"We Gotta Get You Ready For The Ball Cinderella!" or CIC Graduation

I am currently finishing this blog (started it on Tuesday and it's now Thursday morning) via screen and candlelight in my hot ass apartment with no electricity and no air.  The sounds of generators running the emergency flood lights for the surrounding buildings bellows off the mountain.  Sounds awesome right? It is, especially since I just played a soccer match and was completely soaked with sweat.  Sorry, too much info.  Anyway, on with the blog. 

Well here we are, two blogs from the conclusion of my one and only year teaching at CIC.  Crazy.

This weekend I got to witness a "tradition like unlike any other" in the Venezuelan school sense of the phrase (do I have to pay the Masters for stealing that?).

Collegio de Carabobo Graduation.  It was super interesting... and a lot over the top (from an American perspective).  Let me explain.

In the US, high school graduation from public school is a unique, but matter-of-fact event.  It is still a cool experience to take a few hours and congratulate students on the culumination of four years of work.  Some students really put in the work with extra-curriculars, AP courses, and college courses, while others meet the requirements and get on their way (which can be just as challenging for them).  Both have their merit- college isn't for everyone and it shouldn't be.  There are thousands of service jobs out there that people need to do and do with a sense of pride.  Blue collar jobs will always drive this country, just as job creators will want the lionshare.  Anyway, I got off track.

Let's be honest, hardly anyone fails and doesn't graduate high school.  It's just not in the system to allow it.  There are tons of failsafes to prevent it.  Graduating from high school isn't exactly easy for all, but it's not the level of accomplishment it was in the 40's, 50's and 60's (maybe even the 70's).

While the pagantry is gone, the traditions remain.  US kids have a pretty standard ceremony regardless of where you are.  It consists of music, national anthem, a couple of speeches, reading of the names, and then the hat toss.  It's as American as the Yankees.

Sometime after, most have a graduation party at their place, a pavilion or rentable space where they invite friends and family to break bread and enjoy each others company. Each kid that has a party also thinks about one thing, MONEY.

Admit it fellow Gen X and Y'ers, it was in the back of your mind with each card that came in.  These grad parties were a send off in a way.  The drifting away from the patterns of people you'd been asscioated with were ending, and everyone was ok with it.

The parties weren't overly extravagant.  A decent spread of food, cold beverages and maybe, just maybe, some music. Girls would bust out spring/summer gear and a fake tan or two, guys would break out the button up shirts, some gel, and fresh new cologne.  If they were lucky, some parent may allow them to drink (while I don't agree with this in any way, especially as it is illegal, I'll tie it into the story later).

A few weeks into June and it's over.  The focus then is onto college.

Here is what it's like down here.

Graduation Ceremony

Mr. Chicas, Mr. Hernandez, and Mr. Moreno-Ramirez, presenters extraordinaire.

Dr. Philbin (didn't get the dress code memo) and Mr.Robinson waiting for the festivities. 

Seating started at 6pm with the ceremony supposed to being promptly at 8:00pm and the flickering of lights signaled the start was near.

As those lights died down to dark with a shade of blue and spot lights things were about to get underway.  

Well, as with most things here, it started late (cultural differences).  At about 8:20pm the intial music started and we were off.  The after some brief welcomes the students filed in walking in couples with an elongated stride-pause-stride pace.  

Once a duo made it to the front of the stage the next two started.  It reminded me of on oddly cadanced wedding entrance.  After about 15-20 minutes of entrance for our 21 graduating seniors, there was an innvocation and some music.  

Calm before the storm, or at least before the rest of parents get here.

At the conclusion of the music, our administration began the to move us through the itinerary.  About this time, I'd say 30-45 mins since the start, a bunch of families (maybe 5-7) ambled in and found seats.  The first section of the ceremony was a grade by grade summary of who came or left the class (students transferring in or out), who taught them, and what they thought about the class from Junior Kinder to High School.  

Next, each student was given 5 powerpoint slides to describe themselves, memories of school, friends, family and their ambitions going forward.  These were loaded statements.  Student's referred to themselves as "popular, social, compassionate, athletic, skilled, musical, outstanding, and phenominal."  Many even included of a slide dedicated to their current significant other. The graduating class hoped to achieve degrees in the following areas: international business (x7), business administration, business marketing (x2), civil engineering (x4), creative writing, acting, photography, interior design, journalism and "symbolic systems" (which is legit, the kid is going to Stanford). 

After this there were speeches by the top two students in the class, and senior awards.  The director then shared some words, and finally they began the reading of names.  Mind you we are in an open air auditorium with only fans.  I have my pants pulled up my knees, tie undone, and collar loosened.  Just straight sweating.  At this point, I'm just begging for this to end quickly.  It felt like each student received two sets of applause for their acceptance of the US Diploma.  After the last name was read, the class president came forward and signaled to turn the tassels.  Boom, graduation city.  Let's roll before I sweat through my shirt.  

