Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend my Thai friends' Commencement (or graduation) from Silpakorn University in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. This was a fun experience that allowed me to reflect back to my own graduation day. It's hard to believe - but just a little over a year ago, I was the one graduating. To be honest, I don't think that "post grad life" has been as bad or as scary as everyone made it out to be. In fact, I've really enjoyed it so far!
Attending a Commencement in Thailand was extremely interesting for me because it's so different than in America. One of the main differences is that in America, the only people who actually come to your graduation are your close friends and family. Because let's be honest, who actually wants to sit through a 4 hour ceremony listening to strangers' names being called?
However, in Thailand, graduates pretty much invite anyone and everyone they know to the commencement. Why? Because no one goes to the actual ceremony, not even your parents! The only people who are allowed in the hall for the graduation ceremony are the graduates and a few particular professors. Therefore, if you're invited to a graduation, that basically means you're invited to come, make an appearance, say hi, bring gifts/flowers/chocolate/teddy bears/etc, take pictures with your friends, then leave. Pretty easy!
These are two of my close friends that I met through work. Pik (on the left) and Mean (on the right), both graduating from the Faculty of Arts. Pik majored in English and minored in German and Mean majored in German and minored in English (funny, right?).
This is another close friend, Lukpla, who I met through a mutual friend from college. Lukpla studied the Faculty of Pharmacy which was a 6 year program and now lives and works in Bangkok.
Another major difference is that in America, your graduation ceremony is usually about a week or two after you finish your classes for the semester. However, in Thailand, the commencement is usually months after you finish. For example, my friends finished classes at the end of February and their commencement was in July. Because this is the norm in Thailand, you can still apply and get jobs without having your actual diploma in hand yet.
As you can probably tell from the pictures, the graduates have to wear a very strict uniform in order to attend the commencement ceremony. For girls this includes: knee-length formal blue pencil skirts with a brown university belt, stockings, special matching black heels, and a white button-up uniform blouse with a university pin. Then, of course, the black gown and faculty hood over this. My friends all expressed disappointed that they didn't get to wear the caps like we do in America. They said they wanted to throw them in the air, like they've seen in the movies. Also, all girls must have black hair (if it's not, then you have to die it) and is must be tied back. For boys, you can't have any facial hair. If you don't want to follow these rules, then you can't attend the ceremony. It's literally laughable to me to think about the utter outrage that would ensue at Elmhurst College if we were given these same rules for our graduation ceremony. I can already image what the hateful Facebook updates would look like. I would estimate less than 20% of people would come to the ceremony.
Before my graduation, we had a 1 hour "rehearsal" the night before where we met in the chapel and got in our seating order and that was about it. However, in Thailand, you have THREE full day (7 hour) rehearsals before the real graduation day. And these are like full dress rehearsals in outfits, makeup, and everything. On the last (real) commencement day, the graduates are actually handed their diploma by a member of the Royal Family. In this year's case, one the King's daughter's (the Princess) will hand the diplomas. Therefore, that is the main reason why everything must be absolutely perfect and everyone must look and act respectable. To be able to meet a member of the Royal Family is a pretty big deal and not every Thai person can say that they've done so.
It was a neat experience to be able to attend (by attend - I mean take pictures?) a Thai commencement ceremony. More cool updates coming soon :)
No comments:
Post a Comment