Giuseppe Verdi

Autobiography

10. October – This is not only the birthday date of Giuseppe Verdi, the famous composer, it is also the birth of a person who is one of the most important persons in my life: My son James Although the pregnancy was a culinary experience from pickles with Nutella to eggs with ketchup, I was so happy to hold my second child in my arms. The whole family was full of joy to be a family member richer.

His sister, who is three years older than him, had even more pleasure with James to have a playmate now. She carried him around and let him do what she wanted him to do. But James had not only his sister to play, he had also a few friends in the neighbourhood. Lukas, Christopher, Felix, Celina and of course his sister Lisa played a lot in the woods and meadows around our small farm. One of James´s favourite activities was to help his grandparents to feed and care of the chicken, pigs, rabbits and cats.

At the age of three James started to go to the kindergarten. On his first day it was a great tragedy for him to say good bye to all of our animals although it was only for a few hours. But after a couple of days he became familiar with his kindergarten friends and since then he was glad to be there.

The time passed by so quickly and my small boy was six and started to go to primary school in Gutau. Luckily this was not such a tragedy because all of his kindergarten friends also moved to school. James was in principle very interested in school, but the only subject which he didn´t like was art and handicrafts. In all other subjects he was rather good, but in these two subjects he always angered the teachers because he refused to work.

At the age of 8 all of his school friends started to play football in the local club and so James had to join it as well. But this was not enough for him so he also went to the judo course, started playing the drums and started as nearly all of his friends as an altar boy. The only reason why he started as an altar server was the summer camp every year, where he could stay one week with his friends far away from me and my husband Anton.

Although my son was not the best pupil he knew that he wanted to go to secondary school (gymnasium) in Freistadt. Luckily also his cousin and best friend Christopher also decided to go with him. In his new class he was one of only five boys in his year group because Christopher and James went to the school branch with focus on choir singing. The last year in the secondary school was not his year because he was not eager enough to study and practice English and then it happened as it had to happen, he had to retake the school year. I know he was really unhappy during this time because all of his friends went to other secondary school and he had to do the fourth grade again, but in the end it was not the worst for him. He found some new good friends and really enjoyed the time during this one year.

After he did pretty well in the last year of the secondary school he decided to go to the higher technical school for chemical engineering in Wels. I think so he enjoyed the five years in school even more than me because I really missed him. He stayed during the week in a boarding school and only came home on Saturday and Sunday. But also during the time at home I didn´t see him much because very possible minute he stayed with his friends to drive with his moped, making party or playing volleyball.