Due: Wednesday, 10. April 2013
With only 8 weeks left before you will be high school graduates, you must be busy with graduation plans. Where I come from, every graduate's family hosts a HUGE (they spend upwards of several thousand dollars each) party for them. So, in a class of 40, there are, by this time of year, 40 invitations for pretty much every person on the island - smiling faces looking out from xeroxed-off invitations pinned up in every business, classroom, living room, - even at the post office notice board. Families and friends and teachers are all busy making money leis and gearing up for fresh ones (the average graduate cannot see if they wear all the leis they are given). I have no idea what your customs are here, but I'd like to.What are you special plans for post ceremony? A HUGE family party with everyone you've ever known? Dinner with you parents? A night at home caressing the new computer you received to take to college with you? Going to sleep early so you can get up early the next day to look for summer work?
Graduation: The one event that I’ve been impatiently waiting for since August 2012. I honestly think that senioritis has hit me so hard that it seems as if even completing this blog is a difficult task. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am definitely ready to finish high school!
ReplyDeleteI’m guessing it’s tradition, however, I’m not too sure, but in my family, when my brothers and sisters graduated from high school, a HUGE party was thrown for each one of them. You could almost say that it was as huge as a prom or even a wedding ceremony. Of course I wasn’t born yet, but at least that’s what I’ve been told. These parties consisted of live bands, family, close friends, and TONS and TONS of food (Food can never be missing!!!!). Just thinking about it all makes me want time to speed up just so that I can be there already.
For my special graduation, I want this party/get together to be even bigger. I want this party to consist of ALL my family and friends, the live band/artist of my choice, and of course nothing but Asian food! (Incase no one knows, I LOVE ASIAN FOOD). I know that not everyone likes it, meaning that all of the food will go to me *Big smile*. I’m joking, that’s just selfish of me. But anyways, you know, I’m only dreaming about the artist. If I was to request the artist of my choice, Beyonce would be the one I would ask for and there’s no way my family is paying $1000000000000000000000000 to get her to perform ONCE in ONE evening, at ONE party. Overall, my party would consist of all my family and friends, a band (my parents will decide) as well as food from all over the world. It shall be a phenomenal evening that no one will ever forget.
You only graduate from high school once guys, this is your chance to really party it up and to celebrate all your achievements from the past 12 years. MAKE-IT-BIG!
This sounds much like Hawaiian-style, except we are on an island with no caterers, so everyone - EVERYONE cooks something and all 40 parties have pretty much the same food - but it's alway ono and always plenty. Our graduates also make buckets for everyone to put money in. I think an average graduate counts up to $1500 at the end of the night. It's money to help them begin thier new lives (and to offset the cost of the party, too). Family comes from everywhere - grad weekend triples the population of the island and the gym has people overflowing clear across the campus onto the baseball field. Sounds like it's just as big here? Have you started planning yours yet? No definite plans, and it's only 8 weeks away?!?
ReplyDeleteWow! Time has flown by so quickly, a little too fast don’t you think? Graduation is 35 days from today. My high school career will officially be over. What next?
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, after graduation we Tasokians tend to throw a warm farewell party and invite family and friends over for dinner. This year Farah, Rosh, Salman and I have decided to combine our graduation dinner into one. We thought it would make more sense and would be more convenient in the sense that we are all going to invite the same people anyway. Usually, we host it at one of the graduates’ house or a restaurant. I prefer it being at someone’s house because it sets a more relaxing and casual scene. I remember when my brother had his post-graduation dinner; we invited about 30 people and had a restaurant cater French cuisine, which was really exciting and fun. My friends and I are also thinking of doing it quite the same way.
The post- graduation dinner is only a small portion of the night. After stuffing ourselves with food, talking to all the parents and friends, we say “the night is still young! So, what’s the scene guys?” All the seniors later meet up and dance until daylight, and by the time you know it, it’s time to go to school and happily return our books.
Sadly, at TASOK senior trips out of the country isn’t a custom. So, we’ve finally decided that the farthest place we can escape to is, Zongo Falls. After a crazy and hectic night, all we need is peace and serenity. Zongo Falls is about a 3-hour drive depending on traffic and weather, but apparently it’s located near fresh waterfalls. It’s truly an experience. I mean, what better way is there to conclude my senior year in the falls of the heart of Africa with the people I love.
Sounds absolutely lovely. Friends, family, friends and nature. Enjoy.
