Matrix (Prom)

Friday night was my school's Matrix farewell (prom).  I wasn't really sure what to expect; the girls at school had been talking about their dresses all week and all but a dozen of the 12th graders bothered to show up for school on Friday.  All signs pointed to a big event, and big it was.

The "spread".  Seafood apatizers and a selection of meat dishes for dinner.  It was all very good.	The event room.  It took place at the hotel school for the Namibian technical collage.	The tables were setup very nicely.  The candle center pieces I helped pick out.  :-)

The night got off in typical Namibian style with my ride showing up 45 minutes late and the opening of the doors happening a full hour after the time printed on the invitations.  After that however everything went pretty well.

A toast to bright futers and high marks.	A group of girls enjoying their dinner	The principal talked about how she knew most of these learners when they first entered Hage Geingob as 8th graders.

I setup a mini photography studio with three spot lights donated by a German documentary film maker.  Photos were the order of the night.  I spent the first 30 minutes popping picture after picture; girl, girl with guy, girl with girlfriends, girl looking this way, girl looking that way, guy holding cell phones (yes, that's some sort of status symbol here for high-school aged boys), guy with arms around girl, and on and on.

Everyone getting ready for their photographs	The guys always looking as cool as possible.	Yes, that's an alcoholic drink in her hand.
Mrs. Britz is holding the camera, she is responsible for all of the planning for the event.  The learners gave her a very emotional and thoughtful tribute during the evenint.	Eric, one of my favorite learners, showing his movies on the dance floor.

The official program started by introducing each of the 71 grade 12 learners.  Then speeches, a nice toast and dinner.  Then more pictures.

Some of the studio pictures from the night.  It's going to be a mad house at the Photo Lab on Monday as all the 12th graders crowd around to see and print their photos.

The crazy part was the bar.  Can you imagine an open bar at a high school prom?  Well, there was one here.  Learners were ordering shots, mixed drinks and beers.  Some of the teachers had to have started early because they were drunk even before the official program finished.  By 11:30 I was ready to go home when I noticed I was one of about three teachers who were not drunk and the learners started stumbling over to ask for pictures which were borderline inappropriate.

That aside, everyone had a good time and I think the learners got a night they will never forget.  Neither will I.