2003-05-29 - 8:28 p.m.
The "Last Bell" rang May 24th at 5 Specialized School Parkent. I witnessed the first seventeen students of mine graduate, including my four best English speakers. We're going to need a good recruiting summer or next year could be a long one.
5 Specialized School Parkent held a ceremony in the school courtyard. The rugs were hung from ropes, the chairs and tables were arranged, and the sound system set up. The student body sat and faced the school door, observing Form 11A's and 11B's procession out of school for the last time. The graduates were handed roses and placed at the front of the audience. Then an hour performance of speeches, dances, and and a boxing skit, including Iron Sardar Tyson and Mirvali Lewis highlighted the afternoon. In typical Uzbek fashion, the electricity did not work, requiring the music performances to improvised and microphones to be abandoned. But, the day was typical of any graduation ceremony, with the excitement of what's to come and the thoughtfulness of memories. Placed at the front table with the faculty, I was also a little sentimental. My first school year in Uzbekistan is complete and my first set of students is moving on. Eleven A was my favorite group, mostly because their English was at a level where we could do things in class like have debates about the best "phase" of life, answer the question "what is love?," and discuss the importance of self-esteem. With this graduation, I lose Rustam, my best English speaker. Rustam just returned from Yerevan, Armenia, where he represented Uzbekistan in the International Olympiad for Russian. He speaks Russian, English, and Uzbek rather well for a 17 year-old, especially considering his native language is Kazakh. With 11A, I also lose Maxsuma, the most articulate and clever student I teach. Maxsuma is also the best English speaking girl in the school and it was her translation ability in class that kept debates even between boys and girls. Bekzod and Saidjon will be missed as well, especially because they have the most determination. Bekzod will attempt to enter Westminster Univeristy, a branch of which is in Tashkent. Saidjon is the eldest son of Kasimjon, my counterpart, and he is the student body president. Saidjon will attend the University of World Languages to study journalism. Finally I will miss Sabohat, perhaps the worst English speaker in my 11A class. Sabohat hopes to be an Uzbek Literature teacher, and the smile she brought to class everyday was as sweet as the honey her father sells to me at a discount price. I will miss both her smile and the honey.
I take it as a sure sign of success that I will miss these students. I assume my pride for them and admiration for their intellect and resilience means that I like the work I do. That makes the tough days here, with the petty inconveniences and periods of lonliness, worth it. Congrats 5SSP Class of 2003!
