Graduation day

Yesterday was Graduation Day at Ehehleni C.D.S.S. I took a bucket bath--but didn't shave--and threw on a Goodwill tie for the occasion. It was my first Malawian graduation, and I wasn't sure what to expect. When I entered Form Three, where the to-do was to be done, I was pleasantly surprised by the students' drawings sprawled across the chalkboard and the pink toilet paper working as stand-in streamers.



Two nearby PCVs came to enjoy the festivities, which got kicked off with a batch of African music videos. The large speakers, much larger than the television screened, blared over the diesel generator. Once the screen flickered to life, we got a glimpse of...the latest music video from back home...no...Celine Dion...no...a Congolese music video of midgets playing soccer...YES. If that isn't bizarre, the completely sober, even melancholy, expression of all the students and guests was, but eventually the giggles between the PCVs (about the TP, the blaring music, the crazy drawings)gave an American casualness, even goofiness, to the event.

Food was about to come, but before we could dig in, a variety of soda was handed out, the music played low while people said jokes, and finally we washed our hands. The Form Three (AKA Junior) girls did all the cooking and dutifully (AKA sarcasm) knelt before men as they washed. Here, for example, you can see the head scrubbing his nails:



The grub was terrific: two types of meat, rice, and a bucket full--literally, we were served greens out of an 18 liter bucket--of greens!

Some kids did a few short plays, read poems, told some more jokes. We were regaled with speeches and more soda, before the group photos were take. Firstly all the Form Fours (AKA Seniors) and then the staff:





Afterward, about every student and his mom wanted a photo with the three bazungu, white people--what everyone in Malawi calls the white Volunteers. Keep your eyes peeled for some of those funny photos tomorrow. Tomorrow maybe.