
As part of tradition, it is believed that Muhammad made a night journey to Jerusalem and led all other prophets (Including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus) in prayer before he rose to heaven. As a result, Jerusalem, and the spot of Muhammad’s rise, have become the third most holy place in Islam (behind Mecca and Medina). On this spot, the Muslims built the beautiful Dome of the Rock.
Well, I hope you enjoyed our quick tour of religion in Israel. Let me know if you have any questions. Only one week until I come home (I haven’t decided whether to bring Mr. Roberg home or leave him in the Holy Land. 
)
Arriving in Tel Aviv
This trip was a bit bumpier at times due to turbulence (bumpiness caused by stormy air) than our flights to India, but we got here safely. Mr. Roberg also must have looked a bit suspicious because he was checked and rechecked by security, over and over again before our flight to Israel. I always tell him that he should try not to look so goofy, but he says he can’t help it… it’s the only face he has.
On the positive side, the ride over to Israel was much shorter, and instead of arriving at 1am like we did in India, we arrived at 4 pm, which made getting to our hotel much easier. We also arrived in Ben Gurion airport, which Mr. Roberg says is the nicest airport he’s ever been in! (I haven’t been in as many, but it is the nicest I’ve ever been in too! )
1. Check out the pictures of the airport by clicking here. 2. Then click on the “Terminal 3″ link. 3. Click on the “orange eye” symbol to see pictures of different areas.
We spent just a day in Tel Aviv because we are going to spend our last few days there before we head back home. From what we saw, though, it was beautiful!! I didn’t know what it would be like to be near a beach – most cats don’t like water and sand! I liked the sound of the waves, the smell of the salty air, and the nice views, but wasn’t sure I’d ever go near the water. I have a bit of a thick skin, or should I say laminate, I thought that maybe I’d give it a try another time. (As you’ll see soon, I walked on a beach in Haifa – keep reading!)
The beach at Tel Aviv
The from Tel Aviv to Haifa
Mr. Roberg already wrote a lot about our trip from Tel Aviv to Haifa, so I won’t say much. You can read what he wrote here. All I’ll say is that it’s a good thing I’m patient!! I think a blind man could find his way around better than we do sometimes (just don’t tell Mr. Roberg that ) We have a great time, though, even when we get lost. In fact, we find some of the most interesting things when we’re lost. Plus, because we’re not afraid of getting lost, the whole trip is a bit more of an adventure, which is what I’m all about. That’s why they call me Mr. Adventure.
Oh… you’ve never heard that nickname? Well, just believe me, that’s what they call me.
Exploring Haifa
After arriving in Haifa, we took the first two days here to wander around the city and become familiar with what the city has to offer. This is one of my favorite parts of traveling. It is always so much fun to explore and find new things. Most of the time, Mr. Roberg asks me to put my nose to the wind, use my instincts, and lead him around the city. We use a map to give us a general direction, and then we just walk toward a sight we think might be interesting. It’s fun… we never know what we might come across.
Overlooking Haifa 
Of course, walking around Haifa is a bit more difficult than walking around most other cities because Haifa is on a hill. We must have walked up over one thousand steps the first day when we decided to hike to the “top of the city”. Because we walked, though, we got some great pictures and felt really accomplished when we got to the top. It reminded me that it usually feels better to accomplish something that I work hard on it than it does when something comes easy to me or I take a short cut.
Anyway, as we climbed, it started to get dark, and we saw the sun set. By the time we got to the top, it was dark. Haifa is truly one of the most scenic (beautiful) cities I’ve been in. The higher one climbs, the better the view!
Since it was dark, we decided to take the Metro (another word for subway) back down to our hotel. The metro was really funny because there was only one line. Usually, a city that has a metro has a few different lines that connect different parts of the city. Haifa, though, seems unique. It was more like a cable car that went under ground. It was another fun experience.
