The year I studied in France the exchange program from our school would take the grade the teacher gave us, compare it with other native and exchange students in the class, factor in somehow the teacher's evaluation of us and our evaluation of the teacher, and *somehow* come up with a grade. I got a 12/20 in French lit and a 16/20 in Prehistory (he was so nice to me, for me to get that grade on an oral exam on a randomly chosen subject). My American GPA went up.

I'm still bitter about the fact that my 13s and 14s junior year were Bs to my university but As anywhere else.

I heard many times the explanation that they're really tough at University, especially the first year, because it's so cheap for French students to go to college that they need to weed a bunch out. I don't know how true this is, or was in 1996, anyway.

Sort of. There's just a big inclination to not inflate grades. I taught first years at one of the most exclusive universities in the country and my mandated class average was 10 out of 20 (I think for second years that went up to 10.5). So, if you wanted to give someone a 14, you had to really want to. I think 15 was the highest grade I ever gave and 7 was the lowest.

I also had to rank each student in my class and you were limited on the number of ex-aequos you could give.

I have bloody well concluded that y'all are funny.

OK, here's another topic: Why would you throw someone a surprise going-away party? If my boss hadn't just told me, I would have started to think that there wasn't going to be one! And I want a going-away party!

dude, your office, as a culture, is lacking in social skills.

It's just her office telling her, "Dude, nobody likes you. Surprise! We do like you!"

Word of warning - don't let anyone bring in a John Deere.

I suspect this opinion is shared by many here, but I really dislike surprise parties

They do this shit all the time here, and I just think it's bizarre. It's not like it's a surprise that I'm leaving!

It's not like it's a surprise that I'm leaving!

If it's supposed to be a surprise that they care, it's probably just as well you're going.

I don't think I have ever had a surprise party. If all of you are at my house some day when I get home, it's all good. I did throw DH a surprise party for his 40th. It was particularly insane since he scheduled us to leave town the next day because he didn't know.