<a title="flowers for graduation by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7239364846/"><img class="alignleft" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7239364846_10770949bc.jpg" alt="flowers for graduation" width="375" height="500" /></a>I was given these flowers at graduation by the mom of one of my students.

The Bulgarian tradition of giving flowers is such a lovely one. I never expect flowers because we don't have the same longstanding traditions in the States. In fact, at graduation I found myself rather surprised to be receiving flowers.

In my mind, graduation is about the students and their parents and not at all about the teachers. Sure I was there every day teaching your child, I read your child's essays and helped your child with projects but your child is the one who is graduating from high school.

This said, it was a very pleasant surprise to be given these bright red flowers.

So on this weekend where we honor and celebrate teachers, education and

Her daughter was an incredible student. The kind of student you wish all of your students were. I taught this young woman for one year in 10th grade. I met her mother at parent teacher conferences in October of my first year teaching at ACS and it turned out that this mother was also participating in Balkan dance at school. So over the past three years we've grown to be friends.

Both mother and daughter always have a smile and a hello for me.