Lest you think I have left the planet, I’d better write a little something of my life this past while. I guess I last wrote on Easter weekend, which seems like ages ago but is not really. The days are so full that a week seems like a long time. I average 4-5 pages a day in my journal trying to capture all the memories of this experience. On the other hand, the time seems to be racing by. I wake up on Monday and teach that morning and think about my week and the next thing I know it’s Friday again.
Like many things we hear about from others, the description of Semana Santa was greatly exaggerated in the negative when it was told to me. I think some of the stories about the wildness on the beach may have been from the past but they seem to be taking steps to have it under control and keep everyone safe. I did not go to the beach at night but I never do anyway. I did walk there several different days so I could see for myself. The crowds were larger than usual. I am told this is the biggest week for tourism. People come from inland to spend time at the beach because it is a holiday for them. There were big drinking tents set up at the restaurants and huge sound stages for speakers and music, that could be heard all the way to my room when it played at night. I saw them blowing up a giant water slide at one place and they pumped water from the ocean to wet it down. I guess you can get anything in a ‘blow-up’ nowadays.
Even the local people, who never seem to go to the beach, went on Easter weekend. They took picnics and flew kites and had a marvellous time, I’m sure. Another tradition for Easter seems to be for all the girls to get fancy beaded hairdos. You can always see some with beads in their hair but during this week I saw more and they were very elaborate. I asked my Spanish teacher and he confirmed it.
Now things are back to normal and we’re into the final stretch. Only 9 weeks left. I continue with my English classes and am busily working on uniforms for next year. I occasionally think about home, which is part of a healthy transition when the end is near. I’m happy to not be going back to cold and snow.
The election hype continues to accelerate with daily visits from trucks driving in and out through all the streets carrying huge speakers playing music and making announcements. There are also many gatherings in the neighbourhood with loud music and hats and t-shirts to give away. The election is some time in May.
I have tried to think how I can best describe life here. I think it’s like living in a giant campground where you constantly hear everyone’s conversations and music and laughing and crying from dawn till well into the night. Sometimes I sit in my room and try to remember what silence is like. No matter what time of the night I might wake up, there is never silence.
Like many things we hear about from others, the description of Semana Santa was greatly exaggerated in the negative when it was told to me. I think some of the stories about the wildness on the beach may have been from the past but they seem to be taking steps to have it under control and keep everyone safe. I did not go to the beach at night but I never do anyway. I did walk there several different days so I could see for myself. The crowds were larger than usual. I am told this is the biggest week for tourism. People come from inland to spend time at the beach because it is a holiday for them. There were big drinking tents set up at the restaurants and huge sound stages for speakers and music, that could be heard all the way to my room when it played at night. I saw them blowing up a giant water slide at one place and they pumped water from the ocean to wet it down. I guess you can get anything in a ‘blow-up’ nowadays.
Even the local people, who never seem to go to the beach, went on Easter weekend. They took picnics and flew kites and had a marvellous time, I’m sure. Another tradition for Easter seems to be for all the girls to get fancy beaded hairdos. You can always see some with beads in their hair but during this week I saw more and they were very elaborate. I asked my Spanish teacher and he confirmed it.
Now things are back to normal and we’re into the final stretch. Only 9 weeks left. I continue with my English classes and am busily working on uniforms for next year. I occasionally think about home, which is part of a healthy transition when the end is near. I’m happy to not be going back to cold and snow.
The election hype continues to accelerate with daily visits from trucks driving in and out through all the streets carrying huge speakers playing music and making announcements. There are also many gatherings in the neighbourhood with loud music and hats and t-shirts to give away. The election is some time in May.
I have tried to think how I can best describe life here. I think it’s like living in a giant campground where you constantly hear everyone’s conversations and music and laughing and crying from dawn till well into the night. Sometimes I sit in my room and try to remember what silence is like. No matter what time of the night I might wake up, there is never silence.
Jackie, so nice to hear from you. I love your description, like it's a giant campground. I can see it in my head so clearly. If and when you make it back up here to chilly NB, I will be lining up to hear all about your experiences.
ReplyDeleteIs it raining a lot there?
Love Barbara Phinney