Sofia Somewhere

The week before last was a busy one, with our school celebrating a Semana Cultural or cultural week. Us English teachers donned some typical blouses and joined the rest of the Guatemalans in celebrating their culture. 2018 English Team Much like  last year 's, for each day of the week, we had a different activity. First up were folkloric dances. We had the adorable kids from Pre-K join us. I sat with this cutie who was amused by the front camera of my phone. Grade by grade, the students performed for the parents. There were some traditional dances, and others that were more story-like depicting a market day or a corn harvest. Primero's Market Dance Kinder's Corn Harvest Dance The Pre-K students wore some mini versions of the kites that are popular in the Giant Kite Festival held on November first (as seen at the end of this post ). The next day, we had rhythmic gymnastics. The little ones are always happy to smile for the camera...

Independence Day is a day of strong pride and patriotism in many countries, and Guatemala is no exception. Cities adorn their streets with flags or banners and streamers bearing the blue and white colors of the Guatemalan flag. Restaurants and stores likewise decorate their establishments, and many will also have promotions and discounts for the month. Parades with bands take place throughout the day, and firecrackers light the sky at night. All over the country there are celebrations taking place to pay tribute to the day 196 years ago when Guatemala and many other Latin American countries claimed independence from Spain after 300 years of colonial rule. My school had a variety of events culminating in a cultural week to commemorate the holiday. One of our first events was an acto cívico . Aside from the customary singing of the national anthem and reciting the pledge of allegiance, students from each grade level recited poems about Guatemala. The next major event we h...