School and Things

As much as I hate to admit it, my time so far in the Finnish school system has made me feel oddly as if I was attending some sort of Harry-Potteresque academy. Should I say it? Should I? Hogwarts. Hah. I can hear some of my friends back home groaning at this comparison. I have four main reasons for this:

a) The Finns have a much higher level of day-to-day technology than we do. This regularly produces a feeling of wonderment. Yes, magic.

b) Most of my teachers have alliterative names.

c) Using the term "first-years", etc. Also, acronymical exams.

d) Most everyone has a British accent when they speak English.

These all factor into an odd, but not unpleasant atmospehere as I go about the school day. Unfortunately I have no classes, school or otherwise, in interesting old buildings. My Wu-Shu class is in an old building, but it was built in the early 20th century as a cable factory and is potentially one of the most depressing pieces of architecture I've ever been in. Not to say it isn't interesting, though.

School is going wonderfully, I have a good selection of classes that aren't too stressful. There are some great organizational bits which are different (hint hint) and very conducive to a pleasent school day (nudge nudge). One of these features is a ten or fifteen minute break between each class, and almost an hour for lunch. As you choose which classes you want when, but with a minimum number of classes you have to take, it all works out well. The only thing I'm required to take is Finnish as a Second Language, plus four more. As all classes are an hour and fifteen minutes, I get a good number of class hours but with a very varied schedule from day to day. Very college like, in a way.