Students in some Romanian villages get longer summer holidays for transhumance

The school summer holiday started earlier for about 230 primary and secondary school students that live in five villages in the Alba county, in the heart of Romania. Each year, school ends about a month earlier in these villages (on May 15, instead of June 15), as most of the people living here are shepherds who go with their herds in transhumance, according to Agerpres. Transhumance is the seasonal movement of people with their livestock between summer and winter pastures. In late spring, shepherds take their flocks to the alpine grazing grounds up the mountain, and they descend again to their homes in autumn. This traditional lifestyle can still be found in some regions of Romania, especially in Transylvania. The school authorities in Alba county have made an exception to the regular school year to allow children to leave with their parents in transhumance. The summer holiday for these children is four and a half months, starting May 15 until October 1. The regular summer holiday in Romania is just three months, from June 15 to September 15. British writer publishes extensive research of traditional Carpathian sheep walking in Romania Romanian shepherd walks 1,300 km with herd across Carpathians in trashumance revival project editor@romania-insider.com (Photo source: stanaturistica.ro)