L'ecole (School D:)

Coucou!
Oh my goodness gracious, school here is Very different from the school system in America. The first major differences are: I have only 3 classes a day and the average class lasts 2 hours. Class time is spend writing down just about everything the teachers says, making him/her the only speaker and students never say a thing. The only questions asked are "can you repeat what you said?/ how do you spell that?" I have chosen to study Science Exact at the 12th grade, meaning that more emphasis is placed on Math and Science-8 hours of math every week and 6 hours of science. These are the only classes that get repeated. Every other class is once a week. So, this is how my schedule goes:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
5:30-7:30	Wake up at 5:45, and get ready for school	Wake up at 5:45, and get ready for school	Wake up at 5:45, and get ready for school	Wake up at 5:45, and get ready for school	Wake up at 5:45, and get ready for school
7:30-9:30	Assembly, for lack of a better word: basically, the flag is raised and the national anthem is sung. Then, Math class.	3 hours of Biology first thing Tuesday morning. Honestly, this makes me want to hop on the next plane flying back to America with a second glance or thought.	2 hours of Physics or Chemistry, usually Physics. Although once it was chemistry.	2 hours of Math. Not much else to say.	Physics/Chemistry for two hours. What else can I say?
9:30-10:30*	Ah hour of Philosophy***, followed by a 15 minute break	Still more Biology D: and then a 15 minute break (!!)	Bible studies, if I’m correct (Biblio Etude in French) Basically an hour of free time (SO MUCH FREE TIME <3) and then there’s another 15 minute break	An hour of drawing or music! Music class, by the way, does NOT consist of making music. It’s taking notes on the scales. (sob) Again,  another 15 minute break	Now, here, I’m supposed to have an hour off, but I think the teacher and other students decided to have an hour of math here, and get off an hour earlier for lunch. 15 minute break.
10:45-12:45	2 more hours of Philosophy (3 hours in total)	2 hours of Physics or Chemistry, whichever one the teacher feels like teaching, as far as I’m concerned.	2 hours of Math. And then I go home for lunch, yummm.	1 hour of informatique, basically a class on computers. Then I get to go home an hour early! (I walk)	Second hour of math class, and then I go home an hour early. I usually walk home.
12:45-15:00**	Lunch break! Usually, my mom picks me up and drives me home, but sometimes I walk. I spend this time eating, watching TV, and completing my homework	Lunch break! Usually, my mom picks me up and drives me home, but sometimes I walk. I spend this time eating, watching TV, and completing my homework	Lunch break! Usually, my mom picks me up and drives me home, but sometimes I walk. I spend this time eating, watching TV, and completing my homework	Lunch break, continued. Again, either driven or I walk home, to eat, watch TV, and do homework.	Lunch break, continued. I eat, watch TV, and do homework.
15:00-17:00	History/Geography (switches every week)***	Spanish class! Although, the teacher has yet to show up to class (which means that after an hour of no show, we go home…early! Because of this, I walk home)	Devoirs, which is basically a 2 hour period for tests. Since school just started, it’s basically 2 hours of free time, which means NO CLASSES :D	Basically free time, although in my schedule this block is titled “Sporty and Cultural Activities” In other words, NO CLASSES	English class. Basically 2 hours of boredom although I do pay attention, take notes, and participate. But its still, 2 hours of boredom.
17:00-22:00	Finally, school is done for the day. I go home and basically rest, eat, do homework, and go to bed at 9 or 10 (or in between!)	Finally, school is done for the day. I go home and basically rest, eat, do homework, and go to bed at 9 or 10 (or in between!)	At some point, I’ll probably go home at this time, but for now, I’ve been home for 2 hours.	Been home for 2 hours, and I continue staying home heehee J	Finally, school is done for the day. I go home and basically rest, eat, do homework, and go to bed at 9 or 10 (or in between!)

*From 10:30 to 10:45 I have a 15 minute break called recreation, but there weren't enough cells to put this as its own slot.
** This is called Inter-Classe or In Between Classses. Basically Eating Time. Recreation is also eating time.
***Philosophy and History/Geo make me wanna hurl, becuase the teachers basically launches into a lecture with little room from breath and don't write what they say. So my notes are very messy, and don't make any sense at all :P

Notes taken:
No textbooks are used, at all. Teacher told a kid to cut his hair. Students clean the chalk board when it needs to be cleaned (about 3 times per lesson) as well as the classroom (I sweep the floor every monday and friday). Stand up when the teacher walks into the room (students stay in the same classroom all day, and teachers move around) School logo either means Educating about Life and Love or Educating Life and Love. Most of my teachers are male. On Monday-Wednesdays, I wear a blue uniform consisting of a shirt and skirt, although after lunch, I have the option to change into a white t-shirt with a red collar. Thursdays and Fridays, I wear a brown dress. Both have the same patterned cloth.

Saturday and Sunday I try to wake up at nine, and I spend my days relaxing. (Watch tv, socialize with my mom's friends/family, soak up the sunshine :D...do homework)

p.s Completely un-school related but next Sunday, there is ANOTHER wedding (been to three so far) and I got a traditional Malian costume made. ITS SUPER PRETTY I CAN'T WAIT TO WEAR IT!!! Pictures will be up on facebook!!!!

A bien tot!