The Metro in Haifa 
The Sights of Haifa
The Beach
Over the next couple of days, we visited different sights in Haifa. One of my favorite sights, surprisingly, was the beach. At first, I didn’t want to walk on the sand. As you know, we cats are much cleaner than you humans. We constantly wash ourselves and never smell stinky, unlike Mr. Roberg after a long day of climbing steps! (He is so fun to pick on because he doesn’t get insulted by teasing… he knows I like him, so he just laughs when I make fun)
At the coast in Haifa 
Watchin’ a windsurfer
So, faced with the possibility of getting sand all over, I figured I’d just let Mr. Roberg carry me, like he always does. But he insisted that I actually try it. After a few minutes of arguing (believe me, people were looking at me like I was weird for arguing with a human), he finally convinced me to give it a try. Boy, am I glad that he did! It was such a new experience to have sand between my paws, and with my thick outer coat, it didn’t bother me at all.
When I looked back, I was surprised to see that my footprints were so big! I asked Mr. Roberg to take a picture of them because I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I just told you.
After having such a good experience in the sand, I decided to be Mr. Adventure again and go stand at the edge of the ocean. If you remember, I dipped my feet in the Ganges River when we were in India, which took a lot of courage. Standing in the ocean took even more courage because of the waves.
But yet again, I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the waves . In fact, I liked it so much that I can’t wait to get back to Tel Aviv and hang out on the beach before we fly home.
Imagine my surprise when I found a few of my own here – some real Beach Cats. I think I could be one of those!
The Baha’i Gardens
After the beach, my other favorite sight was the Baha’i Gardens. The Gardens were built as a monument to the founder of the Baha’i religion, and they were beautiful. So many different types of plants and flowers, and they smelled so good. Mr. Roberg wrote a lot about them already, so if you want to know more about them, see the end of Mr. Roberg’s post by clicking here.
Looking over Haifa from the Baha’i gardens
My First Seafood Dinner
To end the day, we went to dinner and I decided to do one more adventurous thing. I’ve always heard that we cats are supposed to like seafood, but I’ve never tried it. It looks so icky! I’ve always just eaten my cat food and said that seafood looks too gross to try it. But after having such good experiences with my adventures, I decided to give one last thing a try. And guess what…
Some of it was good, some of it was ok, and some of it I didn’t like. I didn’t like the squid (it was a bit chewy), and the crab was a bit of a pain to get out of the shell, but I liked the calamari and the scallops. Of course, it could have just been this one restaurant. I’ll have to try them all again somewhere else just to make sure I like certain things and don’t like others (you can’t judge something based on only one taste!). It was exciting to try a few more new things before the day was over. After all, life would be boring if we never tried anything new.As you can tell, it was a REALLY good day. If you are still reading, you should get a reward – tell Mrs. McIlroy or Mrs. Roberg I said that, and maybe tell her some details about what you’ve read, and maybe they will reward you. (You know I always try to help you guys out!) Next time I write (which will hopefully be in a couple days, I’ll tell you more about some of the different food and culture that they have here in Israel.
In the mean time, write me some questions under the BRAND NEW Question and Answers about Israel page. I want to know what you want to know about.
Until then, take care. I miss you all.
Flat Kat
a.k.a. Mr. Adventure!
3/13/07 - An Update from Israel: Soon, I promise!
I’m sorry I haven’t been able to update you since I’ve been in Israel! I feel terrible. Unfortunately we have been on the go even more than in India, and Mr. Roberg has been hogging the time!!
Don’t worry though - I’ve got pictures and stories ready to put up. I will do my best to get them up tomorrow (3/15).
Leaving for Israel Today - March 8th
Mr. Roberg has finally finished packing and we are about 1 hour away from getting in the car and starting our trip to Israel. Of course I’ve been packed for a couple weeks - I travel a lot lighter than he does. In fact, I wonder why he needs all of that stuff anyway. All I need is my toothbrush, toothpaste, tickets, passport, and a book to read, and I’m ready to go.
I tell you, it’s great being a cat. I don’t think I’d want to be human, having to carry around clothes, shoes, deodorant, and all those grooming supplies, especially since it doesn’t seem to help very much (have you ever seen him? 
)!
Seriously, though, I’m very excited about Israel. Also called “Palestine” or the “Holy Land”, the country of Israel is a pretty small country, about the size of the state of Massachusetts and it has a population of 6.4 million people (smaller than New York City). However, for such a small country, it has some of the most important history in the world. Three major religions believe the land of Israel is sacred (holy) in to their religion: Judaism (Jewish people), Christianity (Christian people), and Islam (Muslim people). The country of Israel also has some interesting geography, including the lowest point on earth - the Dead Sea.
