September 14: Festivity-filled Friday

Today was quite an eventful day with all the Independence Day festivities going on both at school and in all the communities.  In addition to that, we had a surprise early dismissal at lunch because there was no electricity at school (or in the area) all morning. 

In celebration of Costa Rica's Independence Day celebration tomorrow, almost all the students came to school dressed in traditional clothing:

One of the other students let Sophia borrow a dress.  What a surprise!  Angelina had no interest in putting on a dress and didn't mind being the only girl without one on.

Each student was required to make a farol, a homemade lantern used later today in a lantern parade. 

 

 

Preschoolers lining up for the 'civil service' the school had after morning recess.  Some moms came to watch too.

Two of the older students led the service and introduced the participants.

The preschoolers were in charge of explaining the colors of the flag.

Besides singing some patriotic songs, the students took turns explaining the various national symbols of Costa Rica.

  Tonight, we walked downtown to check out the festivities.  Crowds gathered on a street down by the ocean and we waited (rather impatiently) for an hour as various dignitaries talked and some groups sang and danced.  We were too far back in the crowd though to see or hear well.  Finally, the crowd was dismissed and everyone walked in mass down the street with most children holding their lit-up faroles (lanterns)

Crowd keeps getting bigger and bigger as they listen and watch the speakers and performers on a large outdoor stage.

There were lots of different kinds of lanterns - some obviously bought and others very creatively constructed by hand.  It was also very evident that many of the lanterns completed as 'homework' were the result of heavy parental involvement.