Bajatripper
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High School Graduation Differences
I recently had the honor of attending my son’s graduation from Preparatoria Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, the high school he attended in La Paz. In
addition to being the oldest high school in the city, Prepa Morelos is also known for its more liberal-leaning policies. For one, it is the only high
school in town that doesn’t mandate a uniform be worn. While the school has a uniform, it’s optional apparel and most students opt to wear civies
(as we called them in the military). The school is also noted for allowing male students to have long hair, which is also unheard of at the city’s
other high schools. My boy enjoyed his time there, which was measured in semesters—students are required to complete six of them for graduation.
A couple of years ago I attended my daughter’s graduation from a US high school, so I couldn’t help but notice a couple of key variances over the
way each culture celebrates a student’s graduation from high school, which I’d like to share with you.
When my daughter graduated, it was basically a repeat of my graduation ceremony back in the mid-70s in Southern California. Just as I had done, my
daughter and her classmates sauntered into their football stadium, wearing the traditional caps and gowns with tassles, and took seats on the field as
friends and family watched from the hometown bleachers. After the ceremony, they tossed caps into the air and let out the customary woops and hollers
and then sought out those who came to congratulate them. Lots of photos were taken. Then, as we had done at my graduation, my daughter and all of her
classmates loaded themselves onto buses and were carted off for a night of fun-and-dance. While my class did the typical So Cal tradition of spending
the evening at Disneyland, my daughter bussed down to some clubs in the state’s biggest city that had been reserved for an evening of alcohol-free
merry-making. Only a fool would believe that no drinking of alcohol took place at either Disneyland or wherever my daughter ended up for the evening,
but efforts were made to keep it to a minimum.
While much of what took place in La Paz would have fit in nicely with the “typical” high school graduation experience in the US, there were a
couple of notable differences. For starters, nobody wore a cap-and-gown and the event was hosted in a local “salon de eventos” (a place set up to
host private parties common in Mexico), this one was located at one of the city’s better hotels. Most of the young men graduating wore slacks and
dress shirts, a few wore ties, but there was no attempt to match colors. The young ladies wore elegant clothing, some bordering on party dresses and
most did up their hair and wore makeup. Again, no efforts to coordinate styles or colors were made. Like us, my son and his classmates also went up on
stage to get their diplomas. They then passed among a line of teachers and local dignitaries to shake hands. Some of the boys and most of the girls
kissed the female teachers and dignitaries on the cheek. After all had diplomas in hand (which is considered a bacherillato degree in Mexico) and a
brief closing remark, they, too, let out a yelp, but had nothing to heave into the air. Afterwards, as in the US, the kids and their families took a
bunch of pictures. And that’s where the similarities ended.
Instead of all of the kids loading up on buses and heading out, we all filtered out of the salon as we felt we’d fulfilled our duties and—at
least, in our case—headed home. It was probably four in the afternoon. At around nine in the evening another event was held at a different salon de
eventos, this one in the open evening air. For 450 pesos (about $26 US), we were provided with a dinner of stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, a
salad, a slice of cake, all of the sodas you could drink and an open bar…for everyone 18 and over. That’s right, the high school hosted an
event where anyone over 18—students included—was served as much alcohol as they pleased. The waiter who served our table ID’d our son
prior to accepting his order for a beer. Since the drinking age in Mexico is 18, nobody found this strange. But I couldn’t help but think how
different this was from the US. I mentioned this to my daughter and she, too, found it strange and amusing. Although she spent many of her earliest
years in La Paz and attended local public schools to the eighth grade, her high school years were spent in the US to prepare her for, so she hasn’t
been exposed to being able to drink after turning 18 (other than one time she was on vacation and got to go club-hopping).
While not all graduates attended the later event, the place was packed. There was dancing among the kids, but I don’t recall any parents taking to
the floor. Around 11:30, our son told us that we should feel free to leave any time we wanted as he and some of his friends planned to go out
bar-hopping after they left the salon.
There most certainly is but one side to every story: the TRUTH. Variations of it are nothing but lies.
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TMW
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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I attended my grandson's high school graduation in Hanford the end of May and I was glad it was at 8pm. It was warm but not hot and got a little
cooler as the night went on. The kids didn't seem to mind the warmth with their gowns on. It was as you say about your daughter's graduation, in the
football stadium.
It doesn't seem to be hard for them to get alcohol when they want it.
[Edited on 7-10-2017 by TMW]
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David K
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Hi Steve, thanks for sharing!
Interesting cultural comparison.
Like you, I graduated high school in the mid-70s and went to 'Grad Night' with classmates and my (2 years younger) girlfriend to Disneyland. No
alcohol, we were having good fun without... and I don't recall drinking at any large social events but indeed we did at private parties, rock concerts
(San Diego Sports Arena), oh ya... and some kids smoked funny cigarettes, too.
Sounds like each country has traditions and that is what makes each unique. I wonder how graduation events are done in Canada?
Good to see you back on Nomad!
You with your daughter and son in 2012 off La Paz... How time flys, right?
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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It's not only country to country that some things are different but state to state too. My oldest grandson went to live a year with his dad in Austin,
Texas a few years ago and found out real quick to say yes sir and no sir (or mam) to the teachers. Also how to dress and look for school, unlike in
CA. Texans didn't put up with smart a$$ kids. After a while he actually liked it there, came back a different kid.
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