Swiss School

I have officially survived two weeks of Swiss school. While that might not seem like the biggest accomplishment, school here is pretty different than what I was used to in Canada.

^ My school, Alte Kantonsshule Aarau

For starters, almost everyday (well Monday to Friday, at least) my classes startat 7:45 am and my last class goes until 5:30. Compared to the 9:00-3:00 schoolday of Canadian high school, this makes for a long day! When my Swiss classmates hear about school in Canada, they are both surprised and envious of the short schoolday. Another difference is that while in Canada we normally have a different class for every subject and  change classes every semester, here you stay with the same class all day everyday, and for all four years of highschool! This has been good for me in the way that I really get to know and become friends with the people in my class (22 people, smaller than the average class at Colonel Gray) but also a kind of tough because it is then hard to meet people outside of my class. At home, in Charlottetown, my school experience was more similar to school here because I ended up being with the same class for three years because I was in the International Baccalaureate Programme. I grew to love my class at home and every person in it, we were all close friends by the end of three years together, and had lots of fun during class. When I was introduced to my class and went to  my first class last Monday morning, I felt immediately at home. They were just as noisy, just as crazy and just as friendly as the IB class at Colonel Gray. They have  all been really welcoming to me, and super patient with my German! If one of them ever tries to talk to me in English, the others will quickly tell the each other to speak to me in German so that I can learn! I feel so lucky to be in this class and am looking forward to the rest of the year with them!

Another difference from school on PEI is the number of subjects that we take. Whereas in school on the Island you take the same four subjects everyday for a semester and then completely switch your subjects/ classes, here I have many subjects and my schedule is different every day of the week. I didn't get to choose which subjects I take, as most of them are mandatory. I'm taking:  Physics,  Geography/Social Studies, French,  Spanish, Music,  German, Math, English, Biology, History, Economics, and Sports. No wonder Swiss people are good at everything!

This afternoon I am leaving for my "social week" with my class. It is a mandatory week in your second year where you must go with your class, usually to the country/mountains, and do a service project for a week. My class and I have been stationed in a project where we will sleep in a old military base (bring your sleeping bag) get up and bike 10 km to a field/swamp (rubber boots mandatory) and as far as I can tell, our task is to gather cut grass/wheat, and pile it onto a bedsheet (brought from home) and consolidate it to one location. So if you think of me on my birthday (tomorrow), I'll be working in the swamps. I am actually really looking forward to this week! Although it will be a lot of work, I think it will be a lot of fun to spend it with my class! I'm even bringing maple syrup to share in hopes that we have pancakes!