April Has 30 Days

April has 30 days. 22 week-days this year.

In Moselle, where the long fingers of the Catholic church still affect the public school system, and where both Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays (unlike in the rest of France, where Good Friday is not a jour férié), there are a grand total of 12 vacation days - weekends not included - in April. That means there are 8 teaching days in the primary schools (10 in the middle and high schools - it's the Wednesday thing) in the month of April.

22 week-days
12 vacation days
8 (or 10) teaching days

Really?

Once again, like in every other month where at least two weeks are vacances, I ask myself how it's possible that these kids learn and accomplish anything at all! But they do. And maybe that's why they (and their teachers!) get two-week breaks, to decompress and regroup after so much going on during the weeks between vacations.

After these vacances are over, there are 10 weeks of school left. Total. And no real vacations other than a couple of single jours fériés in May. Something tells me it's going to go by in a flash.

But for now, I'm just starting my two weeks of freedom - celebrated with sun, travel, relaxation, castles and hopefully some beach time as I head south to France's western Mediterranean coast to explore the cities of Perpignan, Narbonne, Béziers and finally, Montpellier. So, expect to hear from me in about a week and a half! Bonnes vacances!