If you want to know more, do some research or come back here in a few days to see what else I’ve posted. If you have a question, post a comment and I’ll try to answer it as soon as I can.
Alright, I’ve got to go help Mr. Roberg pack up the car so we can get to the airport on time. If I don’t keep on top of things, I don’t know who will! See you back here soon.
Flat Kat
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Flat Kat’s India Adventure
Check out all of the pictures I put together for a presentation to my FAVORITE Coxsackie-Athens 5th graders. There are 148 pictures and videos of Me (Flat Kat) in India HERE! Each picture has its own caption and people can leave comments below each of the pictures. Check it out and come back here to let me know what you think!
If you are interested in seeing what I wrote while I was in India, check out the blog post called Flat Kat in India. I moved all of the information there so that I could have more room for my Israel travels here.
Dear Mr. Roberg,
Thank you for agreeing to take Flat Kat along with you to India! We are excited! It was nice to meet you today. We look forward to hearing from Flat Kat once the trip is underway. In the next day or so, we’ll post a few questions we want F.K. to investigate.
Sincerely,
Mrs. M’s class
I was very happy to meet you all! I really look forward to traveling with Flat Kat and I hope you come back often to check how he’s doing.
Sincerely,
Mr. R
Dear Flat Kat and Mr. Roberg,
We’re sooo curious about the places you are going to see! Here are some topics to explore while you are in India:
Clothing of people in India
Languages spoken
Hindu temples- are there many? What do they look like?
Foods and spices grown/eaten
Sports and recreation
Dear Flat Kat,
Our class is going to be checking out your adventures too! Good luck traveling with Mr. Roberg- been there, done that! It’s not always easy! Just remember to feed him when he’s hungry or he gets very grumpy! Or was that me???
Ms. Roberg and her 5th grade Class
Great stories from Flat Kat.
Hi Flat Kat!
My name is Humbaba. I am a ground hog who lived outside Ms. Turano’s classroom window in Center Moriches, NY. Her classes named me after the giant from the “Epic of Gilgamesh”. It was nice living there for a while. I received lots of fresh fruits and vegetables until it was time for me to hibernate. Then in the spring I had to find a new home since the grounds keepers started to work a little too close to my home. I still check in with Ms. T. every once in a while just to say hello.
I am looking forward to hearing about your visit to China. Ms. Turano’s classes read a novel called “The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck. It is about a man named Wang Lung and his family, whose lives take us through the political changes in China from the 1890’s through the 1930’s.
By the way, if you want to learn more about ground hogs (who wouldn’t?), you can check out this web site: http://www.hoghaven.com. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for some of my relatives on February 2. I have to go back to sleep now, but I will write again.
Fondly,
Humbaba
Dear Flat Kat,
I was wondering about the food, so I am glad you filled me in. I like hot and spicy food so I think I would like Indian food. But is it ALL like that? Does it taste “the same”?
Were you scared with all of the pushing and shoving at the Memorial? Sometimes I find it scary being in such a large group of people I don’t know.
Have fun! Can’t wait to hear about the train ride!
Ms. Roberg
Dear Flat Kat-
First of all, it is wonderful to hear from you! Your adventures in India sound great! We think you might want to let Mr. Roberg sleep on a bed occasionally, or perhaps he’ll get grumpy and throw you out. Then, you’d have to disguise yourself as a cow or something in order to survive…
Keep sending us great pictures. The Victoria Memorial was beautiful. After your most recent trip to the place Buddha became enlightened, are you enlightened now, too? We’re curious to hear more.
Love, Your class and Cat cousin back home
PS- Can someone dress you up like that beautiful Brahma? It looks handsome (pretty?)
Dear Mrs. McIlroy and class;
It’s so good to hear from you! I miss the class, but we are having a great time.
I have let Mr. Roberg up onto the bed, though he takes up a bit more room than I’d like. You mentioned disguising myself as a cow - we actually saw one walking around the train station last night when we arrived in Varanasi at 1 am this morning! I’ve got a picture that I’ll try to upload tomorrow.
