Chapter 10: Into the New Year

The celebration of the New Year in Danubia brought several changes to my life. First came the celebration of Kivar Siminov’s birthday. The age of fifteen is of importance in the life of a Danubian teenager. He or she then had to make the decisions that would impact the rest of their adult life. Two main choices were in front of Kivar. The choice between trades education and university preparation education had to be made before the next school year.

If Kivar picked a trade, he would spend three days a week in classroom study and three days a week in an apprentice program for the trade he picked. Kivar was very capable working with his hands, he enjoyed helping his father redo tile and grout, or shingle the roof or do simple woodworking tasks. Kivar was also very smart with an interest in architecture or engineering.

Once a life path was chosen, it took a great deal of effort, or a criminal act, to change that path. Kivar did not wish to make the wrong choice. He had consulted his father, his mother, and the Priestess who served in the small neighborhood chapel. Finally, he came to Ivanka and me for our views. “I could just avoid the whole process and join the military at age sixteen. I would do my required two years of service and have a bit more time to think about what I want from life.” Kivar offered.

His sister, Ivanka, groaned, “Kivar, soldiering is for the unskilled, take the university preparation courses and train to be someone.”

I offered the other opinion, sort of, “Kivar, I have met some very bright and very good students working at the National Military Academy. All of them took the university track before being admitted to the Academy. Soldiering is not for the dull or clumsy. Those types don’t last long in training or in combat. I think you would excel as a soldier. Yet, I agree with your sister, stay in school and shoot for higher education.”

“Well, I have one more month before I need to commit to a path. I feel I will do more research and consult you both later on this matter,” Kivar left the room at this point, leaving Marcia to ask again the question she had started when Kivar had entered the bedroom the girls shared when I was not in the Academy barracks.

“So, what is up between you and Novotna, Ivanka?” I asked. “How can you work so closely with the woman who treated you so badly only seven months ago?”

“Professor Novotna, having dealt with instruction of classes while nude, has petitioned the University administration for permission to allow her students the freedom of a clothing optional class in the Spring semester. She asked me to help her write up a syllabus for the course, to be given in the Sociology department, called ‘An Exploration of Disciplines and Punishments in Danubian Culture and Society’. Students would be required to attend classes on Monday and Friday clothing optional with Wednesday’s session always being fully clothed, except for the professor, and with guest lecturers addressing the class that day. Students would also be required to spend time with a sentenced criminal, and follow his or her daily routine for a week. An interview with the criminal’s Spokesperson will be included in the reports that each student will present on their case studies. It is hoped that guest lecturers from the education administration, the therapeutic health care facilitators, the government, the criminal justice system, and the military, would present papers on their particular techniques of discipline and punishment during the Wednesday sessions. Oh, Professor Novotna is particularly interested in having you guest lecture,” Ivanka concluded.

I chuckled. “Is this my punishment for bruising the woman’s bottom?” I asked.

“No, believe it or not, Professor Novotna has been following your progress at the military academy with great interest. She was to have been your faculty advisor before all of the changes occurred, and she still needs to do the official evaluation of your progress to send to your university.” Ivanka then said, “I think she would feel safer evaluating you after seeing you work the room as a guest lecturer.”