Meet the Teacher...Serbian Style

August 31st, 2010

First Grade Meet the Teacher...

Sadly, I do not have photos from this overwhelming event.  Someday I will learn to always have the camera with me.  

I thought Kyle and I would run to the school, we'd see his name on a list, run by his classroom and say hello and that would be that...oh, how I was wrong.  Thinking I knew what to expect...clearly, my first mistake...I should know better by now.

Kyle and I ran in the door right at 10:00...the time I'd been told the event was starting.  

Let me just say I'm pretty sure that everyone in Novi Sad minus Trey, Brooke, Connor, a couple of bus drivers and an e.r. doctor were all there.  

It was 60 degrees outside and 125 degrees inside!  

Kyle's teacher from last year saw us and took him to sit with his class.  

I was then told, "Сви родитељи морају да иду негде другде. Не можете да стојим."

If you're thinking, "Huh, what is she saying?" Then you know just how I felt right then.  I politely told these smiling yet very firm people that I was learning Serbian and had no idea what they were saying to me.  They then nicely told me to go somplace else...parent's can't stand here.  

So, I obediently moved on...where I was going I had no idea.

I found a small spot by the railing and watched as the program began.

Here is a brief synopsis...

Two kids about Connor's age, both on roller blades, skated onto the stage.  I'm pretty sure they were the DJ's for the event.  They skated on and off the stage making comments between each "act".

Act I...little girls with pink suits and green shirts lip-syncing some song I did not understand.

Act II...four big kids doing some sort of workout...no music, no explanation...just silently doing calisthenics

Act III...20 or so little girls singing a song that had been choreographed with umbrellas...This had kind of a half-time drill team routine feel to it.

Act IV...10-12 little boys dressed as pirates passing the microphone down the row and each saying something that was very muffled.  I don't think even their parents knew what they were saying.

Act V...All the entering second graders sang the Serbian version of "If You're Happy and You Know It."  This is the only part that Kyle and I both completely followed.  It was like a breath of fresh air.

Act VI...One more song...honestly, I can't even remember anything about it...I still hadn't seen Kyle since his teacher swept him up as we walked in the door and was a little concerned about the fact that eventually this thing would end and I would have to find him again.

Now, the school director speaks for a few minutes.  I said politely in Serbian to the people next to me, "I'm sorry, I'm learning Serbian and I didn't understand all of what he just said.  Do you speak English?"  To which they replied "Yes, of course we speak a little English." and then proceded to explain everything to me in Serbian.  Very helpful, thank you.

At this point I decide to try and place myself in closer proximity to where I think Kyle may be.  As I'm trying to navigate through the throngs of people...many generations have come to witness the proceedings...there is a woman on the stage reading lists of names and the kids are going up on the stage for a class photo.  

I get to the kids about the time Kyle's class is called and we make eye contact for just a second...It was comforting to both of us.  

After all five classes have been called, they crowd them all (I'm not exaggerating when I say it was at least 125 kids) onto the stage and then someone says something else to the parents and the kids are paraded away.  No adults move.  Everyone just stands there as they take our children away .  

I almost forgot...about this time is when we hear the gunshots!!!  Okay, there weren't really gunshots, but I wasn't sure for a couple of seconds...then I saw the confetti flying everywhere and knew...no school celebration would be complete without either smoke bombs or confetti.  

At this point I ask another woman to please explain to me where my child has gone and how I can reclaim him.  She was very kind, found her husband and together, half in English and half in Serbian they explained to me that the children would be in their classrooms with their teachers for a while and we were to wait outside in the school yard.  

They did not, however,  know where that was.  I was thrilled to be able to show them the way...it was the first time in over an hour that I had a clue about anything.

A few minutes later Trey arrives from language school and we wait for the children to re-appear.  They eventually do.  Each one is carrying a bag of supplies, an apple, a hat and a balloon.  

Kyle seems happy and we all head home...just a day in the life.