Viva Costa Rica!

Well, today has been a really fun day. 

We did a pre-celebration day for El Dia de Independencia (tomorrow) at school.  Learned about some traditional Costa Rican stuff.  I looked pretty adorable in my blue jeans, white shirt and red bandana around my neck, if I do say so myself.  We had some traditional Costa Rican food.  We watched the kids from the very nearby school (I walk past it between the bus stop and ACM) put on a little parade. It was very cute. 

After food, we had some professional dancers come in and do some dancing for us. That was really fun, and we got to practice a bit.

After I got home, Mama and I went to the park at the church a block and a half from my house and watched the faroles.  Faroles are… Hard to explain. They’re sort of like paper lanterns, in any of a number of shapes. Traditional designs are schools, carretas (the traditional cart of Costa Rica), and houses.  However, I saw everything from these designs to an airplane, a bumblebee, a boat, and even My Little Pony and Naruto shaped lanterns!  They sometimes have a light or candle inside them, though not always.  Young kids make them and carry them as part of the celebration.  It was really cool. They played the Costa Rican national anthem (Which is absolutely gorgeous, by the way), Noble Patria, Tu Hermosa Bandera and then the antorcha arrived. The antorcha, or torch, is a Costa Rican/Central American symbol of freedom.  Since Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua all declared their freedom from Spain at the same time, they all have the same Independence Day.  The antorcha starts off in Guatemala and is run all all the way down to Costa Rica by runners, much like the Olympic torch. It was really cool to get to experience. 

While there, we saw a few people my mama knew, and we talked to them a bit.  We met an elderly man, probably at least seventy.  My mama introduced me as “mi otra hija”- “My other daughter”.  That made me go “awww….”.   The old man was very funny and very friendly.  He asked me (jokingly) if I had a boyfriend, and if I wanted one. 

Well, I guess that’s it for now. Since there aren’t classes or work tomorrow, I think we’re going to the beach! ^_^