Where is Absentia

Our family attended our daughers & neices grade 12 graduation on Friday past. My husband is partial deaf so he does not realize he is loud when he is "whispering". He can't sit still for very long before he gets bord so the whole ceremony he "whispered". At one point he went for a cigerette and when he came back I had moved my daughter so that K could sit between B (partner in crime) and myself - I figured he could have someone else to talk to besides me. He came back and started "whispering" again. His little funny was where is Absentia. If a child was unable to make the cap and gown ceremony then when their name was called the principal would say that they passed in absentia. Well, after the ceremony at dinner my husband came right out and said to the whole group "is Absentia a place where they have alot of exchange students". He was serious (which does not happen very often) He really thought absentia was another country. He has been around the world and has never heard of this country so was going home to look it up. ABSENTIA: in absence