ReplyDelete“I just can’t believe my baby has grown up so fast and is now ready to leave home,” my mom wrote, in her farewell letter to me. Honestly, I can’t believe it either. It feels like just yesterday I was telling my friends, “I wonder how it’s going to be when we will be the eldest kids at TASOK.” And now, I know exactly how it feels. With 34 days left till graduation, I’m excited, but nervous, impatient, but reluctant, ecstatic, but unhappy. I mean, Kinshasa has been my home for the past 17 years. This is where I’ve grown up; this is where I’ve learned to distinguish between true friends, and those who just call you when they need you; this is where I’ve made the best memories ever. And, as much as I’m dying to get out of here, I know the minute I get to university, I’m going to miss having summer weather all year long, crazy traffic jams, power outages, home made food, terrible roads, slow internet, and most of importantly, I’m going to miss my family.
ReplyDeleteI remember when my sister, the eldest child in the family, graduated from TASOK in 2007. My parents threw her a huge dinner party and invited all her teachers and friends, as well as their family friends. And then when my brother graduated from TASOK in 2009, my parents also threw him a huge dinner party with their family friends, as well as his friends and teachers. And now 4 years later, their youngest and last child is graduating. Guess what that means?! PARTY TIME!
Okay, well not exactly a HUGE party, but some sort of dinner or get together in which all my friends, family, as well as family friends, will be present. Since Salman, Roshni, Alina, and I are most likely going to invite the same people to our farewell dinners, we thought of throwing a small, yet, memorable and classy dinner together.
Of course after our dinner, Roshni, Salman, Alina, and I will say goodbye to everyone, and head out with all our classmates and other friends to PARTY LIKE IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD. I mean, graduation is a HUGE deal for us. You only graduate from high school once, and what way to make it more memorable than to spend it with all the people you’ve grown up with, all the people who have shaped who you are, all the people who will make it all the more memorable.
Very nice. As your parents wrote in their letter, remember the values they taught you and party, bond with friends,love and smile and cry, but please, please, please be careful and party knowing that many, many people love you and care about you and want to return home safely. Here's to 34 days of "childhood."
ReplyDeleteYeah! Graduation is just around the block everyone’s excited hopefully. I am pretty excited about graduating. Hopefully that happens with my grades I would need a miracle. Still I never thought I would even get to grade 12. Graduating from being a high school student to becoming a college student is going to be awesome. I have been waiting for this moment since the start of the school year. It’s the perfect time to throw a party. Celebrate this occasion like there's no tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know yet how I would like to celebrate this occasion do I want to throw the huge party or just celebrate it with my parents. Right now I more on the side of celebrating it with my parents for some reason that I can't even explain. My parents might want to throw a little get together but I never know what they are thinking. It can be a huge party or even a small family dinner.
Interesting dilemma, Kanji If you look over the other posts, most of your classmates want celebrate with parents and then party with friends afterward. I'm impressed that you are even considering just hanging with your parents.
DeleteWhich senior wouldn’t be excited planning their graduation night? Honestly I am so excited but I just can’t believe time flew so quickly. I still remember the first day I came to Tasok, 2 years back, trying to figure out my way and the people around me. I wasn’t really pleased when I first came to Tasok because I spent almost my entire school life in Jewels where I knew everyone. Who knew that I was going to move to Tasok with all my friends? It wasn’t even decided because the year before coming to Tasok no one even talked about it or mentioned it so it just seemed more like a lucky coincidence. It gave me so much relief when I figured out we were all going to graduate together.
ReplyDeleteNow let’s talk about graduation plans!! I haven’t really planned what I want to do after graduation but I believe I will be having a family dinner because some of family members are flying to come to my graduation. It gives me great pleasure to have family specially come for my graduation. If not a family dinner Karima and I decided that we would have a big PARTY together and invite families and close friends and have the best food ever. We decided on what type of food we’re going to have, what the dress code is going to be, and how classy it’s going to be. I hope everything works according to our plans and we have the best graduation night ever. Last but not least graduation is something every senior waits for since the beginning of high school but it is also a very emotional moment. It is the end of SCHOOL and goodbye to all your friends. It surely makes me happy that I’ve was able to familiarize myself with my classmates and have a great time in just 2 years but I’m going to miss them.
Wow. A dress code at a grad party. That's definitely a new one for me. I've never seen a party that wasn't in a carport or on the beach. I love the fact that you both value your family so very much. Stay close to them. Always.
ReplyDeleteCelebrate! Yeun Ji is no more a highschool student! My post-graduation ceremony plan starts with burning all my SAT books. After that…. I really have not thought about it. Right now what I am focusing on is what I need to do now not what I am going to do after graduation. It is obvious that our class will have a big party but personally I do not have specific plans for myself or for my family. In fact there is no yay, fun, celebration, I am going to college things for me. A wonderful journey to Korean Universities is about to begin… How fantastic is that? Beside that I will be glad that there will not be any homeworks that will bother me from doing my own works, which I consider to be very important.
