El Día de Independencia

As promised, this post is dedicated to Chilean's independence day. Chile's independence from Spain is celebrated on September 18. This is not the actual day of independence, which is February 12, it is the day that the government first gathered...or something to that effect. Not gonna to lie that's pretty much where I lost interest and missed some details. This year I'm especially lucky to be here because it is the bicentennial! It's going to be celebration times 100, and believe me the Chileans know how to celebrate. I'm realizing how lame our independence day is. Fireworks on one night? Try fireworks, food, drinking, celebrations and partying for a week! Everyone even gets the week off school! Last night I went to a celebration thing at the kids' school. It was kinda silly but definitely interesting and cultural. It was fun to go out and support them.

Claudio making eyes at me.

Barbara mid dance

Joaquin is the one on the very end dancing by himself

Claudio and I.

He's such a ham. When he got done with his performance he looked over, winked at me and put his hand up to his ear like he had a phone while he mouthed 'call me.' Ooh 8 year olds.

There was also a part where everyone stood up to sing the national anthem. It was really awkward, I felt like the only one that didn't know it. Here are the lyrics in English:

Pure, Chile, is your blue sky;
Pure breezes cross you as well.
And your flower-embroidered field
Is the happy copy of Eden.
Majestic is the white mountain
That was given to you as a bastion by the Lord
That was given to you as a bastion by the Lord
And that sea that calmly washes your shores
Promises you a future splendor
And that sea that calmly washes your shores
Promises you a splendid future.

Chorus
Sweet fatherland, accept the vows
With which Chile swore at your altars:
Either the tomb of the free will you be
Or the refuge against oppression
Either the tomb of the free will you be
Or the refuge against oppression
Either the tomb of the free will you be
Or the refuge against oppression
Or the refuge against oppression
Or the refuge against oppression.


There is also a traditional dance in Chile. It is called the Cueca (click the link to watch it). It's really cool because pretty much everyone knows it and can dance it on command. It's basically the story of a man pursuing a woman, if you watch it notice that the man is following the woman around. In the end he gets the girl and everything is happy. Why don't we have a traditional dance?