School...School...School

First day of School!!! :D

On Monday I finally started at Gymnasium Liestal, the school where both my host sisters go. For the past four weeks people have told me about the school, and after getting my placement in a class two weeks ago I could not wait to start. Unfortunately for me, no one I had met so far knew anything about my class, or any of the kids in it. I was really nervous that it was going to be a bad class. (In Gymnasium, you have one class of about 15-20 kids who you are with in every class) It is very similar to college in the USA, where students pick a major and then have most, if not all, classes with them. Also, you only have to be at the school when you have class, and classes run from 7:45am till 6:30pm, depending on your schedule, Monday through Saturday (however on Saturday school ends at 12)). On Wednesdays and Thursdays for example, I only have school in the after noon, so I am able to sleep in :D. Luckily on Sunday, the day before I started, I met a girl who is in my class. She lives less than 5 minutes away (walking), and is really nice. She told me that it was a really cool class, but still when I woke up Monday morning, my heart was racing....

My first class was sport, which is gym class. We played basketball, and it was fun just getting to know some of the people in my class. Then we had an hour off where I actually started talking to people in my class, and they even bought me a hot chocolate :). I saw a bunch of my host sister's friends in the school, as well as other exchange students, and I was surprised at how many people I actually knew here in Switzerland! It was comforting to have that many people looking out for me, and asking how my day was going. After the break, I had a business and law class, (which I did not understand anything of), followed by biology, where we took notes and I actually recognized some of the names, such as  endoplasmic reticulum, haha. Then wet had lunch for two hours, and we hung out in the sun, got an ice cream, and talked. Everyone explained everything to me, but I still didn't understand anything going on in the classes. After lunch I went to French (which I will not have from now on) simply so that I did not lose my class, before going to art. Overall it was a good day, and it felt really good to finally know my class, but I was very tiered by the time I got home.

While I am having a lot of fun at the school, and am enjoying it, it is very frustrating! It is hard to explain, but being in a class I have already had, where I know what to do, but not being able to understand what the teacher is saying/teaching/asking, or what the worksheet is asking, or even how to answer the questions when I do understand. Tests and homework are not something I have to deal with simply because it would be almost impossible, but it also makes me feel even farther behind and lost in class. Best word for it.....frustrating.

It is funny how different school here is from back in Randolph for me. Even in how I get to school each day has changed. Now, I take the bus/bike to the train station, the train to Liestal, and then walk up the big hill to the school. Very different from simply taking the car everyday, but also a lot of fun. I also have 11 classes here, which is very different!! Biology, Chemistry, Math, English, German, Computer Apps, Business and Law, Music, Geography, Art, Gym, as well as Language school every Thursday for 3 hours. Lots of work, but definitely worth it.

Well I am off to learn!
Ciao!