vuipusknoi (the beginning of the rest of our lives)

On Sunday, my students will celebrate their initiation into the world of adulthood. It's a celebration called "Vuipusknoi," and can be equated roughly to the American high school prom, though it is not celebrated in the same way. In many ways it will be like many other traditional Russian celebrations: there will be dancing, singing, and alcohol. But in some ways it is very different. Everyone dresses up in nice suits and dresses (which is like our prom). The parents and teachers, instead of chaperoning as they would in the States to prevent ribald debauchery and fornication, also celebrate, which means that mothers, fathers, old men and women, and these 18-year-olds who were of late students, all get smashed together and party until the wee hours of the morning at the school. That, to say the least, is unheard of in the States. While Kolya assures me that the students only drink champaign, I have my doubts. He also slurred out the statement that everyone has their own personal tolerance and knows when to stop drinking; I thought it ironic that I had to remind him, as he was drunk himself when he said it, that they rarely do stop. Nina told me that when their oldest son, Jenya, graduated, they stayed out until 6 am because as they were going back to their home, someone stopped them on the street and they all started drinking toasts again. I told them that I found this a little strange. Kolya said we have different mentalities, and on this matter, I would have to agree. I don't want to transmit the message that Russians are lushes. They feel that nothing is official or christened until someone or someones have toasted to its health, wealth, and happiness, and so this tiny village's young adults will inaugurate the beginning of the rest of thier lives, as they say in Russian, "washed thoroughly" in drink.