Independence Day

Today is Independence Day! And we lucky Americans get two whole days off of school which means a 4-day weekend for us. I could not be more excited. We've only been in school for 3 weeks but it feels like an eternity. We are moving so fast that it will be nice to just rest, study and hang out this weekend. We're going to lunch tomorrow with the LAM President and his wife, and then going to try to get to the Children's Museum on Saturday. Emma isn't feeling too well, so we'll have to see about that. For Independence Day, the kids at Sojourn all made faroles (lanterns) to carry in a parade through the streets surrounding the school. They had a special assembly in the gym at around 6pm and then we all walked the streets with fire-lit lanterns.

Who cares that these kids range from ages 2-9?

They can handle fire, right?

Will and Jack goofing off in front of the Independence Day decorations at Sojourn

Costa Rica Independence Day - September 15th

My kids were really confused about all the red, white and blue decorations everywhere. They kept asking if they loved America here in Costa Rica, but I pointed out that the colors of the Costa Rican flag were also red, white and blue...confusing to them

The kid's lanterns...so proud

Jack's was the bottom of a Coke bottle with truck stickers all over and "Costa Rica Jack" written on his sign. Emma's was full of puppy dogs and hearts. Since neither of them had anything to do with Costa Rica, they didn't even come close to placing in the lantern contest. But they sure loved their lanterns! Found out later we were supposed to have a hook to hang the lanterns on to carry them...oops. You know, cut us some slack, we're gringos.

Jack and his friend Bethany with their lanterns. She's only a month older than Jack!

Emma and her friend Marcy

Me with new friends Claudia (from Canada) and Jennie (from Montana). We're in classes together at ILE and our kids are all around the same age

The girl in the back looks thrilled to be carrying the flag

This was hilarious to me. Will brought his long grill lighter to light our kid's lanterns when it was time for the parade. Apparently no one else remembered to bring fire with them, so Will became the official lighter of lanterns. Parents were passing their lanterns down from all over the room for Will to light. As you can see, each lantern was a complete fire hazard with paper mache, toilet paper rolls, tissue paper and cereal boxes...and we didn't hesitate to light them all up in the middle of the school gym.

Next Will burned Emma's chin with the lighter so we had to go home and get ice. He was in the middle of lighting her lantern and she leaned over to look inside her box right as he was taking the lighter out...totally not his fault. But it was horrible timing. She cried the whole parade.

My best attempts at pictures during the parade. It was led by the drummers from the high school at Sojourn and we even had police escorts. So cool!

Traffic stopped...they were not thrilled

Costa Rican dancers at the assembly

There's my Grammar teacher in the middle

Since we did all this fun celebrating last night we decided to sleep in, make pancakes and hang out in pajamas all day today. We heard there were parades everywhere through town today and that everyone sings the national anthem together at 6pm. Like, cars pull over on the side of the road and people salute and sing. The national anthem is played over all the radios and tvs and the whole country sings together in unison. Sounds pretty cool, but it just dawned on me that we missed it. We were just too busy being lazy Americans. Or maybe it was last night and that's why we had the parade then? I don't know. Like I could actually sing the national anthem anyway. Happy Independence Day Costa Rica!