Warning!
This is a book for the open-minded only!
If you feel that you already know all about the mysteries of our existence, your view of life is set and you would like to keep it this way, then this book is not meant for you. Don't bother reading...
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From wonder into wonder existence opens.
- Lao Tzu
"The stars are so incredibly beautiful!" I gushed, gazing up at the sky in awe. Feeling utterly content, I took a deep breath, enjoying the special fragrance of summer on this end-of-May night.
"They are," Diana sighed, lying next to me on her air mattress.
"Mh-hm." Lisa and Soni, who had placed their bedding head-to-head with ours, agreed softly.
My thoughts drifted lazily back to that day's events.
Our biology teacher, Prof. Sandkorn, had organized a – what he had named – 'Biology Weekend' for our class, to further a real understanding of animals and plants in nature.
To our great delight, he had managed to convince our parents - who had had to agree to this project beforehand - stating that it would definitely help further our interest in school.
And so... here we were!
We, meaning the 32 pupils of the class 3a of the "Musisches Gymnasium" in Salzburg, a rather unconventional high school with the objective of furthering the education of its students in a more integral way. It also employed the youngest staff of all the schools in our city, providing us students with the benefits of a still-quite-enthusiastic team of teachers, who were willing to try out new things.
Like this 'Biology Weekend'.
Situated in the area around three small natural ponds in the middle of a vast meadow, nestled in between the gently rolling hills of the Alpine foreland, it was the ideal setting for our endeavor. Which was to find, collect and catalogue as many wild animals and plants as we possibly could. (Without harming any of the creatures, of course!)
'Wild animals' might sound a bit dangerous, but the 'wildest' animals we had encountered so far, had been a harmless grass snake (which had been peacefully sunbathing on a big, flat stone) and a rather large, green toad. Still, it had been quite an adventure to try and capture those little creatures, with all the giggling, hysterical screaming and getting in each other's way. I don't think we ever got hold of the snake, in the end... But what else would you expect from a bunch of thirteen to fourteen-year-olds...
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