Civics Week!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, we have been busy moving into a new house. Now that we are settling in, I wanted to post on Civics Week. In Costa Rica, Indepedence Day is the 15th of September. Every year they have a week full of patriotic events leading up a big Independence Day parade in Cobano in which there are participants from all the surrounding areas including Montezuma, Cobano, Tambor, and Santa Teresa. The parade starts a little way past the medical clinic and then goes through town and finishes at the town gymnasium (where all the community events are held). It was a long way to walk! I was in the ribbons group, we did a ribbon dance.

My sister was in the band. All of the instruments were made from recycled materials. 

After the parade there were snacks for the people who participated. The snack consisted of a small plate of arroz con pollo and juice in a bag. We often get drinks in plastic bags here. You just bite a hole in the end and suck out the juice. I guess it is kind of like a Capri Sun but no straw :-). 

There was also a lighted lantern parade the night before. My sister and I made our own for a school project. Mine was a traditional Costa Rican oxcart and my sister's was a tree.

The night before that, I was part of a celebration in which my school and Tambor Bay School participated. Some kids danced,

some of my teachers even danced,

and I sang with my class while one of my teachers, Señor Ramirez, played the guitar. 

I wasn't able to understand everything that went on but I'm glad I got to be a part of it. 

Pura Vida!

JB