Artistic Discoveries in European Schoolyards

I spent the last three years...

KRISTIINA JALASTO Playwright, Estonia

I spent the last three years of my schooldays in a school in the middle of the medieval centre of Tallinn. It was a really different place with rather informal relations between students and teachers. The emphasis was on the arts, theatre and music and it all sparkled with a Catholic touch. The warm and vibrant building with easy going but also hard working athmosphere almost represented a cultural and moral centre amongst the fancy hotels and restaurants around it. Even more, some of the churches, art galleries and cafes were combined closely with my school, and formed a mysterious and lively latin quarter which brought people together and radiated culture in every form.
I remember one Christmas party which took place in a cafe very near to my school. The place was packed with people, there was hardly any air left to breathe but that did not stop anyone from having a good time. One could hardly tell the difference between students and teachers or the school staff and the parents – we were all so mixed but we all felt so alike. The program was packed with performances and hilarious sketch- es which amused both youngsters and the older teachers.