Surprise break

A few days ago, I found out that there are two Georgian holidays at the beginning of March -- Mother's Day and Women's Day. They are actual holidays -- banks, government buildings, and schools are closed. Mother's Day is tomorrow (Thursday the 3rd), and Women's Day is Tuesday (the 8th).

At school yesterday and last Friday, my colleagues carried on very loud, animated discussions surrounding the calendar, trying to decide which days to take off. Each school has flexibility in the schedule and can take the prescribed days off when the administration decides to. I thought that we might have Friday and Monday off instead of Thursday and Tuesday -- or maybe Thursday and Friday or Monday and Tuesday. Those options made sense to me.....

This morning when I arrived at school, the heated discussion at the calendar had begun afresh -- although a decision had already been made -- we would take off Thursday through Tuesday -- yes, almost a week off -- but, since only two of those days are holidays, we have to make up the other two. To do that, we will have school the next two Saturdays. What a horrible, horrible idea!!! And I said so! Lika agreed with me -- that is what the ladies were discussing so loudly -- those for the idea were defending it to those against it. School on Saturdays -- what a way to make March worse than it already is! This month always feels brutally long.

So today was the last day of classes until next Wednesday. This morning when I didn't want to get out of bed, I wished for the weekend so I could sleep in ....well, these days off are going to be great until the next two Saturdays when I won't be able to sleep late. No one will like those days when they are here -- not even those who were in favor of this terrible schedule.

Lack of planning -- as spontaneous as I can be, lack of planning drives me nuts. Most Georgians don't care about knowing what is coming up. I cannot imagine deciding to have a week off the day before it begins. That would never happen in any school I have ever taught in before -- and to make up days of school on Saturdays?? HA! Never! One part of me doesn't like this slip-shod way of running school -- but another part of me doesn't care. On one hand, I like the surprise of having unexpected days off, but on the other hand, I wish I had known so I could have made plans to use the time to my greatest advantage (like flying someplace warm....). My organized, teacher-self wants to make a list of things to accomplish in these next free days, but my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, renegade-self will be fine with sleeping in and taking each unplanned moment as it comes, enjoying whatever presents itself to me in the way of entertainment.

When I was told of our days off, I immediately took out my phone and texted my two favorite travel companions, James and Katherine to see if they might have the same crazy schedule. They have some of the same days off, so we are going to travel to Eastern Georgia to see what there is to see in a town called Sighnaghi. It is an artsy town in wine-country. Sounds good to me!

So I will not set my alarm clock tonight, and I will enjoy sleeping in tomorrow morning. And when those school-Saturdays come around, I will work hard at not being angry.....