My First Day of School

I’ve never been so nervous for the first day of school in my life as I was last week. It was hard to believe that I wasn’t going back to New Trier, but rather to a completely new school in another country. If that weren't enough, I have to wear a uniform! Yes, me, who loves fashion and putting together fun outfits, is being restricted to a white polo, red plaid kilt, bluish-green sweater, green socks and black loafers. On a positive note, I'll get to sleep longer because I will not have to spend any time picking out my outfit each morning. : )

On the way to school, my heart was racing as I braced myself for the unknown. "Will I make friends easily? Will my classmates like me? What will classes be like?" After arriving, my sister and I we were each brought to our classrooms. In this K-12th school, there are two classes per grade - each consisting of approximately 20 students, which is a serious downsize from New Trier where there are 1,000 students per grade. 

As I walked into the classroom, everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at me. To break the ice, I said “¡Hola, soy Kathryn!” Then everyone started talking and asking me questions. Soon, I was surrounded by all my classmates firing one question after another: about my hometown, why I was here, how to pronounce my name . . . I was the new girl and they were curious! 

To my surprise, I learned that students in Spain rarely change classrooms. Instead teachers rotate and come to your classroom. So this first classroom was going to be mine for the whole year, my home away from home. 

My initial classes went by like a blur with introductions, new books and policies, all of which I understood more or less. This changed when my philosophy teacher walked in… Oh my, was I in for a long ride! My philosphy teacher spoke quickly and about a relatively deep subject that I have never studied. My first major blow! But it’s not as bad as I initially feared. It’s actually fine because I’m in Spain for precisely that reason, to learn Spanish! And with the warm reception from both teachers and students, I know I'm off to the right start at my new school. 

My sister Anne and I waiting for the bus.