ReplyDeleteI think I will go out for family dinner may be… or may be not… Since my dad is not here, I will celebrate in Korea instead of celerbrating in Congo, with all my family members. I will watch TV, which is my favorite activity, the whole day to give some break for myself. And… and…. and… I don’t know…. Actually I think I will do whatever I want at that moment after graduation instead of listing and planning things I would like to do. I have been waiting to graduate and leave this school for so long and so desperately but I do not have an idea what will I do to celebrate. May be it is because I have even more works to do after graduation… What I am really looking forward to is the moment when we throw our graduation caps up into the sky when the graduation ceremony ends.
Sometimes the little "in the moment" celebrations are the best.
ReplyDeleteYEAH! YEAH! YEAH! I am finally going to graduate. Mentally Shreya Kayastha is DONE with school but officially the day I graduate will be the last day my school. My only celebration for graduation as Yeun Ji also mentions is burning all my schoolbooks, which unfortunately is not a very feasible idea.
ReplyDeletePassing 12th grade and going into college is not a big deal in India, rather the ‘going to college’ part is more stressful, or should I say most stressful. In India, there is no such thing as a graduation ceremony the only thing that is there is a little party organized by the juniors. The only thing to look forward to in that party is that it is the only day one is granted permission to wear casual attire to school. My parents are not as ecstatic about graduation as I know some parents are and can get. However, what makes me happy is that they are cavalier about my graduation. For me, they are organizing a small dinner and when we get back to India, we are going on a family trip to Goa. This is not as much of a grand celebration as you mentioned but it is something that my parents are doing so that I can be happy and that is what I appreciate the most.
It sounds like family (and India) are very important to you, so the family trip is lovely. In India there is no high school graduation at all? Even if it's considered a tiny step, it really is a dramatic change, so I think it's a bit sad that you don't even acknowledge it - cultural differences or not.
ReplyDeleteI do not have any definite plan for graduation, because as fast as it is approaching, it is still pretty far. But I’m sure about one thing is I want a big thing (party or dinner) with all those I care about around. The few years I spent at Tasok, I got to meet new people, people who mean a lot to me now. I’d like to have something special with them after graduation maybe go party or just spend a chill day trying to imagine our future college lives. GUYS COLLEGE IS AFTER. DO YOU REALISE IT? I want the time I will spend with you guys to be memories we can all cherish no drama just FUN, FUN, FUN.
ReplyDeleteApart from my “Tasokian” friends, which I will never see after grad, I also want to have something more personal with my family and friends I have grown with since childhood. Even if I am ending at Tasok, I have spent what I consider as a very short period of my life there. I have more relations out of school than in school because of the number of times I changed schools. Many of my friends out of Tasok are graduating too, and organizing some sort of dinner with them, would be feel like a little graduation ceremony without the useless formalities.
A large party will just not do because I will not have enough time to spend with the other groups, and so instead I think for post-grad what I would really is one WHOLE week of celebration, then I will be satisfied.
Different parties for different groups? Sort of like when someone has three weddings - one for each family and one for them. Cool. More fun for you.
DeleteWhat are my graduation plans? I guess my parents are much more excited than I am for my graduation. Their excited not because they do not want me anymore but because I have no elder sister or an elder brother it is just me. I am the eldest child therefore being the eldest kid am the first one to graduate. Well, Falak and I had decided to have our graduation party together since she has been my only childhood buddy. We would have a grand party in which we will invite our families, close friends and relatives. We decided on what type of food should be served, and what the dress code will be (well, we still have not figured it out because falak wants is to be purple since it is her fav color) but I hope everything goes as planned. NOW since graduation is just 2 weeks away am excited as well as heartbroken. I cannot believe am done with school. Well I am already mentally prepared for it but the thought still excites me.
ReplyDeleteThis is bittersweet. Happy yet a bit saddened by the whole ending thing....Enjoy both feelings.
DeleteSimplicity: the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do. I like to be simple when events like the following come up. 4 years back, my brother graduated from the very same school that I anticipate graduating from. Khalil, being only 16 years old on the day of graduation, was, in my opinion, slightly unprepared to go to college. At the time, my parents thought about having him repeat the year of 12th grade, but after certain teachers convincing them otherwise, they sent him to university.
ReplyDeleteMy dad realized Khalil’s huge accomplishments at only 16, and to celebrate Khalil’s success and encourage him on his journey to university, he planned a grand party at our house. My brother’s party, attended by 200 people, was catered by the top of the line Indian restaurant.
