Día de la Mujer

Día de la Mujer, which falls on March 8th to be exact, is supposedly an international holiday…although I will admit that I never knew the holiday existed until this past Monday. Regardless, I think it is one of my new favorite holidays. The day started with a two-hour program put on by the seventh grade class. The program consisted of songs, poems, dances and a rose presentation (one given to each of the female teachers). To represent the women and mothers in all parts of the world, the seventh grade class split up into groups and learned dances from different parts of the world. The songs chosen to represent the Estados Unidos were “You Ain’t Nuthin’ but a Hound Dog” along with a mix of other similar songs, which I thought was hilarious. Maybe they think that is still how we are getting our groove on in the USA. I guess I am alright with that misconception, as I would say that as a whole we Americans just don’t know how to move like Latin Americans do. Actually, there is no comparison…while the LA youngsters grow up with their hips swinging to the constant blaring beats of merengue and salsa I was clapping along to “B-I-N-G-O” and “Row your Boat” (along with s slew of Disney songs) until I was old enough to choose my own radio station (and then it was Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys, dios mio).

Getting back to the topic of Día de la Mujer, after the program classes were cancelled and all teachers went to a close-by town to have a trout lunch (I fished for the trout myself thank you very much), followed by more than a few drinks and some friendly dancing to nacional música de Ecuador, cumbia and salsa. I like to imagine my experiences here in the escuela in a small Ecuadorian mountain town happening back in my elementary and high school in the US…although it is hard to imagine because it would never happen. The two education systems really are worlds apart.

I am going to have a respite from school stories and the likes because this Saturday (in only three days) John (mi hermano) is coming to visit for a week and then I am going home for a week and a half. I am going to pick up John in Quito where we will spend a couple days, then off to Mindo and the cloud rainforest for a couple days and then to Baños/El Triunfo. It will be nice to be home for a bit to recharge and to take some time to think about things I can do in the school and teaching wise as there aren’t many resources here in El Triunfo. Project ideas? Want to help sponsor a new library in the elementary school República de Suiza? Holler at me!

Besote,
Megan

PS – Feliz de de la Mujer (a couple days late) to all the mujeres that read this blog. Especially to my mom who es la major de todas! ☺