The graduation party was supposed to start at 10pm, but since this was late and the students had to take a bus to the hotel where the party was, I knew that this wasn't looking good time-wise.

The Party

Ok, let me through this out there.  Last year's party was supposedly crazy- expensive, great food, and top shelf booze.  Jon and Ryan estimate it cost about $30,000 USD.  So coming into this I had an idea of what to expect, but no visual reference to what that would look like. 

  

Well I saw.

This party was invite only  Invitation and cedula were needed to get in, but before that you had to pass through metal detectors and security.  Jon and Randi guide me into this huge ballroom to the back where they sat last year.  No dice, (un)lucky for use the teacher table is front row.  We are behind the dance floor and couches, but not far enough away that when the DJs started spinning that you didn't have to yell at max volume.

View from the "cheap seats."

  

Moving on up.

The welcome spread. 

Each table had bottles of wine, water, Coke, club soda, meat, cheese, bread, and its own waiter.  Yep, own waiter.  The wine was top shelf.  Each table corresponded with a family and they typically had their own specified drink, vodka, rum or whiskey.  Apparently, last year there was no beer, but luckily this year there was.  

School logo..on a bottle of wine. No I didn't do that. 

After I choked down a glass of wine (sorry folks, just not my thing- unless it's out of a box on Ragbrai), Jon and I switched to beer.  After our first beer, a flood of appeitizers and hors devours filled the walkways between tables. Slowly (I mean very slowly) people started to fill in, remember they enjoy the fashionably late concept.  

After about an hour, the DJs (yep, 3's not a crowd) took the stage and sent out ear bursting reggaeton (Don't know reggaeton? Watch this video and you'll know every single song- every song has the same beat) and club music.  I literally was yelling to talk to Jon, Randi, and Eric- all who were within arms reach. 

Slowly and surely the kids hit the dance floor. It was at this time I noticed something.  Nearly every student changed clothes, new dresses and suits.  It literally looked like a red carpet event.    

No this is not a wedding. 

While the dance floor called nearly every student and mom, the dad's stood at the tables discussing whatever dads discuss at these sort of things.  It was at this time I made the mental note to never let anyone family member of mine dress like this in a graduation setting.  I understand it's Latin America, but I'm talking about later in my life up north.

As one could predict, add enough booze, students (remember no drinking age), dance happy mothers, suit clad fathers, and one mayor and things got crazy.  Our teacher table just sat for a time, with me asking Jon if this was real.  It was...apparently.

No this is not mardi gras.

Later, some seniors came over, said hello and thanked us.  We shared a drink with them (weird), and they tried to get a group of us to dance.  Some did and some didn't, it reminded me of wedding when people are peer pressured to go stand there while others think it's the coolest thing.

At this point I was starving.  Don't get me wrong the finger food was good, but I was really watching my alcohol intake as to not reach buzz level plus I was tired.  Finally, the food came.  1:15am.  Pasta.  People swarmed the buffet line to form a line (cola).  Even here, at this party, I could not escape a line!  The food was good and I started to prod Jon and Randi about going home.  I was beat.

We stayed a little longer and were definitely not the first teachers to leave.  On Monday I asked some staff members, sophomores, and juniors what time they left the party. Most said between 4-5 am! And, they were complaining about it.  I was tired and we left around 2ish.  I'm too old for that business.

All and all it was a interesting and good experience.  Good food, colleagues, seeing the seniors graduate, and taking in a different culture's graduation ceremony.  I later commented that due to my deep-seeded US-Puritan influenced beliefs, I had a hard time understanding it, but I just followed Jon's lead and saw it through.  

Jon Moreno Ramirez ’s “We Signed Up For It " Moment Of The Week

Jon hasn’t had water since last Friday.  So, it’s been roughly 4 days without a proper shower.  Yesterday he an his family come home and get in the elevator where they see one of the workers in his building.  The guy says he’s going to turn on the water, but doesn’t give a timetable.  Jon and Randi drop their stuff off and go about their usual routine.  All of the sudden the water comes on and they sprint to the bathroom to squeeze in and shower.  Jon is the first one out and he throws a towel on and high tails it to the kitchen to start doing as many dishes as he can until the water stops. 

If you have never had to ever phase this scenario before, consider yourself lucky.  As Jon now Zen-ly states, “We chose this.  We signed up for this.”

I actually had this happen last night.  SMH

Ryan Robinson's Link of Knowledge

A cool $4 billion in forwards to Venezuela for oil.  

Halliburton in Venezuela.  The irony of it.  

Lopez will stand trial.  

Sacrificing water to pay bond holders.  

Allegedly the US (opposition leaders, Colombia, and others) plotted to assassinate President Maduro.  

We also received another US State Department Travel Warning email.  Don't worry we are diligent in our security plans.  

That's about it from down here.  I'm really sorry about the double delay on the blog.  I'll definitely have at least one more before going to Brazil and Spain.  I hope to give some shorter posts while traveling, but we'll see how the wifi works.  

Have a great weekend.

Until Next Time,

KRS