School days, glorious school days

I have never been so grateful for school, and every day and week which we complete without having to stay at home is another reason to celebrate.  I know that many kids and parents and families are not so privileged to be able to continue school in person right now.  I also don't know how much longer we will have this option.

School began as it normally does here in Austria, during the first full week in September.

First day photos:

Nathanael - 1st class in Gymnasium (equivalent to 5th grade in the States), Eva - 2nd grade

(Waiting to get on the bus to be at school by 9am...building together in Minecraft)

Grade school kids had 50 minutes on Monday, just under two hours on Tuesday, three on Wednesday, and all the way to four on Thursday and Friday.  That is a typical grade school day here, 8-12, with one or two days extending until 1pm sometimes.

Nathanael began Gymnasium this year, and it has been quite an adjustment.  They began similarly with shorter days but have now worked up to longer days.  One day he is out at noon but has two after-school activities concluding at 4:30pm.  Three days he is out at 2pm, one of those with an additional religion class until 3:30, and one day he has gym concluding at 3:30pm.  The strange thing to me is how the day has some gaps in it.  The kids are allowed to have lunchtime supervision two days during the week, but if your child (like Nathanael) happens to have three days with gaps, you have to come up with another option or pay for a daycare-type program for the day to cover the one hour gap.  It is definitely different from what I expected!  Anyway, Eva and I will be meeting Nathanael at school on Fridays and either taking him lunch for 45 minutes or grabbing something quickly nearby.  Hopefully that will be a fun break before religion class.

Homework distractions

Taking a break

Working on his introductory speech

Instead of the kids constantly ''helping'' me with my work, Tiger Lily is now my work companion.  Somehow I am getting a ton more accomplished now.