As for becoming enlightened, I’m getting there. I thought I knew a lot about the world already because of how much we learn in your class, but being here is a whole different thing. It was really neat to walk around among hundreds of Buddhist monks and watch them pray. It has been amazing seeing how tough some people having it, living on only a few dollars a day, while at the same time seeing very successful Indians who are making a very good living and have good jobs.
I’ll see about dressing up like a the Brahma. I’m going to have a lot more stories over the next two days as we explore Varanasi, one of the most important cities in another religion, Hinduism.
I miss you guys!
Flat Kat
Dear Flat Kat,
I hope you are enjoying your journey with Mr. Roberg! My class and I are wondering what the difference between Buddhism and Hinduism is? We don’t know much about religion. Thanks for filling us in!
Ms. Roberg’s class
Flat Kat’s Reply (it’s easier for me to type for him)
Actually, Hinduism and Buddhism have a lot of similarities. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world (starting around 1500 BC), and Buddhism began in approximately 500 BC.
Their similarities: Both religions believe in
reincarnation (the rebirth of the soul in another body after death),
karma (the good or bad actions someone commits during their lifetime), and
dharma (one’s religious and moral duties). The basic idea is that a soul will be judged by the gods (they are polytheistic - meaning they believe in many gods) and will be reborn into a higher life form, like a human, or a lower life form, like an insect. However, ALL life is precious - even spiders, snakes, and insects. So both religions also believe in non-violence. In other words, a person should never intentionally hurt or kill another living thing.
Their differences:
The main differences deal with how human beings stop the cycle of rebirth. According to Hinduism, a soul must be reborn many times, higher and higher in the social system called the caste system, in order to achieve the goal of no longer being reborn.
For Buddhists, there is no caste system, meaning that all people are equal. As a result, anyone can break the cycle of rebirth and achieve nirvana (enlightenment). Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, explained that if a person followed the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, they could achieve enlightenment.
There is a bit more to each of the religions, of course, but that should be a brief overview.
Thanks for such a GREAT question!! If you want any more explanation, just ask. (If Mr. Roberg had his way, he would have kept explaining for another page! He’s a bit long-winded when it comes to explaining history - just ask his students
)
Thanks again!
Flat Kat
Dear Flat Cat,
How are you enjoying Mr. Roberg’s bed? what was your favorite thing you learned in India? Did you meet a lot of new friends?
Sincerelly,
Kerri Edwards
Dear Flat Kat,
I like the pictures of you. The best one is were you made Mr. Roberg sleep on the floor.
Dear Flat Cat,
Are you enjoying being with Mr.Roberg?
What was your favorite thing you learned while you were in India?I wish i could travel the world well anyway i hope you are having fun!
Sincerely,
Hunter Perry
Dear flat cat,
I was wondering about the festival that mr roberg was talking about, ( this festival ) “So, after I met up with them, I decided to stay another day. We went to see the religious festival (they hadn’t been yet), and then went to the Nehru house, where many of the important decisions of the Indian independence movement were made in the early 1900s, and where Indira Gandhi was born (she was a very important prime minister early on in India’s democracy).”
Did you celebrate everything with them, if so how did you celebrate and what did you do.
Dear Flat Cat,
Are you having fun with Mr. Roberg?
What was your favorite thing that you learned in India?I wish I could could travel the world like you are it would be so cool.Well i hope you have fun on your trip and enjoy it.
Sincerely,
Hunter
Dear Flat Cat,
How are you enjoying Mr. Roberg’s bed? What was the most interesting thing you learned in India? I wish I was there to learn some stuff about other beliefs and other countries. Well I hope are having fun and meeting lots of new people. Sincerelly,
Kerri Edwards
Dear Flatcat,
I think it’s funny that you made Mr. Roberg sleep on the floor considering your a cat that slept in a huge bed. I would make someone sleep on the floor if they snored THANKS,
sinceerly
Fiona Christine
Do you actually have any animals?
My Reply
Dear August,
I’m assuming you mead do I have any animals at home. If so, the answer is yes. I have a dog (black lab) that is almost 3 years old. She’s great and I miss her.
Did you like the pictures of animals Flat Kat and I have seen so far in the streets of India?
