Back To School

Mothers all over Greece will have breathed a sigh of relief today as the long summer holidays (three months!) officially came to an end. With new haircuts and school bags at the ready, it is always difficult to get back into a regular routine, but it's that time of year at last.

Schools opened today - well sort of...

The very important event of "The Blessing" took place in all schools. The village or local priest will have held a special ceremony inside the school to bless everybody involved. The teachers got an individual blessing, then all the pupils and parents in attendance were "group blessed" and sprayed with holy water. Usually at this point the children erupt into giggles as the priest sprays everybody with his bunch of basil.

I'm sure that in the Junior and Senior High Schools they take things a little more seriously, but I was never allowed to attend one of these as it's not cool to have your mother around at that age.

The first day of school over, everybody goes home, suitably blessed and inspired for the academic year ahead. Tomorrow they will go back to school, be arranged into classrooms, collect their books and go home again. All being well proper lessons will start next week.... fingers crossed!
Sarah