Celebrating Nicaragua

Today is Independence Day in Nicaragua. Yesterday was our big celebration at school, and like every year, things can get a little interesting as we prepare to celebrate.

"Does everyone have their machete?" Not something I normally hear a teacher yell down the hallway, but it happened this week. Some dances require a machete, and you must be prepared.

"Please just come into the classroom. No one is wearing a shirt today." After those words came out of my mouth, I had to pause and laugh at the situation. My students were going to give a presentation on the pre-Columbian period of Nicaragua, and had to dress like native Nicaraguans. The girls were embarrassed by their little woven dresses and the boys would have rather been anywhere else than in front of their peers. One of my students was so embarrassed I had to drag him into the classroom. I personally thought my students looked pretty adorable. Later they rocked their presentation as they taught the audience about what Nicaragua was like hundreds of years ago

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Independence Day is when I put aside my role as a teacher and become a hairdresser and costume fixer. After their presentation, my students needed to change into their dance outfits. I found myself doing hair, tying bandannas, buttoning shirts, fixing skirts, and looking for lost shoes. The finished product was quite impressive, and also a little hilarious.
"Miss Eberly, do I look like a biker dude about to get married?" one student asked. I gave him a quick look up and down and replied with a chuckle and a resounding yes.

"Is that a pig on the soccer field? Is that 7th grader wearing a wedding dress? Why do they have guns?" Those were just a couple of the questions my students asked as we watched the highschool presentations. This year's theme was focused on Nicaraguan theater, so things got pretty interesting.

This year was exciting for the whole school because we had our first performance in the Eagle Center, which is our new gym/stage/multi-purpose building. Before, PE happened on the soccer field and every performance required hundreds of people to squeeze into our very tiny lunch room. This year, we finally had room to breathe. When you are wearing a very large and poofy dress, this is a good thing.

Next, dancing. Normally I ask my students to my calm and sit still, but not on Independence Day. The more arm waving and feet shuffling, the better.

At the end of the day, to the extreme delight of the students, the teachers celebrated Nicaragua in style.

Si pequeña es la Patria, uno grande la sueña.
If the country is little, big is the dream. 
- Nicaraguan poet, Rubén Darío