Studenten!

I'll take a break from my vacation recap to catch up on what's been happening here at home.

The day after we got home from our Budapest trip, my mother and stepfather arrived for their three-week long visit. They've done this several times, and it's a wonderful way for them to spend some time with their granddaughter. They've rented a house in a nearby town, so it's pretty low key. We've done some sightseeing and eaten plenty of "fika."

On Friday we were invited to our neighbor's daughter's graduation. I've never been to a Swedish "studenten" before, so this was an interesting experience. My daughter especially enjoyed hanging out with the big girls: the guest of honor and her sisters. They babysit for her every now and then, and she idolizes them.

Studenten was not at all like an American high school graduation with its endless speeches and people getting their names called one by one. Families and friends gathered outside of the school in groups under signs with embarrassing pictures of each student when they were little. We could hear faint singing from inside the building, then suddenly the graduates ran out and filled the stage. They did this as a pack, so only the few students in front were visible.

They sang a few drinking-type songs, and that was it. They dispersed to be congratulated. People hang stuffed animals, bottles of champagne, or bouquets of flowers around the graduate's neck. In order to protect their clothes from all this, they wear a special plastic apron.

After this, they divided up into their classes and piled into hay trailers behind tractors. There was more singing as they drove laps around the school. It was an absolutely lovely sunny day, so we got quite warm before they were done with this. More hugs and congratulations, and the graduates each got into fancy vehicles for the ride to their family parties.

We stayed at the neighbor's party until about 10 PM. At some point after that, she left to rejoin her classmates at their party.