Well. AAH trotted off to school this morning in the winter darkness like a trouper, only to return 45 minutes later because none of the teachers in her school had shown up for work. In Reykjavík, 80-85% of teachers stayed home to demonstrate their pissed-offness at being ordered back to work through legislation that would end their eight-week strike.
Really, one does not know at whom to direct one’s ire. We have three fundamental choices: 1. The municipalities, who are responsible for the schools and who claim they cannot meet teachers’ wage demands. Which I suppose one can understand in rural areas where municipalities are small, but not in affluent urban centres like Reykjavík. 2. The government, which intervened with legislation but is holding back on extra funding to the municipalities. 3. The teachers themselves, who it must be said have shown instances of extreme immaturity, culminating in this playing hooky while hundreds of wide-eyed children sit devotedly in the classrooms awaiting their arrival.
The question that remains unanswered in my mind is: Why the hell is it not possible to pay them a decent salary?! And if I hear the excuse one more time that it will cause such a massive expansion in the economy that the whole country will blow up I’m going to scream! Because they can sink a large chunk of the country out east to create a reservoir to feed an aluminium smelter that is currently awaiting construction – which incidentally is owned by foreigners who will reap most of the rewards – and this will create an expansion on such a grand scale that a piddly teachers’ pay hike is nothing in comparison! Honestly – people – where are this nation’s values?
Nothing to do but – be SAD. Be very very SAD.
WEATHER
On the upside, we have Winter Wonderland. It’s a gorgeous day, everything covered in white … romantic and Christmas-y. Loads of snow last night. YT got up this morning and looked out to see a big heart drawn on the back window of my car. Spent the morning constructing fantasies of a secret admirer (know what you’re thinking – get your mind out of that gutter!), until AAH rose from her beauty sleep (no idling in teachers’ strike for her, no sir) and owned up. Which means that, Pubescent Behaviour Disorder notwithstanding, she luvvs me! Aww!
Bright weather, calm, temps –2 to –8 Celsius. Sunrise 9.58; sunset 16.26.
INCIDENTALLY
Yesterday it was four days, not three, to the first anniversary of When Polly Became a Girl. I stand corrected.