Dear, Flat Cat
How is it in India? Do you like the food? So did you get alll your sins blessed away? I like how he made him sleep on the floor…
So how is it taking those baths? Must be fun in the water…. well i thought cats didnt like water but you like my grandma cats do my little sister was sleeping over my grandmas and she was in the bath and the cats were trying to get in…
Flat Kat’s Reply
Hi Karlee!! India is great! There have been so many interesting people and places that we’ve seen, and the travel hasn’t been too tough. The nice thing is that Mr. Roberg does most of the work arranging hotels and travel. In return, I make a lot of friends for us with my charming personality - for some reason, people just like a skinny, handsome, and fun-loving cat!
The food has taken some getting used to. Mr. Roberg will try all types of different foods, and lets me have a taste, but I try to stick with the basics.
You’re right that most cats don’t like the water. I’m a bit different because I was born with a “laminated” fur, which repels water. So, unlike most cats, water doesn’t scare me much (not that I was to go swimming all the time… yuck!). As for getting my sins washed away, I think I should be all set… after all I didn’t have too many sins in the first place.
Well, thanks for checking in!! We’ve got only 8 days left in India, and then we fly home. Can’t wait to see everyone.
Sincerely,
Flat Kat
Dear Flat Cat,
Is Mr. Roberg get weird? Must be in the family.
Sincerely,
Devin Meier
Flat Kat’s Reply
Very funny, but you better hope Ms. Roberg doesn’t read this!
As for Mr. Roberg being weird, the answer is “yeah, sometimes”. He’s got a good sense of humor (meaning he laughs at most of my jokes
). He needs a little push once in a while, but most of the time I can get him to do what I want.
For the most part though, he’s the shy one. I have to do a lot of the talking and usually introduce him to new people. I guess that’s just the kind of cat I am.
We’re a pretty good fit though. I guess I’ll let him take me on his next trips to Israel and China…
Thanks for checking in Devin.
Sincerely,
Flat Kat
Dear Flat Kat-
Thank you for filling us in! You are doing a great job keeping us up-to-date. We’ve come up with some questions for you.
My Replys will be in Italics
1. Is the temple pure gold? How was that made?
I’m not sure about these two. As far as I know, the temple is covered in gold, not made of solid gold. But if you took the cover off, it would weigh 750 kgs. I also am not sure about how it was made. When I get some time, I will try to research to find out the real answer. Or maybe you could beat me to it! (last one to it is a rotten egg!)
2. Do the buildings there have a sewer system/plumbing like we do?
For the most part, the answer is yes. The ideas behind plumbing are mostly about science. For example. the only reason that water can flow through pipes is because the air or water in front of it has a place to go. If you plug the end of a staw with your finger, water will not flow out because there is nothing to replace the space where the water was if it was to move. So, plumbing in india is mostly the same.
However, there are some differences. For example, the hot and cold water have different faucets. If you turn on the hot water, it comes out of one faucet. If you turn on the cold water, it comes out of another faucet. To have “warm” water, you need to have both faucets on and have it mix in the sink. Also, instead of what we are used to,
some of the toilets are “squat toilets”. That means that there is nothing to sit on, just a procelain “hole in the ground” where a person squats. When they are done, the toilet in the ground will flush.
3. Does everyone worship cows? Why do the cows wander in the streets?
The answer is that not everyone worships cows. However, people who worship the religion of Hinduism believe that god gave cows a special place on earth. As a result, they are sacred and should not be eaten. Also because of this, they let the cows wander where they want and eat what they want. Indians don’t think about it though, it’s just part of life.
For example, it is like people in the United States shaking hands. When we meet someone, it is normal for us to shake hands. We don’t even think about it. But we do it because “it has always been done”, so we just do it too. If I’m right, I believe allowing cows to walk around has “always been done” in India, so they don’t think about it, just like we don’t think about shaking someone’s hand when we meet them for the first time.
4. Are cars driven?
Yes, exactly the same way we drive cars. EXCEPT, that they drive on the left side of the street, and their driver’s seat is on the right side of the car. (do you know another country that also drives on the left side of the road? If you are in Mrs. McIlroy’s or Ms. Roberg’s class, put a comment and see if you’re right.)
