Independence Day Part I

My legs can’t take much more independence. 189 years of independence, three parades, and one 15k. And so far, I have only completed 2 parades. I’m skipping out of the next one so that my legs will still agree to carry me the 15k I have to complete next Sunday.

I have never heard of a country dedicating so much time and energy to celebrating Independence Day. Schools have been practicing for a month for the parades this week. Yesterday we walked in the pre-k parade. I was tired by the end; I have no idea how the pre-k kids stood up so long.

Today was primary school and Laura and I decided it would be a good idea to put on corte. We were invited to march alongside the school supervisor’s secretaries, as usual, but today they magically figured out who we were. So as we marched into the town square with hundreds and hundreds of people watching, they announced “And here come the North Americans who make up the healthy schools team! They look very pretty today dressed in traditional clothes from this town, etc., etc., etc.” The only good part of this public shaming was when they called us “Patzuneras.” Really all I wanted at that point was some water from one of the 14 year old “first aid workers” who had set up an outpost with camping tents.

Being a minor local celebrity does have its benefits however- unlike the students, we got to sit down during the ceremony. Still, the up and down required for all of the entrances and exits of more important figures and the 10 verses of the Guatemalan national anthem was quite the workout.