Round 2

Well, here it is again, everyone's favorite day of the year... The first day of school! Here in Kazakhstan, the first day of school is like a holiday. Everyone walks around saying the Russian/Kazakh equivalent to "Happy Holiday" (с праздником) and there are no real classes just yet - just a ceremony and some class information is given - much like "Back to School Night" back in the states. So, since my counterpart is a homeroom teacher for one of the 5th grade classes this year, I sat in on that.

As for the ceremony... they call it a linyeka, and we do them regularly at school, but this one is all formal and... ceremonial. A typical linyeka is held each Monday (or sometimes every other Monday or something. Or just whenever they decided)for 15 minutes before school starts. The students gather in the corridor and listen to announcements for the week. Sometimes awards are given if there were competitions or anything going on that week. Stuff like that. SOooo... for this first bell ceremony, all the students line up outside (luckily the weather was beautiful) and parents all stand around and watch and from there, it's a typical Kazakh ceremony. A few speeches, a song, a dance, parading around, little kids saying cute things way too loudly into a microphone, and then mass chaos as everyone begins taking photos and finding friends. Good times. Anyway, who cares about all that? How about some pictures:

Here is the parade of the first grade classes. They're so little and the boys are absolutely adorable in their tiny suits.

Ludmilla and her 5th grade class.

Again, the 5B class... (notice, they moved the piano into our classroom. This brings joy to my heart.)

Ludmilla will be going to the states for 6 weeks for some teacher training and all around good times. She asked me to take a picture of this girl so that she can bring it with her. Notice the tie.

So, my second school year in Kazakhstan begins.

Ready... set....