La Scuola Italiana

Today was my last day at school. :-(

I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed school in Italy. I’ve certainly learnt plenty of Italian, met a load of people, and learnt something of the subject matter too. My class was absolutely lovely, everyone was very friendly to me right from the start, and keen to talk to me, either about Australia or to ask how do you say... {insert swearword or rude phrase here}!

However, in general, and in comparison to Australian school, I have to say that for the Italians education is pretty dry and boring most of the time. For starters, the Italians don’t have a lot of choice in what they study at school. When you reach secondary school (at about age 13) you choose a type of school, for example scientific, linguistic, artistic, technical or like me, human sciences. However, within your type of school you can’t choose your subjects like we eventually can in Australia. No matter which type of school you go to you have about 12 or 13 subjects, which means only 2 or 3 lessons a week for most of them. This doesn’t, however, mean that you don’t get through any content, it means that classes are always explanations and any exercises, research or reading has to be done at home. They other thing is that they have a lot of tests, and lots of them are oral ‘interrogations’.

I’ve done some of the tests, listened in some of the classes, and written my diary (which I’m always behind with) in some other classes. In some classes I’d do Italian grammar exercises while to others were working on whatever they were working on. While being pretty heavy going, school, at least we arrive home at either 2 or 3 o’clock every day. Poor Elena though has to go to school on Saturday.

Today, being my last day at school and my last full day in Italy, my class put on a party for me!

One Girl Even Made Me a Cake!

With My Class on The Last Day!