ALL OTHER EVENTS.......................

Rather than write a post about each event separately, I am throwing them all together in one. Writing chronologically, after the pool party and final exams we went directly into the "alumno de calidad" event on the afternoon of Wednesday 14th May. This event honours the highest achieveing students across a range of categories.

Elizabeth Laredo Castro, congratulated in her distinction as a high quality student by her tutor Rozenn.

Mauricio comes to the stage to collect his award.

Then, that same evening was the official "ambigu" (this is a word to describe a formal meeting with light food and refreshments served afterwards) with parents. It was a pleasant evening that involved various speeches from the Director of the Campus, and two selected students from the graduating year. It was a chance to celebrate student achievements before the official day of graduation, which is more of a formal event where their diploma is received rather than a time to contemplate and reflect. No pictures from the ambigu I'm afraid.

The official graduation photo came the following morning, Thursday 15th May. I don't have a copy of this electronically but below are some informal photos that I took with students.

Girls-only photo, and I will write their names for the benefit of my future memory - Left to Right (Top) - Darinka Beltran, Jessica Torres Haro, Alejandra Garcia Durazo, Galia Reyes Bernal, Maria Laura, Carolina Felix Robles, (and at the bottom) Georgina Navarro Rojas and Daniela Felix Ramonet.

Boys-only photo, and I will write their names for the benefit of my future memory - Left to Right - Carlos Guerrero, (Warrior) Alejandro, Mario, Carlos Efren, (Carlos II) Oscar Toledo and Narciso.

The "political" couple Ana Madrid del Rio and Diego Ballasteros.

The offical graduation came next, Friday 16th May. I was sitting up on stage behind the Directors of the School anf invited guests, to proudly watch all of my students receive their diplomas one by one. I also had the honour to watch some ex-students from the University also graduate and receive their degrees, as well as 3 of my students in the University from this semester who were finishing.

Graduation Photo with Juan Pedro Cota, Fernando Biebrich and Narciso Romero Pineda.

Next, and finally, was the official student-organised party, held at the Casino building in Hermosillo. I went along with another John from LA who teaches English here, and stayed until the end. It was a good party although I didn't realise that I would be so encouraged to dance and participate by the students! All in all a really nice night and a fitting way to congratulate them on the next stage of this journey called life.....



John

End of the semester, so much happening.....more to come

Well I haven´t written for a while precisely because so much has been going on!! In a nutshell, final exams, the swimming pool party, a meeting with parents to celebrate the impending graduation, the graduation photos, the actual ceremony, the student party afterwards, and Jana´s wedding. I will comment on all of these ASAP and post some pictures too. Also I´m due to visit the UK in a couple of weeks and I look forward to it!

End of Classes and Graduation

So again we come to the time of year where the most senior students graduate and move on to university. The time couldn't have come fast enough, although as always it does seem like a long time coming when you are waiting for it! I found myself with four classes on this final day, and as I teach the entire graduating year group, it was four simple classes of saying goodbye and good luck and posing for a group photo for our memories. That was after of course demanding essays from each and every one of them, which I'm sure that they have been working very hard on. The run up to the official graduation ceremony now begins tomorrow, with a party by the swimming pool in the afternoon (the school has its own pool and seeing as we are already hitting forty degrees it feels very much like the summer I can assure you!) where the tradition of throwing all the teachers into the pool will be observed. This is followed in 2 weeks time by a ceremony to award the highest academic achievers before the graduation affair the following day, May 16th. Crammed in between now and then is a raft of grading essay papers, preparing and administering final examinations, and then tying up loose odds and ends - always busy that's for sure.......

Congratulations to all graduating students!

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