This was, in many ways, quite different from an American high school graduation ceremony. I got to hear the Austrian national anthem for the very first time, Land der Berge. The melody was composed by Mozart. There was a full Catholic mass (with communion and everything, officiated by a priest) and a buffet with champagne, hors d'oeuvres and everything. No gowns. No caps. Lots of alcohol consumed, by teachers, parents and students! The students invited me to the dance club in town and, for the first time since before Christmas, I drank with my students...something that would most likely have gotten me fired if I worked in the USA.
However, Austria (and Europe in general) is different from North America and American norms. There is perhaps not more drinking (Wisconsin is - or used to be - the beer brewing capital of the country) but more open consumption of alcohol. I remember at my high school graduation, my grandmother came from Minnesota. The night I graduated, I went rollerskating with all of my closest friends from high school. Aside from a handful of seven-year-olds grabbing my butt, it was a blast.
Best of luck to the class of 2011~
Viel Erfolg und alles Gute für die Zukunft!!!
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