5. Do they play football or watch it? What sports are they playing?
They do not watch football at all!! In fact, I am having a VERY difficult time trying to find somewhere to watch the Super Bowl. I’m in the biggest city in India (Delhi), which is almost as big as New York City, and I haven’t been able to find a place that will be showing the Super Bowl!!
However, they are CRAZY about cricket (which is like baseball, but not the same). Cricket is as big in India as football, basketball, and baseball combined in the United States! They really love cricket.
6. Did Mr. Roberg play Cricket there? Was there a chance to?
I did play cricket, but only for 5 minutes. Check out my blog entry about Agra.
7. Does anyone eat pizza there?
I have seen pizza on the menu, but I have never had it. In fact, I’ve never seen it served. I have met people who have had pizza in India, but they were foreigners who just wanted to try it.
Pizza is not that common here. However, I have seen more advertisements for Pizza Hut on the street than any other American fast food chain (even more than McDonalds).
8. Can you cross into Pakistan at all? If you got in trouble with the law there, what would happen?
I met a man and a woman (Malin and Allison from Canada), who traveled across Pakistan. They said that it was a terrific country. They were even there when one of the leaders (Benazir Bhutto, a woman running for leadership of the country) was assassinated! They were ok, though, and said that they really enjoyed Pakistan. The major problem was that women are not treated as equals. People would not even speak to Allison directly because she was a woman.
9. What are schools like? What supplies do they have?
I don’t know the answer to this. To be honest, only people who can afford it go to school. People who are too poor do not send their children to school.
I have seen children that are 6, 8, 10, 12 and more begging in the streets rather than going to school. I have also met children who have jobs and work most days of the week rather than go to school.
For the children that go to school, it depends on the type of school that they go to. Some children go to religious schools (where they wear uniforms), while others go to public school. Some schools have classes that are held outside of a church in a small town, while others are held in a room of a building in a city.
I’ll try to find out more about this soon.
We know you’re pretty busy, but if you can answer any of these, it would be great. Thank you! Best wishes on your travels!
PS- Adena says, “Rock on, Flat Kat!”
PSS - he says thanks!
Dear Flat Kat-
The class is all wearing P.J.s inside out today, rooting for a snow day. We just got back from the Schenectady Planetarium, and one student had a neat question: Do the names of the stars/constellations/etc change from country to country? Can you find anyone to tell you any?
Also, the pictures at the Taj Majal are great- I think we’re going to do some reading up on it. We looked at the Golden Temple when you posted it, and loved some of the facts we found. Keep up the great travels with Mr. Roberg!
Mrs. M’s class
Flat Kat’s Reply
I’ll try to find out about the constellations. Mr. Roberg doesn’t know the answer, and neither do I.
Thanks for checking in… I miss you guys. I can’t wait to get back to school: who would have guessed that!?!?!
See you soon.
Dear Flat Kat,
Devin won’t be writing anymore- I’ve tied him to the ceiling of our classroom by his toes and we all take turns tickling him every time we walk by as punishment for the “weird runs in the family” implication!
But the rest of us will continue to check in! We can’t wait to see the rest of the pictures when you upload them!
Can’t wait to see you when you return to Ms. M’s class!
Ms. Roberg and Class (-Devin)
Flat Kat’s Reply
Glad to hear that everyone is enjoying the pictures. I’ll try to keep it up.
Can you keep Devin up on the ceiling until I get back - I want to see that!
How is your trip so far? Is India interesting?
My Reply
The trip was great. I’m now back in the U.S. and enjoying some of the food, family and friends, and “normal” things I missed while I was away.
I can gladly say that I would not have changed anything major about my trip. “Interesting” barely described it for me. It was fascinating, challenging, intriguing, exciting, confusing, stimulating, and fun. The trip was just about everything I could have asked for.
Thanks for checking in.
Dear Flat Cat,
How was your trip back with Mr.Roberg.
Well the only good part is that you had fun and enjoyed it!! Talk to you soon bye bye!!!
Sincerely,
Hunter Perry
Flat Kat’s Reply
The trip back was looooooooong, but we’re glad to be back! I can’t wait to visit you all in the classroom.
