Congratulations!

Saturday, 5 March 2005

Like every balloon maker, flower arranger, and Hallmark card seller's dream, graduation is a time when they can market their product and up the price, as they know people love this special day for taking tons of photos to capture the moment in cap and gown. Having not graduated in cap and gown myself in high school (we wore traditional muumuu and wore many leis), I know I was excited as I wore a cap and gown for the first time when I graduated from the University of Washington in 1997. The word "Congratulations" is printed everywhere around graduation time, on balloons, in flower bouquets, and on greeting cards. Perhaps this is why people in Thailand call graduation... "Congratulations". "Will you come to my 'Congratulations' on Saturday?," "I have 'Congratulations'," "My students 'Congratulations'." Well, of course, even the beautiful styrofoam carved sign above the entryway says "Congratulations", so why wouldn't it be called "Congratulations"?

Today, about 40 ninth graders graduated. All the teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 9 were there to 'Congratulate' the students. Tik, who was the class supervisor, was a bit emotional as she bid her students farewell. Songs were sung, prayers were said, and speeches were made by students and administrators. All the while, us teachers were freezing in the open air auditorium, where we usually welcome the breeze, but today was unusually cool and overcast, with a monsoon passing by. Unlike graduation ceremonies in America, here the students bring bouquets of roses to pay their respects and wai their parents, teachers, and administrators. In the end, each teacher has about three dozen roses.

Bokbak, a boy much larger than the rest of his peers, was the star of the day. This ninth grader stood out all year long, and I often questioned the Thai educational system and support systems that were available because of him. He obviously has some sort of severe learning disability and would often talk to himself, and occasionally, he would aimlessly walk into our office or classroom, rambling off something incomprehensible to even Miss Matt. It is unfortunate, because he spent most of his days here at school carrying his black briefcase, like he was attending an important business meeting, all dressed in his school uniform, sometimes reading a book, yet he sat on the floor of the library, or in an empty corner of a stairwell or quiet area, by himself, not learning anything, all day long. He never attended class, because according to Tik, he couldn't learn.

Occasionally I would notice his peers teasing him. The Thai teachers, who just let him be all day long, would laugh in their sheepish way when I asked about him, yet they adored him. During the graduation ceremony today, in Bokbak fashion, he would aimlessly walk around the auditorium, sit next to the teachers in the teacher section, and our librarian would guide him to be with his peers when he needed to be for different parts of the ceremony. His parents did not come to the ceremony, but one of his older sisters did. When he went up to receive his diploma from Ajarn Ong-Ard, everyone, students and teachers alike, gave him a round of applause. When I asked Aw what Bokbak will probably do after this, she said he'll probably stay at home and help his parents in their shop. Most Thais who graduate after Grade 9 can either decide to take entrance exams to get into high school for more schooling, but many will probably just stop their schooling after this, get a job, and start working. Whereever Bokbak ends up, I know Tik will think fondly of him, and although I wonder what will happen to him and students like him, I wish him well.