Ten days ago was Graduation Day for local students graduating from King Kekaulike High School. My friend's daughter was amongst those students. And it's quite a big deal here. Not that graduating isn't a big deal in France but here it's a true celebration. And I so wish we would do the same in France. I mean it is a big deal. When you think about it, these kids really are looking at the dawn of their adult's life (do I sound that old!). They finally are going to take their life into their hands, make their true own choices, their true own mistakes, they are going to explore a whole new world of possibilities, of freedom. Okay I recall making a bunch of mistakes way before graduating but hell it was fun!
Back to the graduation. In France we have a week of non stop exams at the very end of high school cycle. It's very intense. Very scary. Sometimes traumatizing even. You may score A++ all year, if you fail the exams, you're good to go back for an extra year. Stupid is what I think. Once you're done with all the tests you wait for an other few weeks for the results to be stapled on some grey un-happy walls. You sometimes have your family with you, you often go with your friends. You have to be patient or fight to get to the sacred wall and look down for your name. There are screams, there are joyful tears, there are agonizing tears. If you're good you pray that all of your friends passed too and then you head down to the pub (drinking age 18 remember), possibly get pretty waisted and will most likely end up in a disco dancing your deliverance out. Which is fun. But after all those months filled with stress, you'd expect some kind of official celebration. Well, peanut. Not that I am dying to wear one of the American graduation outfit (come-on!) but after attending my friend's graduation ten days ago, I have to say that I thought it was beautiful. Imagine a stadium filled with family and friends all cheering like hell when they see you step onto the stage. It's a bit like having your own rock-star moment. You must be feeling super empowered which sounds like a good thing at that point of your life. I believe graduation in the state of Hawaii is even more special. Flowers make it so much more special. Your friends and family will spend some time out of their day making a lei (flower necklace), 2 leis, 10 leis for you and they will throw them around your neck, around your waist, above your head, they will bury you with flowers as soon as the ceremony is over. The air will be filled with the smell of gardenias, plumerias, jasmin, ginger, orchid, pikake, puakenikeni and the sound of an excited happy crowd. No I am not making this all up. It really is special and I am so glad I was able to be there for my friend because your friends here truly are your extended family.
I will share some photos in my next few posts, I can't throw them out there all at once.
The making of leis comes first.
Back to the graduation. In France we have a week of non stop exams at the very end of high school cycle. It's very intense. Very scary. Sometimes traumatizing even. You may score A++ all year, if you fail the exams, you're good to go back for an extra year. Stupid is what I think. Once you're done with all the tests you wait for an other few weeks for the results to be stapled on some grey un-happy walls. You sometimes have your family with you, you often go with your friends. You have to be patient or fight to get to the sacred wall and look down for your name. There are screams, there are joyful tears, there are agonizing tears. If you're good you pray that all of your friends passed too and then you head down to the pub (drinking age 18 remember), possibly get pretty waisted and will most likely end up in a disco dancing your deliverance out. Which is fun. But after all those months filled with stress, you'd expect some kind of official celebration. Well, peanut. Not that I am dying to wear one of the American graduation outfit (come-on!) but after attending my friend's graduation ten days ago, I have to say that I thought it was beautiful. Imagine a stadium filled with family and friends all cheering like hell when they see you step onto the stage. It's a bit like having your own rock-star moment. You must be feeling super empowered which sounds like a good thing at that point of your life. I believe graduation in the state of Hawaii is even more special. Flowers make it so much more special. Your friends and family will spend some time out of their day making a lei (flower necklace), 2 leis, 10 leis for you and they will throw them around your neck, around your waist, above your head, they will bury you with flowers as soon as the ceremony is over. The air will be filled with the smell of gardenias, plumerias, jasmin, ginger, orchid, pikake, puakenikeni and the sound of an excited happy crowd. No I am not making this all up. It really is special and I am so glad I was able to be there for my friend because your friends here truly are your extended family.
I will share some photos in my next few posts, I can't throw them out there all at once.
The making of leis comes first.