Now that graduation and bon voyage celebrations are focused on me, my mother asked me just a couple weeks ago if I wanted something similar. My response to her was that I have no interest in hosting 200 people, accepting congratulations and telling them, one-by-one, that I’m going to the same university as my brother. To my chagrin, my brother, at the age of 16 was able to perform as well as I can now, at the age of 18.
Maybe the word choice in my second phrase is incorrect. Although I just want a “simple” dinner with my family the night of graduation, I secretly wish my dad would fulfill my dream of lighting the golf course here in Kinshasa and organize a “night golf” tournament. If my dream doesn’t come true for my graduation, I will ensure that it goes on my future “to do” list.
I love it. Not terribly simple, but very cool and very you.
ReplyDeleteI am planning to have a party or two when I get back to the states. One will be in the city my mom grew up in, where we have most of our extended family. We also have a lot of family friends in that area. I will probably have another graduation party in the city my dad grew up in as well, which isn’t very far away. However, they are far enough away from each other that if I just had one party in one of those cities most people wouldn’t be able to make it. In the city my dad grew up in there are a few more extended family members as well as many old family friends. I know many more people from the city my dad grew up in because that is where we have lived before; I have also gone to school there before so I also have several friends from there, as well as from our church there.
ReplyDeleteThe whole idea of having a graduation party for me doesn’t excite me very much. I have never been very fond of that kind of party setting. I dislike being the center of attention. But I would love having a good one on one conversation with everyone who I am inviting. Though I am sure I’ll have a good time, because after all I get to pick the food that is being served and everything like that.
I can see you not relishing center stage. I agree with you - one on one is more enjoyable. Glad you do get to get together with family and ohana, though.
ReplyDeleteOh, Graduation I have waited for you. I have waited for you for so long. I remember being in middle school and thinking I would never reach graduation. It seemed so far; even the end of the world seemed closer than my graduation. It is only a few weeks away but still seems pretty far. I cannot wait for after graduation, to burn all my books. To finally be able just to sit down and not have to think about any school work whatsoever and be able to dream about my college future. I cannot wait to graduate; I think it is like the six times I have written this, okay maybe just third.
ReplyDeleteMy plans for after graduation are simple, simple. I am planning a week of formal dinners with my family. African families tend to be big and so we are planning to have either one big dinner or many small ones with our closer ones. But I would really want to have a little small thing with my family and personal friends. I think graduation is a special moment and a huge part of your childhood. I would really like to share that moment with only my closest ones. Therefore, I hope my parents keep it small and strictly between us like a secret.
This is interesting. While most families may tend to be big, is graduation traditionally a small, family affair? Many of your classmates plan HUGE BASHES with everyone they know. Does any of this follow tradition or is it all just household by household?
DeleteFinally GRADUATION this is a moment that I have been waiting for ever since the 13th, August, 2013 and finally it I can say that I am ready to finish high school with a big smile on my face saying that I have finally achieved something which is bigger than I have ever imagined.
ReplyDeleteAnd from what I have been hearing from my parents and other family members plans about my graduation, that just gets me really excited. The big plan that they are planning to organize is that they want to throw the biggest party that they have ever planned imagined, and organized.
One of the main thing that I can't wait for this graduation is that for the first time in my life I will get to see my grandfather from my Dad's side because all my grandparent passed but he is the only that is still alive, but we usually talk once or twice on the phone per month but seeing him will really make me feel proud of myself.
But for this graduation I can imagine the way I want, but I am going to let the will of God be in control.
Congrats on actually meeting your grandfather! That has got to feel way cool. Here's hoping your enjoy the large party, too.
DeleteWhat am I going to do after graduation? What are my plans for graduation? Well I do not know what my plans are. Just kidding, I’d like to say like my other fellow classmates that I would have a dinner with my entire family at my side, my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, the nephews and nieces, and the cousins from different generations. But I am not from the Congo and I have just moved here two years ago. My extended family is dispersed in West Africa, the U.S.A and France, so for sure I will not be having a dinner like that one right after graduation. But at least, at least I get my immediate family in total. My dad is coming here for my graduation, so I know we will be having a small family dinner maybe with Winnie’s family too, after the graduation ceremony. I am really looking forward to it because we do not and will not be getting as many moments celebrating something as important together like we will be that day.
ReplyDeleteI will not forget to take a picture of us all at the dinner table because it marks the day I will finally enter adulthood. Nevertheless, the weekend of graduation week is going to be wild, and crazy. It will be my first time partying as a graduate and it has to be amazing and completely insane or like my friend said “off the hook”. So yes, these are my modest plans for after graduation.
Please party in moderation. In the US, we lose almost 1% of our high school graduates every year to too much partying.
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