Norwegian Students Celebrate Graduation with a Twist

Oslo, London - Asharq Al-Awsat

06:03-18 July 2018 AD ـ 05 Thul-Qi’dah 1439 AH

Norwegian Students Celebrate Graduation with a Twist

High school graduates around the world prefer to relax, expel stress and unleash their energy once they finish their exams.

End-of-school celebrations vary from one country to another, but the wildest behavior you will ever see is in Norway.

"During graduation, it's mainly about partying. It may sound funny when I say that, but in fact we have a bit of fun,” says Tanaborn Samviang, 19.

Samviang and her friends Martin, Tobias and Margherita were in their last year at Malakoff High School in the town of Moss, south of Oslo, and for three years they have been looking forward to the week before their final exams to over-celebrate graduating.

Although the exams were around the corner, they were ready to have a good time, as anyone from the Ras - the name given to high school graduates in Norway - have more important things to worry about than exam results.

First, there are clothes that must perfectly suit the occasion, they choose a name to call themselves and select a logo to be printed on shirts and on business cards.

Some even make a special song, and those who can afford the cost of a bus, rent one, along with drinking and celebrating.

This, of course, requires a lot of money, which pushes many Norwegian high school students to save up two or three years prior to the event preparations.

Margherita and Tanaborn said: "We sold candy and handmade socks" to cover the costs. It is also common to knock doors and sell items such as toilet paper.

"Some people can spend between 5,000 and 6,000 euros ($5,800 and $7,000) during this period," said Tobias.

Businesses have taken advantage of this craze and many sell clothes to cater to high school graduates.

Graduate expenses also include the huge fees for musicians who compose songs and cheers for alumni groups.

The graduating groups can get designs for their logos for only a few hundred dollars, but the biggest share of the money is usually spent on renting a bus, which can cost up to 50,000 euros, depending on its sound system.

The graduates tour the city all night, dancing and celebrating without caring about waking up early to go to school the next day, according to the German news agency.

"Over the past few years, there have been more and more complaints about the tours of high school graduates in residential areas," said Jan Stomner of the Oslo police.

"These celebrations include a lot of alcoholic drinks, and there are drugs as well,” she added.

"There are some people who think they are troublemakers," Samviang admitted.

British Baker’s Criticism of Mexican ‘Ugly’ Bread Triggers Social Media Outrage

Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexico City: Asharq Al Awsat

08:22-20 December 2025 AD ـ 29 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

Mexico City: Asharq Al Awsat

08:22-20 December 2025 AD ـ 29 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

British Baker’s Criticism of Mexican ‘Ugly’ Bread Triggers Social Media Outrage

Bolillos, a traditional Mexican bread, sit for sale at a street stand in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

A blunt critique of Mexican bread by a British baker sparked a cascade of social media outrage, ultimately leading to a public apology.

In an interview for a food-themed podcast that resurfaced online, Richard Hart, the co-founder of Green Rhino bakery in Mexico City and a well-known figure in international baking circles, said Mexicans “don’t really have much of a bread culture,” adding that “they make sandwiches on these white, ugly rolls that are pretty cheap and industrially made.”

His comments quickly rippled across Instagram, TikTok and X, with many Mexicans accusing him of being dismissive and insulting of Mexico’s traditional breads.

What began as a dispute over bread soon ignited a national debate over food identity — not only over who defines Mexican culinary traditions, but also over the growing influence of foreigners in a capital already tense from a surge of US expatriates and tourists, according to AP.

Social media was soon flooded with memes, reaction videos, and passionate defenses of Mexican bread.

Users took to social media to praise everyday staples — from the crusty bolillos used for tortas to the iconic conchas found in neighborhood bakeries.

In many cases, these simple street foods act as a uniting factor across social groups and classes, and often cut to the core of the country’s cultural identity.

While wheat bread was introduced to Mexico during the colonial period, the classic food staple evolved into a distinct national tradition, blending European techniques with local tastes and ingredients. Today, small neighborhood bakeries remain central to daily life in cities and towns, serving as social hubs as well as food sources.

