Where "Pomp and Circumstance" is an understatement

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A couple of days ago, I had the occasion to attend two Brazilian formaturas. Think kindergarten graduation meets coming out party meets colonial era formality meets small town party.
I have collected a few descriptors so that you will never have occasion to roll your eyes at another graduation ever again.

1) All female kindergarten graduates wear elaborate white dresses. It is what you might find flower girls wearing in the US.
2) All of the males wear suits.
3) Each graduate is escorted by another small child in even more elaborate dress.
4) They progress up to a stage where they receive a hat, a ring and a kiss from the escort while their names, their parents names, and the escort´s names are read aloud.
5) They are presented with a doctorate in letters. (In other words, they learned to read.)
6) After the three and a half hour ceremony with incongruous displays of odds and ends, everyone retires to the party area where each child has their own table with their own elaborate cake, refreshments, party favors.
7) The number of balloons used in decoration could have kept the Titanic afloat, yet they were all popped to mimic the sound of firecrackers.

Yes, aren´t we all glad that kids are learning to read?

Comments

sarah marie said…
my gosh. amazing. simply amazing.
2:47 PM
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