G'day ,
Back in Tasmania I worked in schools. The first one was in a small town and I stayed at the school all day.
The second school I worked at was in the middle of a city. Most days I went out at lunch time and walked through the city. Sometimes I went into shops and bought things, or paid bills (1), but often I just walked.
That's when I started a love/hate relationship with school holidays.
As I worked in a school, the school holidays were great 😀. The school was empty - no students and only the office staff and cleaners. There were lots of things for me to do, but because there weren't any classes, the jobs that I did stayed done. The rooms and everything stayed clean 😊.
Schools are very different places when there's no-one there!
However, it was a really different story when I went out for my walk. The streets were full - parents with their children everywhere. Some children walked slowly, complaining (2) as they went. Some ran around, not looking carefully where they were going.
Everything was noisier. Parents yelling at children not doing the right thing. Children yelling or crying because they weren't happy.
So I had mixed feelings when school started again. The students used the rooms and gear (more cleaning to do 😬), but my lunchtime walk was so much nicer.
I've noticed it in Germany, too. There is a 'bad' week or two before the holidays when it feels like every class does something in the city, like visiting a museum, or looking at other special things. Then there're the holidays, when lots of families - tourists and locals - crowd the city.
In my neighbourhood there's also extra activity now. Not heaps of people in the shops or crowding the streets. It's later, when most people are home relaxing. At the moment, with no homework or other evening activities some teenagers are running around outside, being loud.
It's not 'bad' - they're just having some fun. But it's different.
Do you notice when it's school holidays? Is it tricky for you because you have children at home and they need something to do? Is it great because your whole family is travelling? Write and tell me your thoughts.
Until next time,
Andrea
(1) bills - letters that we get that say we must pay money, for electricity, your phone, repairs to your house or car.
(2) complaining - saying all the negative things about something, or how bad it is, or what went wrong.
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