GRADUATION!!!

Our girls had traveled so far and endured so much and we celebrated them today. Another chance to do photo ops!

I have never seen so many beautiful saris. Our students and staff were dazzling. Even the shalwar kameez were gleaming.

Not to be outdone, I decked myself out in baro't saya. Throughout the ceremony, I flounced down the aisles and proudly replied that, yes, this is our traditional formal wear, and no, I am not Malaysian.

The ceremony itself was perfect. The gratitude that the students felt for their teachers was palpable, and there was so much love and goodwill in the air that I didn't break a camera over the obnoxious press people's heads.
The girls did a slideshow presentation to what seems to be their favorite song, something about "you lift me uuuup," and everyone started WEEPING. I mean, this was basically the Estrogen Zone. Fortunately, the Chair of the Graduation Planning Committee had the foresight to appoint a Tissue Committee (which turned out to be the Table Napkin Committee, but I digress). We had tissue/table napkins for all.

The main reason that the ceremony was such a success was that the Chair and everyone on the Committee worked insanely hard to get everything organized. OMG, committees actually get things done! An important life lesson, I'm sure. One day I will assign someone to be Chair of My Wreck of a Life Committee. Then I can blame it on that person! Brilliant~!!!

Here, Mama, all these pictures have me in them so you can see how cute I still am. Apparently I look like a student, so the Cambodian students declared that I am their 9th member. Don't I look just like them?