Weddings, Mother´s Day, Grupo Femenino Bolivia = Fun

You will all probably be glad to know that while I have been very busy lately, it has not simply been a work fest (although the wide variety of English classes I have been teaching definitely keeps me constantly thinking and planning the next one. I actually find that the way I am able to handle the load - I mean, essentially I teach 9 different levels/situations - is to use similar concepts, ideas, and even at times worksheets, but to tailor them to the specific level I am teaching. I feel like this works very well and I am slowly becoming an expert on teaching certain topics that keep arising, such as commands in English). This past weekend, I definitely got to have a lot of fun and take advantage of the windows into Peruvian (and other) culture that life down here affords.

First Thursday. At night we went to a concert for this Bolivian folk/rock group that is composed of all women and was in town to celebrate Mother´s Day. It was actually a real blast and was held in the old Municipal Theater in downtown Tacna. The concert left such an impression on me just because it was such good music, it was definitely a cultural experience (hell, the singers even chose to drink the Peruvian Inka Cola over water when they needed a hydration break), and just some great moments, laughs and songs to share with my community. If you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n1fRj2lUvQ

Saturday night we went to a Peruvian wedding, even though I personally did not know anyone from the two couples who were getting married (a brother and sister were both getting married, so they held it jointly). It went all night long - though we left at 3 am. The dinner was served at 2 am and the progression of alcohol was from a chapagne toast to pitchers of this fruity mixed drink, to pitchers of Pisco sours, to pitchers of wine, and apparently later there would be tons of Whiskey (oh boy). But what I really enjoyed was just all the fun dancing and good spirits - though Peruvians really are sticklers for the dancing only in two lines.

The rest of the weekend was mostly Mother´s Day celebration stuff - which definitely made me miss home and my own mother in New York a lot. Down here it is quite the big deal and is celebrated in schools and in workplaces on Friday and Saturday as well. I also remember the International Day of the Woman being a much bigger deal down here and I wonder if because it is such a macho society in today´s modern world that these ¨holidays¨ which would offer some recognition to all that women do do in this culture have become days of great importance. Or maybe they just love their mamas (not mamacitas - though it was fun to make that joke all of yesterday).