It’s the time of year when High School students around the world are in the thick of exams, struggling to stay focussed on classes, looking forward to graduation, and celebrating the end of the year with proms and banquets!  Banquet at Rain Forest International School is a major event; dinner out, dancing (appropriate ballroom dance steps learned in gym class for the occasion), and dressing up. 

Michelle with friends at the banquet

The girls start weeks in advance, raiding the hostel closets and shopping at the big outdoor markets.  Then there are usually alterations to make the dresses fit, or to make them meet the dress code, or just to personalize them.  Then the accessories – shoes, ribbons, purses, etc. 

The guys also head to local markets in search of used tuxes or suits, ties, shoes etc.  And they get local tailors to make them fit and look good!  Result:  a grand evening out!

 Not only for the students, staff and spouses are also invited.  So Ron and I attended the evening under tents in the yard of the Hotel Azur in Yaounde, with the President’s palace in the background.  It was a lovely cool evening.  The food was great: fish, chicken, beef, cooked vegetables, rice, potatoes and plantains, salads of avocado & tomato and small cakes for dessert.

 On this particular evening the President was travelling.  Since we live on the main road between his house and the airport, we saw special police and guards all along the route to the hotel that evening.  Just as we were to leave the banquet, all those roads to our house were closed!  It was quite a challenge getting home that evening.  But it was worth it !  The students looked great; the food was great; the fellowship was great and a good time was had by all!