Happy 4th of Ju...errr...15 de septiembre!

I never thought about how different the 4th of July would be if it was during the school year.

Don’t get me wrong — I love the 4th. I’m even man enough now to admit that I spent my childhood wearing a tri-corner hat and playing a fife while marching in parades with one of the multiple fife-and-druum groups based in Norwood, MA. But that’s a story for another day (both the fact that I was in a fife and drum band and the fact that Norwood is seemingly the global center of fifing and drumming).

The show kicked off with a mini-parade of "Los Gigantes" (big masked characters traditionally made nearby in Barva de Heredia).

The 4th of July in the US is an anchor for the summer season. I had never even thought about what it would be like if a rah-rah patriotic holiday took place during the school year. This year we had a chance to experience just that.

Liadan and friends waiting for their turn in the spotlight.

Liadan the campesina dances for the crowd...

Costa Rica is an uber-patriotic place that takes great pride in its past and in its evolution into a peaceful (no army), green (one of the top-rated "green" countries in the world), economically and politically stable country surrounded by a bunch of off-and-on-chaotic Central American nations. With that backdrop, it was kinda cool to see what an artsy school like the European School does to celebrate Independence Day. In short, it was far and away the coolest kid/school show that Audrey and I have seen. Classes from the Pre-K through the 6th grade were paired up (e.g. one 6th grade class would be paired with one pre-K class and so on) and worked with their teachers, the music teachers, a choreographer and other volunteers on background sets, skits, dances and songs, etc. The end result was a blitz of color, sounds and movement that followed some selected highlights in the development of Costa Rica from Independence in 1821 through the late 1800’s.

Charlie working some magic with his machete

Can't remember what this particular scene was about but boy do they look serious.

After a successful day on the floor of the cacao exchange... : )

It was a one-of-a-kind experience for the kids (building sets, dancing, taking part in the skits) and for Audrey and I as parents. There is something unforgettable about watching your 6 year old dance as an 1800’s campesina (in a traditional Tica dress), your 8 year old dance in his own campesino outfit (complete with fake machete), your 11 year old out there as a trader trading with the indigenous population for cacao AND (the emotional shocker for us) your 10 year old tomboy daughter dancing a waltz with another 5th grader as they acted out the opening of the National Theater in the 1890’s.

That's right Luis Diego...Ella's dad is watching you. Remember that...

There will be other shows in other schools in the years to come. And there will be many a “US Independence Day” celebration to enjoy. But our one-off experience of The European School’s “Costa Rican Independence Day” celebration was pretty freakin’ cool… : )