It's a Pocahontas Reference

School has started!

Ok is it just me or does school just start earlier and earlier each year?  Here in Holland they only have six weeks of vacation!  That’s nothing!  What if you wanted to run off for two months?!?!  Not possible!!!

Well anyway, Fien had a blast at her first day…

And since her birthday was over the break, she got to have a little party at school which just made her super excited.

But it’s Friday so that means I’m going to do a…

Yep we’re going back in time.  About 15 years ago (give or take a month because I don’t think we started as earlier as these crazies.)  Anyway, fifteen years ago I started 4th grade.  But fourth grade was special.  Because for the first time, I was attending a public school!  For kindergarten through third, I was at a private school, two years of which consisted of the stereotypical schoolgirl plaid skirt.

But this year was going to be different!  I was going to wear cool clothes, and make lots of friends, and have tons of fun.  Not that I didn’t have fun or make friends at Challenger, but after a while the plaid thing seemed to fade.  Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I wanted to leave challenger.  It was quite the discussion.  But I suppose that Marie Calendar’s dinner is one for another Friday.

So there it is…the first day of school.  And we’re sitting at our desks and I’m staring straight ahead focusing on Mr. Suplick and thinking this year was going to be great!  And then Mr. Suplick asked us to write down what we wanted to learn this year.  And then we went around the room, introducing ourselves, if we were new here, and we talked about our answers.

Well it was my turn.  And as much as I liked being in front of people, I can be a bit awkward.  So I tell them I just came from a private school and I was really excited and…that I didn’t know what I want to learn.  To which the teacher asked if I knew everything (in a kind way…he was nice) but which then made everyone think I was trying to be a smart-ass.  But what I meant was that I didn’t know what I wanted to learn because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.  Which is very profound for a fourth grader if you think about it.

Mr. Suplick then proceeded to tell me things we were going to learn and whether or not I knew them.  Most of which I said no.  Which me look like just an ass minus the smart.

It was a sad day.

I mean I eventually got over it and had a wonderful year and had my first crush and make a ton of friends (one of which was gotten by actually asking if she wanted to be my best friend…yes…awkward much?)

But I still think back to that first day and wonder what would have happened…

If I had just walked the footsteps of a stranger…I’d learn things I never knew I never knew…

Word of the Day: school – school (pronounced totally differently)