Maturaball

So Austrian high schools have something called a Maturaball. It's somewhat like prom, but the it's not usually held at the end of the year, parents and families also attend and there is alcohol! (The drinking age in Austria for beer and wine is 16!)

I went to my first Maturaball last Fall. Unfortunately, I had not been in Austria very long and thus did not know any of my teachers or students very well. I also went alone, and it's never fun to go to a dance alone.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Maturaball for one of the schools in the neighboring village of St. Johann im Pongau. I went with my fellow Pongau TAs, one from America and the other from France, as their "date." While this was not the ball for my school, I saw a lot of students I know! St. Johann and Bischofshofen have a lot of overlap, with a lot of my students living in St. Johann and vice versa. Of course they served alcohol and had a crazy dance room. I had a lot more fun this time, because I wasn't alone and I know the students better. And they all came up and said hello to me!