There is something about autumn that has always held a special spot within my heart and soul. It’s something that the other seasons of the year fail to fulfill. For me, there is some kind of magic in Autumn, which has already arrived.
The days have become shorter, nights are long. With the slight bite in the air, the weather betrays its secret that winter is just around the corner. It is time to put the sandals and shorts away in exchange for your favorite comfy sweater - mine was made from brown merino wool by my mother-in-law, and it is awesome!
This time of year is also about the colors, sounds and distinct smells. In my home of Colorado the aspen trees set the rocky mountains ablaze in a shade of yellow that competes with the sun, but it doesn’t compare with the kaleidoscope of color found here in kopanice in the autumn. I am also a firm believer that it is impossible to recreate the feeling you get walking through the forest or down a quiet path with the soft sound of crunching leaves beneath your feet. There is even something about the special smell of those same leaves that you can’t get anywhere else.
It isn’t all about nature though. There are other sites and smells to be had. There are new pencils, and the wonderful smell of new textbooks, even if we wish that we never had to open them. Autumn marks the doorway to the end of the calendar year, but the beginning of our new school year here at Gymy.
We have gotten off to a good start this year. We have 31 new students in our bilingual section who have been proving themselves to be an exceptional addition to our school. 2.B ventured to the United Kingdom with two of our brave teachers Miška Čankyová and the one and only Ľubica Durcová. Linda Poláková took part in fashion week in Bratislava, and 1.B celebrated Halloween with trick-or-treating and a pumpkin-carving contest. The variety of interests that our students have never ceases to amaze me.
Whether it’s the latest in modern fashion, a nice trip abroad, or experiencing Halloween and Thanksgiving for the first time, I hope that your Autumn and the start of the new school year at the greatest Gymnázium in the universe is nothing less than amazing.
by Matt Haarman
Year 1, Issue 1