Today was my first day of school in the Faroe Islands! Technically, yesterday was my first, but it only lasted two hours and it was just to introduce us to our class and tour the school. The schools in the Faroe Islands are set up much differently than the schools in America. Everyone calls it "college". There are two main directions to choose from - the science/math direction or the language direction. At first, I was placed in the science/math direction in the Biology class. Another thing that is different - you basically have one class of about 23 people that you stay with for most of the classes. The teachers just move from room to room. When I found out that I would have no art class in the Biology direction, I talked to the school's guidance counselor to see if something could be done. Art is my favorite subject, and I figured it was the only class that I would be able to fully understand. Once I got it switched, the guidance counselor gave me a post it note with the letter "E" on it. She literally just sat me down in a classroom, so I still don't know if I am in the science/math direction or the language direction...
I'm going to guess that I am in the language direction, because today I had to choose a language class. Of all the many language classes there were, I chose French. The class is the first level of French, which I have already taken back in the states. Since I already know everything in the class, I figured it would be easier to learn in Faroese and maybe even help me pick up a little bit of Faroese as well. On another note, my French teacher was hilarious. I have only had one class with him, but he spoke to us in French the entire time and exuberantly said "BONJOUR!" to each one of us and shook our hands in our seats. He speaks with a great French accent and exciting enthusiasm - it's so wonderful! It's also refreshing that I'm not the only one who can't understand what he is saying.
The rest of my teachers are all very kind and accommodating. They usually make sure I know what is going on when I need to. My chemistry teacher had the suggestion that we have a stack of yellow post-it notes in the classroom, so the students can all label things in Faroese to help me learn. Everyone loved the idea, and I did as well! It will be kind of funny, but a really good way to learn. All the students in my class are very friendly, and always make sure I know what is happening. I can't understand anything. Anything. Sometimes I pretend I'm at Hogwarts, and everyone is speaking parseltounge. And I really want to learn parseltounge. I am hoping the language will become easier to understand within a few weeks and I won't be so lost, but for now I will try my best and doodle in my notebook when my brain starts to hurt. Overall - it was a great first day of school!
On Thursday night, each class goes camping out in front of the school (on top of an old Tuberculosis burial ground when almost half of Hoyvík died). So my class and I will pitch a tent and stay over night at school! Then we have Friday off to go home and SLEEP.
Farvæl!!!
Katie
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