tradition 1 : graduation day

Today while i was working at the local library of Chester, i saw by the window a group of people, some wearing a ceremony robe, and other dressed like if they were going to a wedding..
I had forgot, this is graduation day.
Here in England, this is a really big tradition. It symbolises the passage from one life to an other. You are no longer just a student, you have a degree, and it really is important.

We don't realise that because in France, we just go, at the end of our exam to the university, check out the piece of paper hung on the wall to see if we made it or not. And that is all.
Here, the entire family is involved. Your parents are here, your brother, sister, all dressed up to the nine.Just for you, to recognise that what you have done is important. Because this is a big step for you as a person. You are now a doctor, a biologist, a teacher and so on...

The robe also is really important, because it shows to everybody that you are part of something different. You and the people around you, who made it too... You are now part of an other world. You had the right to wear the robe, because you have made something decisive with your life...

I think we should get inspired by them. Maybe not with all the splendor around it...

  Mais simplement par le fait que pour eux, être allé à l'université et réussir son diplôme représente quelque chose de vrai, de respectable et d'honorable. C'est une étape cruciale dans leur vie, et toute la famille y est impliquée...un peu comme pour un mariage. On passe d'un état à un autre ,on est soit tout en étant quelqu'un d'autre.... et il s'en font un devoir et une joie de le célébrer.

Congratulation to all the graduates of the year 2011!