The First Day of School

Mothers walking their child to school

School traditionally starts in Russia on September 1.  We had fun watching the school children from our bedroom window that overlooks the bar and park below us.

For the most part the children wear uniforms.  For boys that would include dark pants and a white shirt; some wear vests and/or ties.  For girls it is a dark or plaid pleated skirt or jumper and a white blouse.  The girls wear large white bows in their hair.  All of the children carried large bouquets of flowers we assume for their teachers.  We can just imagine what the classroom smells and looks like if there are "only" 25 students per room.  The teacher would be swarming in flowers.  The flowers here are beautiful and people are always carrying around bouquets of them on the tram-vi's.  We've loved seeing the exquisite flowers.

The younger girls wear large white bows in their hair the first day of school. 

This would be some high school students going to school.  The large bouquet of flowers is typical of what students take to their teachers.  And, yes, this would be considered a "longer" skirt.