INDEPENDENCE DAY IN COSTA RICA

This past Sunday, September 15, was Costa Rica's Independence Day. For weeks leading up to last week, my students were constantly being pulled out of class to rehearse for their performance on Friday. Every year the day before the 15th (or the Friday before if it falls on a Sunday like this year), schools put on performances called "actos civicos." These actos civicos are a mixture or short skits, typical dances, readings, and songs all in honor of Costa Rica celebrating its independence from Spain in 1821. I watched a full week of rehearsals and couldn't have been more proud after the final show.

Sunday morning, on the actual day of celebration, we walked down the street to watch the parade go by. It reminded me of being at home on July 4th with my parents, watching the parade go by with all of the different bands playing, officers marching, and baton twirlers twirling their batons. It is pretty similar in Costa Rica except the majority of groups marching are students holding flags or playing the drums. If you can't tell from the faces of these kids in the pictures, it was hot. And this was the end of the parade so I can only imagine how long they had all been marching in the blazing sun.

Happy Independence Day, Costa Rica!

Today I am linking up with Nicole and Rachel for the friends around the world blog hop. I hope you'll go check out some of the other great blogs that are out there!