Ok, now don't faint on me because I wrote twice in one week! Boy, am I tired! Yesterday we finished the Maturita testing and I am happy to report that everyone graduated. My student, Lukas who I wrote about in an earlier blog, really should have failed the English exam. David and I gave him a 5 but there was a vote from the official panel and they decided to pass him with a 4. I was so torn because I wanted to pass him but knew that he deserved a 5. He failed his maturitas last year and you only get 3 chances so they just wanted to move him along. The grading is very subjective here. If a teacher likes you, you get good grades. I had students thanking me for the grades I "gave" them last semester. The idea of earning grades hasn't occurred to most students. It is so different from what we know in the states.

Speaking of different...last night was the farewell party for the graduates. The seniors grilled meat (the so called BBQ...and sorry to say Mandy, no sauce!) and there where 5 cases of beer plus numerous bottles of vodka, rum (made from potatoes, not sugar), wine and other liquors. This was a party for the teachers and the seniors with a few juniors to boot. Can you imagine hanging out, smoking and getting drunk with your teachers in high school? I thought not. It is the norm here, I think. But quite surreal for me. I gave each of the seniors a postcard from Texas with a small note and my email address. I also gave them a souvenir from Texas i.e., magnets, keychains, etc. Thank you Angela and Ducki for supplying the goods! I had exactly 16 things and 16 seniors so it worked out perfectly. I think they were really touched and that makes me happy. They were a special class for me because the were the best English speakers in the school and helped me adjust in many ways. They made me feel welcome and really wanted to get to know me.
Needless to say, it was a LONG day. The tests started at 8.00 am and finished at 5.00pm. Then there was a short ceremony followed by a champagne toast for the teachers, then the aforementioned party which I left at 12.45 am. The graduates were going to a pub after the party and said they would stay until it closed which is about 6 or 7 am. There is no last call in the Czech Republic so you can drink all night.