Swedish School!

School here is different from the U.S. in so many ways, so I will just start out by explaining my weekly schedule:

Monday:
Religion
Jazzdans (Jazz Dance)
Lunch
Idrott (P.E.)
nk (Natural Science)

Tuesday:
ma A (Math)
Modern dans (Modern Dance)
Estet (Art, we have it every other week, so when we don't have this, we can do whatever during this time)
Engelska (English)

Wednesday: 
Svenska (Swedish)
Improvisation/ Komposition (Improvisation/ Composition)
Lunch
Klassråd  (First a meeting with a 'mentor' to know upcoming dates etc. and then a meeting with the class).
Rytmik med dans (Rhythms with dance).
Dansstuga (time to work on what ever choreography project we have at the time)

Thursday:
Klassisk Balett (Classical Ballet)
so (Social Studies)
Lunch
ma A (Math)
Kultur/ide (Different cultures around the world)

Friday:
Engelska (English)
Modern dans ((Modern Dance)
Lunch
Reptid (another time when we can work on choreography projects)

We use five different buildings in the city for school:
1. The picture above is the main building for school (Flokuniversitetet) In this building we have all our classroom type classes like math, science, culture etc. This is the building that has all the computers that we use often for assignments.
2. The dance studio which is across the street from the main building, this is the building were we spend most of our time, (because I'm in the dance program). The building has 5 different studios in it, it is very nice to have a actual studio to dance in!
3. We eat lunch in a different building, it is in the upstairs part of a bar/ restaurant. Lunch here is free (because the government pays for it). Lunch consists of knäckebröd (hard bread), milk or water, a salad bar, and usually a choice of soup, fruit and bread, or pasta, or the main dish (which is usually potatoes and meat). The lunch here is way better than the lunches in the U.S. and a lot more healthy. Also no one brings their own lunches.
4. For P.E. we have in in the city recreation center or the city pool. It is really nice because we have so many more options of things to do, it's actually pretty fun!
5. Our art class is in a different building across the street where they teach all sorts off different types of classes.

The school that I am going to there are 3 grades. I am in grade one. For them it was optional to go back to school. Last year (it would be after our Sophmore year) they are finished with school. They have the option of whether they want to be done or not. If they want to continue going to school they have to decide what they want to do, (every school has a different focus) mine is a dance school (but you already knew that). Everyone had to audition to get into Folkuniversitetet. I think this is very nice, because everyone wants to be at school. There are no discipline problems and that's probably why they don't need to have any rules. Also another thing that is very different here is students get paid every month is they are going to school, the government gives them about $200 every month for just going to school. I wish we got that in the U.S.! School is a lot more casual here, you call teachers by their first name, and like I said before it's no big deal if you swear in school, their is no dress code, no detentions, you can use your phones, get up and leave the classroom when you want, they don't block anything on the computers... It is a really nice change. I never really realized how strict high schools in the U.S. are until I came here, I think it will be really hard to go back to school in the U.S. Also, teachers don't really teach here, (well the dance teachers do) but they other teachers usually put us into a group give us a project to work on, and then we are on our own to work on it and figure who does what and then we present it/ turn it in. Teachers don't give out tests either. Math class is a little different than the other classes, we study the chapter on our own and can do the problems but we never have homework to turn in. Then, we take the test on the chapter and start studying again. It is really nice to see other ways of learning and realizing that their isn't just one good way. Oh! also my school is super small their are only about 150 students. I stay with the same class all day everyday, and there is only 12 or 13 of us I think. I think it is a lot of fun because I can get to know everyone in my class so much better than I would if it was like schools in the U.S. So over all I love school here! I only have 10 more school days left here, it is crazy how fast it has gone by. I am not ready for it to be over, but I can't stop time so I will just enjoy what I have left! :)