Swedish Graduation

Yesterday, we got to experience Swedish graduation, and it made our American ceremony seem lame by comparison.  Everyone gathers at a large space and the graduates gather on a stage and then race out to find their families. Every family has a sign for the graduate with a childhood, (often embarrassing), photo on it. The girls all wear white dresses and the guys wear suits, and all students wear the hats from the pictures. The emblem in the middle is different based on the program of study. High school in Sweden seems to be more trade-based and career oriented. Examples of programs include the police program, nursing assistants, construction, engineering, and my personal fave, the hair dressing program. The softball girls gathered to support Malin, one of our teammates, who completed the nursing assistant program. 

 

After she found her family, her older sister, Maria, helped her to put on a plastic apron. Then everyone started putting flowers, stuffed animals, posters, etc. around her neck. She had flowers for all of her friends and they exchanged for a little while.

All of the people headed into town for the parade. The students got on the floats based on their programs, and each float was decorated a little differently. Lina told us that they got a lot stricter about drinking on the floats, but it didn't seem that way as they drove by and the students were dancing to the loud music, drinking, and yelling. Some of the signs were pretty funny. I apologize for the bad word, but the last picture was too funny not to post.

Later in the afternoon, we all went to Malin's apartment for a more intimate graduation party. This felt just like my own party. Family, friends, and food. There were good salads, cheese and crackers and Swedish sodas. For dessert, Maria had made lemon and elderflower macaroons, mini cupcakes and there were three ice cream cakes. It was fun to help celebrate with Malin and to get to know the softball girls a little better. It was a really neat occasion to see and be a part of.