where in the world: Celebrations!

Well, apparently, May is the month of celebrations and fancy clothes. With the school year winding down, every weekend in May has been filled with concerts, art shows, and various celebrations.

First was the annual Mela, which is kind of like a carnival. It takes place at Woodstock, but vendors and visitors come from all over. There are dances and performances throughout the day as well as lots of shopping and eating. The vendors represent a variety of non-profit organizations and NGOs from the area. The food is made mostly by Woodstock students; the Korean booth is by far the most popular.

The Quad decorated for the Mela.

Bhutanese students in National Dress.

Bhutanese/Nepali/Tibetan Dance performed by high school girls.

High school boys cooking up delicious Korean noodles.

The next big event was graduation. Unlike past years, this year the seniors graduated two weeks before the rest of the school finished. It was a bit tricky (and stressful) for those of us who teach more than just senior classes, but ultimately it turned out well. The event, in true Woodstock fashion, included three days of events with plenty of goodbyes and occasions for dressing up.

The class of 2010 in National Dress, including Korean, Tibetan, Nepali, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, German, American, Canadian, and more!

Saris for the Graduation ceremony!

After graduation, Laura and I headed into the bazaar to attend our first Indian wedding! We actually have never met the bride or groom, but we know the bride's mother. We didn't attend all the events, but we saw the groom's processional and the actual ceremony. It was a Christian wedding, with a twist of Hindu traditions.