Today was the second to last day of term, before school breaks up for four weeks over Christmas. Those poor folk in the state schools must trudge on for another week and accept a mere two weeks' break.
This afternoon was the annual, traditional Christmas Lunch where about 380 staff and students sit down to roast turkey and brussel sprouts (still the least favoured vegetable of children the world over). My duty at this point was to oversee the cracker pulling, party popping and balloon blowing of the pupils under my charge at Table 22. Before then escorting four students off to get the roast turkey and trimmings platters, clearing the plates and collecting desert.
Then came the building anticipation as the tables were cleared of dishes, plastic and threateningly hard paper. What followed was the traditional school sanctioned Paper Fight. There were rounds (blondes vs brunettes; Under 16s vs Over 16s) but in truth it was a free for all, and a good opportunity for me to throw things at teenagers. Things calmed down relatively quickly as everyone settled into the singing of several Christmas tunes before some were dismissed off to class and others remained behind to clean up.
Since my class seemed to be all far too heavily involved in the clean up to come to class so I went to the staffroom and helped sort the collection of christmas cards from students to teachers. When the final bell went I took my bag and caught the train home.
And that is what I got paid to do today.
Tomorrow I am helping to escort the whole school to the church across the road for the carol service (we're deep in the heart of the Church of England here folks).
Some day I am going to have a really awful job as the karma balance to this one.
You built up the right to that good karma at Nuova Lazio High.
ReplyDeleteAh, compulsory attendance at a religious ceremony. You've gotta love the trampling of everyone's human rights.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone mentioned the European Charter on Human Rights?
Article 9 provides a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This includes the freedom to change a religion or belief.
So you could tell them to fuck off or you take them to the supreme court in Brussels.
You know, TSB, I was quite glad to go. While I feel annoyance at the whole concept of organised religion, the anthropologist in my is just to curious to let this one slide (and I love a good sing along- the choir really were very good). It also allowed me to get into conversation with the girl next to me who told me of her house, which is actually a 500 year old church- and the difficulty her parents had in getting planning permission for a pool.
ReplyDeleteShe'd probably have an easier time if she said it was going to be a heated, whole body, immersion baptismal font.
ReplyDelete