February is a significant month for elementary school students, for most graduate from their schools and proceed to their next level. Parents mark this milestone for their children by giving them a bouquet of paper flowers...ah though you can usually see bouquets of sweets as well. Most parents opt for the traditional flower bouquet.
However, this celebration is very short lived because their next session begins within two weeks of graduation. Education in South Korea is a year round event, often with very full class loads and extracurricular activities that extend deep into the evening hours. There is no mistaking the performance based system that is deeply imbedded within this culture, but nothing beats the smiles on these students faces as they beam proudly carrying these symbols of achievement.
