In Search of a Home

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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Sommar Och Skolanavslutning (Summer and School Closing (Graduation)



High School Graduation, which in the US usually culminates in a Prom, and all the glamor, in some other countries new graduates get what they call 'Farewell Parties' from their younger schoolmates, in Sweden it is partly a family, and community affair.  Sweden, is a very interesting example of balancing individuality and community.  Family is important in this country, but so is being an independent individual, so much so that partners take a break from each other for a few weeks to find their center.  They don't call it that, only that that break is not considered a problem in the relationship, not something to be fixed.  Just a need to gain balance again. I find that fascinating.  

Despite all that, there is so much more 'family' that I have seen here.  And immigrants add to that value for family.  Swedes have a strong tradition of adopting children.  So you see many adopted children, who look very different from their parents but seem very well adjusted.  Often times even the people who have biological children adopt children.  

So, coming back to the tradition of high school graduation, which is very different from what I have seen else where.  High school graduation for Swedish youngsters is a tradition that has been going on for generations.  It combines a church ceremony, involves the parents and ofcourse ends in a party.  Parents bring embarrassing pictures of their children, put them on a poster board and flag it around... The youngsters who are about to step into the adult world, take it in the stride and compare their pictures with those of their friends.

But that party is still very Swedish.  So, how do the immigrants to Sweden celebrate their graduation.  While most of them go through the traditional one, they also have a communal party.  Which is where I got the following pictures.  I was heading towards the grocery store, it was past 9 pm, about mid June.  I saw these gorgeous young women dressed in lavish gowns.  In Sweden, you get very few days to dress up in fine, lithe, dressy fabrics.  So, these youngters wore these beautiful gowns and I took their pictures, as I asked for their permission to put them on my blog.  






Ah that red!!  That red!!  These are young Kurdish girls who grew up in Sweden. 





This one almost blinded me, and I angled my camera so I could take the picture such that the glimmer and shimmer of the gown came across.  And I think it was not the gown, it was that gorgeous smile that made her glow!!



And look at these gorgeous girls...full of hope, looking forward to a new life...




Here, I just asked her to model for me.

I am grateful to these youngsters for providing material for my blog.  Thankyou beautiful girls...



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