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Comment by michaelpinto | Hacker News Reader

The flip side of this is that we have Summer vacation for schools (unlike the rest of the world) and have institutionalized Spring Break for college students. Sadly we see the idea of vacation as being for the very young or the very old who retire.

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That can’t be true. Bavarian schools, for example, have a five-week summer vacation this year and additionally eight weeks of vacation spread over the whole year (one week in spring and autumn, two weeks for Easter, Pentecost and Christmas). There are also quite a few state and federal holidays but, as you can see, vacations are already clustered around those holidays. I think there are maybe two or three additional holidays outside of vacation times (May 1, German Unity Day, probably some weird religious holiday I’m forgetting).

That’s a shorter (but still quite long) summer vacation. Overall, however, vacation times are similar.

As for spring break, here is the situation at my German university: classes end at July 15 this year, exams end at August 20, the next semester starts at October 1. That’s one month and nearly two weeks when you can be absolutely sure that there is nothing to do for you (at least when you finish your papers in time and don’t have a thesis to write) and probably more depending on when your exams are.

We also get two weeks off for Christmas and there is obviously also a shorter break (about one week and up to one month depending on when your exams are) between winter semester and summer semester (but no other vacations, only federal and state holidays).

I don’t know much about US universities (Is there downtime for students between semesters?) but I do know that spring break certainly doesn’t compare. (One or two weeks? Seriously?)

As far as I remember, American school kids and students have most of the summer off (unless they go to summer school, ...)

Overall, vacation times are similar.

For reference: I'm in a Midwestern university and I have off from May 15 thru the end of August. IME that's about average at semester schools.

I'm pretty sure German universities suck in comparision to all Anglophone universities when it comes to free time, and I know it's true for Irish and British ones.

You get three months off for the summer (normally June, July and August), a month off over Christmas (though in some universities it may only be three weeks, and you may have to prepare for exams), and various other time off.

Also that summer time is free, no papers to write. It is goddamned awesome. http://www2.ul.ie/web/WWW/Services/Academic_Calendar/2012_-_...

Summer is free for me, too. No papers to write. It is, however, relatively easy to convince your Prof to extend the deadline into the summer break.

It's been a long time for me, but in the US I recall that it covers part of June, July and August — so that has to be at least over 8 weeks. Although maybe the idea that our kids get a longer Summer break is part of the the anti-vacation propaganda?

Yes, and? Are five weeks no vacation or what? This is what you said (just to remind you): “[We] have Summer vacation for schools (unlike the rest of the world).”

That’s blatantly untrue.

Strong words! Five weeks is a lot different than ten weeks, any way you look at it.

The original claim is blatantly untrue. Also: the sum of the vacation time is similar and five weeks are a long time.

In American schools, you have three months off over the summer and a week off over Christmas and a week of for Spring Break. Then you have all the little holidays here and there throughout the year.

Latvia chiming in here:

Mid-june till september off for schools. July and august off for college students. One week prior to christmas and one week some time around easter off for both. Four weeks paid yearly vacation for the 9-to-5ers. Two weeks additional paid vacation for working students finishing their graduation works. National holidays and sickness don't count towards your vacation time. If a national holiday happens to be in weekend, friday or monday is usually free.

Honestly, the more I read about US working conditions, the more I feel like people there are deliberately misinforming everyone else in attempt to reduce immigration and competition on job market.

Same in Lithuania actually. But.. 9-5ers? Do you really have 35 hour work week as opposed to 40 ( (17-9-1h lunch) * 5) or was it just digested for the American reader?

Digested. Was musing a long time - 'the workers'? 'the drones'? 'blue collars'? In the end, settled on the best non-offensive term my limited vocabulary could come up with :)

I think you're wrong about Summer vacation in the rest of the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_vacation#By_country

I'm not sure if I understand correctly, but in my country (in south america) schools and colleges have around 3 months off every year. As for employees, the usual is 2 weeks vacations + holidays (around 10 days) and sick time. You also have some time off when you become a parent and of course if you're a woman you have several months before giving birth.

Ireland here. Summer holidays for schools are everywhere. Secondary school children (12-18yrs) get 3 months in the summer. College/University students get 2 to 3 months (depending).

Likewise they usually 1 or 2 weeks off at Christmas time, and 1 or 2 at easter time (around your spring break).

You have those holiday vacations for schools and students in Europe as well... Christmas, Easter, Summer and some places also have a short break in fall.

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