The first time I became aware of the Swiss kids, was when three years ago almost to the date we have moved to a small Swiss village and were trying to find some kids for our girls to play with, Ok us being me, my dh was at work and happy straight away. We have met two families with the sweet lovely kids, who continue to be our friends today at the playground, I guess we were given them as a gift so that we didn't lose faith for we were to encounter a completely different herd. Our oldest was four, but missed reception to the local playschool by the matter of four days, and was to wait until a new term to join. The windows of our house that we rented were facing the School, so we could watch the other children play every day without being allowed to join in.
I remember the two of them standing with their small noses pressed against the glass, saying look Mummy! Our friends! They loved the children, they loved them all! We didn't know we missed the deadline for applying, we didn't know the application should be made in the Municipal Building (Mayor's office), so we went to school to ask, the teacher was very nice, and patient, she explained the procedure to me, and the above mentioned two days. But my daughter (4 at the time) wanted to stay and play since she has just met all these amazing "new friends" and could not understand why do we have to leave. She didn't want to leave so she started to cry. There are cruel kids in the world, but I have not seen so many in one place who jeered her off saying she was different from them and not allowed to go to school! I felt like crying seeing her misery. They kept teasing her, as she was trying to go and play outside fence everytime they went out into the school garden, and that's when the incident No1 happened. A girl of 5-6 who has met my oldest at out English friend's house (thank God for them) and knew her by the name, called her closer to the fence, grabbed her neck scarf through the net, and stabbed her in the neck with the stick. I could not very well verbally explain to the teacher what's happened, so the kid was unpunished... Mine had her trust in the good in people shaken for the first time. I have complained later and was asked to stay away from the kindergarten, since we are not allowed in, and keep the kids far, as if it was easy with the house nearest to it...
Within the first three weeks two more things happened which would change the character of my oldest daughter forever, and the other one that would change mine... The one that shook all of us, was us deciding not to approach the kids whilst at school but wait till the mothers collect them and join them in the playground, the girls were very sad and feeling isolated. They were going to the Playschool and playgroups forever, music lessons and suchlike in England, and suddenly lost it all one day... So we were waiting by the gate, and I have been chatting with a couple of Mums, when I became aware of some commotion, and the children running onto the road, mine first with the rest of them following with the screams, sticks and stones in their hands, throwing those at my babies...
I ran like I never did before screaming to mine not to run into the road and grabbing the smaller arms terrified in my arms, but leaving the older one to fend for herself... There was only one Mother who called back her child,.. and she was worried he'd run into the road... I have not had ONE of them mumble a word of apology or anything... there were 6-8 of them present fully equiped with mothers, who seemed not at all impressed by the scene. No need to say we decided against the playground that day...
The other thing that happened shortly after was of a different nature, and I will tell you soon. Thanks for reading this.
