Aussie School Year

You may not find today's subject linked to yesterday's "grid & street" story. But I do. There is a logical, semi-mathematical organization in the school year, too. Like pretty much everything else, the school year is different in Australia. It has four terms or quarters, separated by two weeks of holidays in between, except for the summer vacation, which is about six weeks long, from the middle of December to the end of January. The school year starts at the end of January, so it is always off relative to the American school year. It made a difference for Chloe, because when we moved here she had to idly finish the same school year she had just finished in the States, then immediately enjoy another long break. But who wouldn't like to have two weeks off three times a year? So, most Aussie families with kids go on vacation quite often, probably most frequently to tropical Queensland. For this reason, the two-week breaks between terms are slightly different from state to state, so not everyone crowds the hot vacation spots, i.e., resorts. Plus, with at least four weeks of vacation a year for the working parents, really, the only obstacle is money! Everything in Australia is so expensive, going away often is easy if your pockets are deep. More about schools tomorrow! Today's picture represents a high-rise in Melbourne, but it makes me think of a school bookcase.