now we've arrived at september 15th.. DIA DE INDEPENDENCIA!!! (Day of Independence).. maaan this was fun!! so the deal is that starting like two weeks before september 15th, schools from preschools to high schools start to go on trips during the days, or some staying overnight.. so the teachers, parents and students and guests (me!), who has the funds and desires to do so, goes on trips to different places.. i had the wonderful luxury of going on a trip to the zooo (with the bears), a children's museum (in one of the photos), two waterparks (guastatoya and xemap a couple of times : ) ).. so the following photos are of the celebrations of september 15th!

couple more things.. on the way back from going on these trips, it's tradition for the students to run through towns on the way back carrying a torch, while the cars and motorcycles following them honking, blasting music, screaming, singing.. while others who are watching may cheer us on and throw water at us.. it's a big deal.. it's a whole lot of excitement and adreline being a part of it.. its crazy! anywaaaays

then meanwhile while other trips are happening, other cultural events are taking place in El Chol, like gymnastics (in these photos) and then other dances, visual historical stories, musical performances, traditional dances.. its days packed full with trips for some and cultural events for all of the Cholenses!! enjoy the photos.... :)

soo there's a photo of a turkey foooot outside of my front door in the common space of my family and me.. and preetttty sure it was the turkey in the tamales (traditional guatemalan food for special occassions) that evening at the birthday party for my host dad. we all ate deliiiiicccciiiiouuuusss tamales! listened to muusic, sat by the fire with their family visiting from canada, and then the photo of the three are of my host dad, his sister and his neice, a very kind and wonderful friend of mine, Seno Evelyn!!

soo i'm part of a soccer team in El Chol with one other teacher, like me! and a bunch of youth, most of whom are my students in the middle schools and high schools! we play every sunday.. or when we all can.. it's pretty relaxed.. but i really love playing with them!!

one photo is of me and a couple of my teammates before returning from another pueblo about an hour away after a soccer game, and the blood on my knee was from a fall i took.. wish i could say i was actually playing hard when it happened.. like JUST made a goal.. but no, i actually just tripped in the middle of the field and was not anywhere near the ball... if it means anything.. the field was reeeally hilly and really rocky.. not safe for players.. watch out for that field..

and then the other photo of the field (which wasn't the field i fell on) was of the following sunday when we rode on a back of a truck to another pueblo to play soccer.. the view from the field was beautiful.. and music was blasting the whole time we were playing.. which was really fun!

anyways then we've got a picture of the big store in town down the street from my house, to the right of the church..

and then another picture of me and some of my students and my teammates hanging out in the park!

so i get back to my site and its the anniversary of one of the middle schools that i work at.. Instituto por Cooperativa!! every school celebrates their anniversary every year and EVERY YEAR there's no classes for ONE WEEK and there's all sorts of activities.. these pictures show maaad activities.. there were talent shows with singers, guitar players, drummers.. and then there were art contests of flower making, using nature for art and constructing houses!! super cooool to be a part of the celebration!!