Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Oh to be 18 again...

.....and have to work your butt off for final exams at school.

 Yes, after 13 years, Thomas is about to finish school - here children start school the year they are 6 (so he was almostt 6) and finish they year they are 19 (which he will be in October) - it really is a long hard slog - for ALL the family. To be honest, in his case, he has done it all - he is one of the few kids I know who has never risked going into the summer holidays with a 'debt' (ie knowing you have to do an exam in up to 3 subjects at the end of August so you can go up to the next class), he is also one of the few who has never had extra tuition to help him through (Leo knows his maths tutor so well he reckons she'll be invited to his wedding) and there was never any question of him failing a year and having to repeat it (very common). He has done it all by himself. And he is ready for a change. He just seems to old to be at school, too old to be a quiet, meek student doing what he is told - in fact he is not meak and he doesn't keep quiet, and that doesn't go down well with some (personally I think the scouts are to 'blame' - in the best possible way - he is used to being part of decision making processes, being able to have an opinion and discuss it and at school in Italy it just ain't like that - 'do as I say' (even if I am being a complete twat). Anyway, it will soon be over - right now he is studying like mad - and looking forward to a mega summer (Germany, Sicily, Canada, Spain - all in 6 weeks) when it is all over.

4 comments:

  1. He just seems to old to be at school, too old to be a quiet, meek student doing what he is told. That sounds like EVERY high school student I've known!! Congrats to everyone on his success. Because everyone had a hand in making him the person he is today. :-) What's next...after the mega summer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After? A good question......probably International and Diplomatic Relations at University - there is a whole other post here - a post about Uni being the place to go meet new people, start being properly independant, study yet enjoy life .....but then he and his girlfiend of 3 years thought they would sign up to the same course (the wrong course for both of them), in the same city, live together and become an old married couple overnight (as a couple they are 18 going on 88 - apologies to any feisty 88 year olds out there) - an intervention was called for - and they seem to have understood - so unless they throw us a curve ball they should be studying the course that's right for them both in cities 45 minutes apart.....;)

      Delete
  2. Gosh that went fast! Well done mum, you brung him up good :)

    I would blame the Scouts too, it'd never happen with Guides (this may be a lie).

    Did I see Canada in that list :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. You certainly did! Family holiday at last - and probably the last family holiday. We can't wait - although the boys just wish there were some sort of magic wand to jump from now to then without having to get through these last few weeks (for Leo) of school and exams - but as their Sicilian grandfather says....prima il dovere e poi il piacere :) (first you do what you have to do and the you can do what you want to do)

    ReplyDelete