Mr. Roberg slept on the plane, but I watched a couple of movies. Ever seen “Bee Movie”? It was pretty good, though I prefer movies with feline actors much more! One of the most ridiculous movies I watched was Ratatouille. Who would ever think about making a movie where a rat can cook? That’s CRAZY!
Now, if the main character had been a cat, it would have been MUCH more believable! Maybe I’ll have to write a good movie with cats as the main characters, and all of you could help me? What do you think?
Thanks for checking in Hunter, and I’ll see you soon,
Sincerely,
Flat Kat
The album is FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for working with Mr. Roberg and letting him take your picture in all those great places. I was laughing out loud, looking at you strutting your fabulous cat-stuff in India…
Flat Kat’s Reply
Just wait to see what I do in Israel!!
Dear Flat Kat-
I’m glad to hear you and Mr. Roberg made it to Israel safely! I hear that Israel is a cross-roads for many religions and cultures. As you travel, I’ll be interested in hearing how that plays out in architecture, food, and the people you meet.
Best wishes! Enjoy!
Mrs. M
Dear Flat Kat,
How was your trip to Isreal? I hope you guys are having a lot of fun down there tell me a lot when you get back. Last time when you got back it was pretty cool how you gave children stuff with there ticket. Well write back to me soon and have fun there.
Sincerely,
Hunter
Flat Kat’s Reply
We are having a lot of fun! Thanks for writing Hunter. I’m making my first post right now. I’m also looking for a good gift idea. We’ll keep our eyes open.
Flat Kat; I hope your back is not getting too tired lugging Mr. Roberg all over Israel! Don’t let that guy take advantage of your superior wit and strength!
Mr. Seekamp and Vivian the cat (and Stella, too)
Flat Kat’s Reply
I’m glad people are finally starting to recognize my superior wit and strength! Of course you would notice it, having a superior pet (Vivian).
If you don’t mind me quoting, you said “This wall used to be part of one of the holiest temples in Jerusalem before it was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews were kicked out of Israel. Ever since, the Western Wall has been the holiest shrine in the Jewish religion.” If they were kicked out at this wall and their holy temple was destroyed by the Romans why is it their holiest shrine?
My Reply
Great Question Tyler!! I’m proud of you for picking that up.
The Western Wall was part of the foundation of the Temple, but it wasn’t destroyed by the Romans. So, since it’s the only remaining part of their holiest shrine, it is the closest thing they have to their great temple and the very long history of the Jewish people. The Wall has grown into a symbol of the struggle of the Jewish people to survive and worship their religion.
I hope that answers your question… if not, let me know
Dear FlatKat,
What is it like in Israel? Is it fun there? It was cool how you brought us gifts when you came back from India. Hope you have fun!
From,
Matt Serignese
Flat Kat’s Reply
Hi Matt. Israel is great. I’m looking into whether I can bring a few things back from Israel too, though I’m not making promises. I’ll see you soon.
Dear Flat Kat,
How is Israel? Is Mr. Roberg being good? Write back.
Jeremy
P.S How was the shed, was it comfortable?
Flat Kat’s Reply
Israel is terrific. Mr. Roberg is still a great companion. We get along really well because he does all the boring work like arranging rooms, driving me around, and typing my responses, and I do all of the talking when we hang out with people (he’s a little shy). We’re a good pair, the two of us. In fact, I think friends often have different personalities that compliment each other. Hope you are staying warm, the weather has been great here. See you soon.
Dear Mr.Roberg,
Today March 25 we are looking at your website. It is pretty cool. I wish I could travel the world like you are; it would be awesome. Take care of Flat Kat and hope you have tons of fun.
Sincerely,
Hunter
P.S. Life is good!!!!!!!
My Reply
Good to hear the life is good and that you are enjoying the blogs Hunter. Thanks for being one of the most dedicated people to comment. Flat Kat is doing great and we ARE having tons of fun together.
Hopefully you will be able to travel the world soon. There are a lot of opportunities out there, if you work hard and take advantage of them. In fact, I look forward to reading your blog about your travels in ten years! I’m sure it will happen if you make it happen. See you when we do our presentation about Israel.