The incident prompted many to question why a foreign entrepreneur would publicly disparage a staple so deeply embedded in Mexican life. For many, Hart’s remarks echoed long-standing frustrations over foreign chefs and restaurateurs receiving disproportionate prestige, as well as concerns over gentrification in the capital.

“Don’t mess with the bolillo,” warned one viral post on X.

As criticism mounted, Hart issued a public apology on Instagram, saying his comments were poorly phrased and did not show respect for Mexico and its people. He acknowledged the emotional response and said he didn’t behave as a “guest.”

“I made a mistake,” Hart said in his statement. “I regret it deeply.”

Varieties

High-speed Passenger Train Kills 7 Elephants in India

Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)

Asharq Al Awsat

07:44-20 December 2025 AD ـ 29 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

07:44-20 December 2025 AD ـ 29 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

High-speed Passenger Train Kills 7 Elephants in India

Elephants are used to clear logs and debris in a village affected by flooding in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahyar Tarmizi)

Seven wild Asiatic elephants were killed and a calf was injured when a high-speed passenger train collided with a herd crossing the tracks in India's northeastern state of Assam early Saturday, local authorities said.

The train driver spotted the herd of about 100 elephants and used the emergency brakes, but the train still hit some of the animals, Indian Railways spokesman Kapinjal Kishore Sharma told The Associated Press.

Five train coaches and the engine derailed following the impact, but there were no human casualties, Sharma said.

Veterinarians carried out autopsies on the dead elephants, which were to be buried later in the day.

The accident site is a forested area around 125 kilometers southeast of Assam’s capital city of Guwahati. Railway tracks in the state are frequented by elephants, but Indian Railways said in a statement the accident location wasn't a designated elephant corridor.

The Rajdhani Express train, traveling from Sairang in Mizoram state bordering Myanmar, was bound for the national capital of New Delhi with 650 passengers onboard when it hit with elephants.

“We delinked the coaches which were not derailed, and the train resumed its journey for New Delhi. Around 200 passengers who were in the five derailed coaches have been moved to Guwahati in a different train,” Sharma said.

Speeding trains hitting wild elephants is not rare in Assam, which is home to an estimated 7,000 wild Asiatic elephants, one of the highest concentrations of the pachyderm in India. Since 2020, at least a dozen elephants have been killed by speeding trains across the state.

Wild elephants often stray into human habitations this time of year, when rice fields are ready for harvesting.

Varieties

Winter at Tantora Festival Kicks Off in AlUla

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA

Asharq Al Awsat

15:48-19 December 2025 AD ـ 28 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

15:48-19 December 2025 AD ـ 28 Jumada Al-Alkhirah 1447 AH

Winter at Tantora Festival Kicks Off in AlUla

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences - SPA

The Winter at Tantora Festival launched yesterday in AlUla Governorate and will run until January 10, 2026, marking the beginning of the winter season with a rich program that celebrates the region’s deep-rooted agricultural and historical heritage.

The festival derives its name from the Tantora, a traditional mudbrick sundial located in the heart of AlUla’s Old Town. For centuries, local farmers and residents relied on this stone marker to tell time, manage water distribution rights, and signal the start of the winter planting season, SPA reported.

The 2025–2026 season features a diverse array of immersive experiences. "Old Town Nights" offers an atmospheric evening of heritage storytelling and fine dining at the historic AlUla Fort, while the "AlManshiyah Carnival" creates a festive space for families with traditional games and parades.

Music remains a central pillar of the festival, with performances set against AlUla’s most iconic backdrops. The "Shorfat Tantora" (Tantora Balconies) series brings live music to the rooftops of the AlJadidah Arts District, while major concerts are scheduled at the Maraya mirrored hall and the Thanaya open-air amphitheater.

These events are part of the broader AlUla Moments calendar, supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to highlight the Kingdom's heritage and establish AlUla as a premier global destination.

Norwegian Students Celebrate Graduation with a Twist