It is that time of year again. When students all over the world stop paying attention to school and start dreaming about the long summer holiday that is so close, yet still so far away. Some lucky students, the seniors, get to get out of school early. In Hungary, the oldest kids get to get out early too, but that is pretty much where the similarities end!
The first difference is we have 2 graduating classes, 12A and 13B. I think some schools probably have even more. The end of school festivities started on Wednesday. The kids from both classes dressed up in goofy outfits, painted their faces and went from classroom to classroom singing and drawing things on the other students. I did not have a class during the lesson they did this, so I didn't really get to experience the whole thing. The kids looked like they were having fun! When one of the teachers asked me if our graduating students did the same thing, I think she was surprised when I told her no, our kids would get in trouble for doing that!
On Wednesday evening there was a little get together after school. The kids invited teachers they wanted to come and we had little snack foods and drinks. Each class came for about a half-hour. They sang some songs to us, some teachers said some things to them (I couldn't really understand what haha), and then we had some time to mingle.
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| 12A singing to the teachers |
12A singing to the teachers...thankfully I don't think any of them are pursuing music careers :)
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| 12A and me :) |
On Saturday they had their actual Ballagás. Ballagás means to walk or amble and that is pretty much what they do! The other students in the school decorate the building and their classrooms with flowers and pictures and the graduating students walk around the school and into each classroom singing. The parents and family members were outside the school, so after the kids were done visiting each classroom, they made their way outside and walked past the families. After the ballagás, everyone proceeded to the church for a sermon, some speeches, poems from a couple kids, and some awards for outstanding students and athletes.
Side doors going into the school
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| Looking back at the doors |
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| The students also decorated the boards in the classrooms |
Bread, sausage, and wine to send the kids on their way
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| 12A getting ready to do their walk |
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| Nora and 13B coming through 11B's classroom | |
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| Both classes outside with their families |
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| Walking through the halls |
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| Some of my favorite students. Most of the girls from 11B in their classroom |
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| In the church after the service |
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| Nora and I after it was all over. Nora is 13B's form teacher |
12A on their walk through 11B's classroom
Hungarians sure know how to honor graduating seniors. What a beautiful school.
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