Sincerely,
Mr. Roberg
Dear Flat Kat,
How was the shed? Was it comfy and nice? Is Israel a nice place with a lot of people? Is it a lot of fun? Tyler says “Hi.”
from,
Sean
Flat Kat’s Reply
Israel is great, and the people are nice. Mr. Roberg and I are having a terrific time, but we are starting to look forward to coming home. We’ll see you soon.
Dear Flat Kat,
Are you having fun with Mr.Roberg? I hope you are having fun in Israel. How is it in the shack? I hope you are coming home soon!!!! =]
Sincerely,
Morgan Douglas
Dear Mr. Roberg
I hope you are having a good time.
Ahoy Flat Kat!
How is your trip going? I hope you’re having fun in Israel with Mr. Roberg. =] I wish I was there to explore and learn some stuff about Israel. It sounds like a lot of fun. Have a good time!
Sincerely,
Kerri Edwards
Flat Kat’s Reply
Ahoy Kerri! I like that greeting! I’m a bit of a landlubber, but it’s fun to say.
As for the trip, it is terrific. Mr. Roberg has turned me into quite the world traveler. I can’t wait for our next trip and we aren’t even done with this one.
I hope you take every opportunity to travel and learn about the world. If you really want to do it, I’m sure you’ll find a way. There are lots of opportunities out there, so if you work hard and save, I’m sure you’ll be able to do it.
Well, take care, and I’ll see you and the rest of the class soon.
Hi i love you Flat Kat!!!!!!!=]
Flat Kat’s Reply
Thanks Miley, and I’ll see you soon.
And I never get tired of hearing it!
Dear Flat Kat,
Can you send me a picture of you and the real cats eating by the water?
Flat Kat’s Reply
What do you mean, “real cats”?! You can’t get any more real than me!!
As for the picture, I’ll do what I can.
Dear Flat Kat,
How is it in Israel? I always thought that Israel was all religious and not an awesome place to go to. Hope you have a great trip. byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye
From,
Fiona Christine
Flat Kat’s Reply
Israel is very religious, but that is one of the things that makes it an awesome place to go. Plus, it has some beautiful land and interesting people. Just like India, I would highly recommend a trip here to anyone.
Is Israel a nice place to visit?
Flat Kat’s Reply
ABSOLUTELY.
What is Flat Kat’s new nick name?
Flat Kat’s Reply
So, you’re working on the extra credit that Mrs. McIlroy gave? You’ll have to read about my adventures to find the answers, but I’ll give you a hint since you asked: look under my entry about food. It’s not to hard to find, just read closely.
Happy hunting (no pun on your name intended).
Flat Kat
flat kat, U ROCK!
DEAR MR ROBERG,
:) 
:)
R U HAVING FUN SO FAR IN CHINA BOY I WISH I COULD GO THERE SO DOES MY SISTER SHES IN 7TH GRADE. HOWS FLAT DO YOU GUYS THINK THE FOOD IS GOOD AND DID U TRY THE BUGS? I IMAGINE IT MIGHT BE DISGUSTIN EATING BUGS. I HOPE U HAVE FUN ON YOUR TRIP!!!!!!!
SINCERELY HUNTER
Hunter,
Mr. Roberg is cannot work on his blog from China (censorship). Because I am such a wonderful wife I am trying to keep up his blog. I asked him your question about food and here’s his answer…
“The food is good. I had a sweet and sour pork (much different from the Coxsackie Chinese restaurant) which was great. However, the next day I had to order from a picture menu (not all restaurants have English menus). I thought I ordered chicken and rice, but when the meal arrived it was some type of soup. It wasn’t too bad.”
Thanks for the questions.
Mrs. Roberg
DEAR FLAT KAT,
HOW IS UR TRIP WITH MR ROBERG I BET IT WAS FUN!!!! MS ROBERG TOLD US YOU MADE IT TO CHINA CAREFULLY THATS GOOD NEWS!!!!!! I HOPE YOU WRITE BACK SOON AND TELL ME SOME FOODS THAT YOU EAT!!!!!!
Dear flatkat,
hello how are yougood or bad
DEAR FLATKAT,
HOW IS CHINA? ITS SEEMS REALLY FUN!! I LIKE THE PAGODA IT LOOKS REALLY KOOL!!! WELL I WILL WRITE BACK SOON I HOPE YOU DO TO!!!!
SINCERELY,
HUNTER