Dieciocho

Chilean Independence Day has come and past. A week long celebration of asados (bbq's), ramadas (a lot like a county fair), cueca dancing (traditional dance of Chile), empanadas (empanadas), and drinking (terremoto's). 

Lots of activities, lots of sleep, and lots of fun. 

The students really were the best part of it, as per normal. They danced, they dressed up, they played sports games, they flew kites. 

Here are kids at Dario Salas, getting their cueca on. 

Students getting their cueca on at Dario Salas 

So cute in their traditional dress

The man in the tan jacket is my head teacher, the teacher I work with. He couldn't dance cueca, and all the kids were cracking up. Though I can't dance either, I definitely had a chuckle or two, he just looked so ridiculous.

At Liceo Forestal Pehuen, they had a field day instead of a traditional dancing assembly. Tug of war, three legged races, bag races, and a few traditional games. 

tug of war

The interesting thing was the whole field day was by classes, so each competition had point values attached to it.
At the end of the day, they announced that if someone from your class shaved his/her head, that class would receive 5,000 points. Well, how many kids do you think wanted to shave their head at my not participating school?

Surprisingly, the kids were pretty into the day and were just having a great time and three kids shaved their heads. It was crazy! 

Look at all that hair on the ground!! It's the hair from all three of them.


On Friday of that week, there was a big Padre Las Casas wide DESFILE! or Parade. Which wasn't really all that much of a parade, it was them waiting on the main street of Padre for 2 hours past the start time, when fianlly they started, only to walk two or three blocks. It was strange.

The strangeness aside, everyone was dressed up in traditional garb, or in their respective school's finest! Everyone was looking good. It was great fun, since both of my schools were there, so I got to hang out with both my students.  

So cute, can't handle it. 

All the kids in red sweaters with the plaid skirts and grey tights are my Dario Salas kids. In fact, that tan building in the background is actually Dario Salas! 

Here is my host sister! She's looking beautiful! 

God. Too cute. Couldn't handle how cute some of my students were. the kid who has his eyes closed is one of my favorites, he's kind of a troublemaker, but he loves playing games. 

Some of the girls! This group is the group that always bugs me about the Professor and I being together. hahaha. Oh 12 year old girls. 

Dario Salas also had a band section! I had no idea! 

Now on to the Liceo kids, not looking quite as cute, but still they were all in such a good mood! It was fun to just hang out outside of the class.

cute!

Some of them dressed up for the desfile, looking fly!

I've never seen them quite so organized! It was impressive! 

Hahaha. They were yelling, trying to get my attention. 

Overall, they really are good kids.



Now, I leave with you one final picture of adorableness. Look at how cute these kids are!

Fiestas Patrias turned out to be a lot of fun. Getting involved with all the festivities, seeing the kids get really excited about something, it put a huge smile on my face. =]