Czech Culture: Final Bell

Written by Brittany

Thursday, April 30 was the last day of school for our 4^th year (senior) students.

Though it was their last day of normal classes, it was not their final day of studying. The first week of May was the written portion of their final test, and this week has been the oral portion. After today, though, if all goes well, they are officially done with school!

But back to April 30.

The first three hours of our school day (7:45am-10:15am) were devoted to the “final bell” activities. We had no idea what to expect going into school that day, though we had heard a few descriptions of the day from some students & other teachers. The main thing we were told: wear clothes you don’t care about. That does not exactly make one confident about what is to come!

As the three of us (Emily was still with us, so she got to experience this too) approached school at 7:30am, we saw our students in crazy costumes with buckets of water, large squirt guns, perfume, and something that definitely smelled like vinegar. 

Some of our 4th year students in their costumes.

We, as teachers, were for the most part safe from getting too wet, though we definitely saw some younger students get soaked. We did get marked by many of the students with their class “names” (4A, 4B, etc.)

After making it into the school, we observed from the safety of the second floor windows. There were still many buckets of water and now many drenched younger students.

4th year students in the first floor windows - all other students getting soaked below them.

Ready with their buckets of water!

After this there was a school-wide trivia competition and eventually the 4^th year students had food (including delicious grilled pineapple!) for us to buy.

There is nothing really to compare this to in our US culture except perhaps a senior prank, but this was a bit too scheduled to be the same. It was a really interesting experience, & we look forward to seeing what the 3^rd year students do next year when it’s their turn. Hopefully they will be just as kind to their English conversation teachers!