18February2011 Results

Normally Fridays in this neighborhood are quite tranquil, peaceful even.  Yom al-Juma (Friday) is the Mus. day of prayer so all schools are closed, most businesses are shuttered (the ones that open do so after noon) and people sleep in.  Even the kids playing football in the street wait until later in the day to do so.  But not today.  This morning our neighborhood exploded into an impromptu, exuberant ruckus.  Car horns blaring, drums beating, trumpets blasting, singing, cheering and screaming.  No, it wasn't  the second coming, it was teenagers, and their parents, celebrating the results of the interim, high school exams.
Our apartment is near an all-girl high school so we get to witness these events as they unfurl.  Around 7 o'clock the students start showing up at the school.  They gather in small groups.  Nervous chatter and some giggling emanates from these groups in anticipation of the results being posted, which happens around 8.  As scores are revealed the celebrations begin, celebrations which will continue throughout the weekend.  Students will ride around town, hanging out the windows and sunroofs of automobiles.  Horns will be honked to near exhaustion.  Guns and fireworks with be fired into the air.  Music and dancing with take place and of course their will be lots and lots of food involved.  It really is something to behold.