“Put me a bigot.”

Yesterday we celebrated Carnival at my school, which really meant that we shouldn’t have even bothered teaching because all the kids wanted to do was run around and yell about whatever costume they were wearing.  As I mentioned in October, Spaniards believe that Halloween is a holiday for scary disguises and Carnival is one for ridiculous, funny costumes.  This meant that my classes were filled with clowns, hippies, superheroes, and one particularly daring boy who dressed as the late Franco.

adorable fourth graders

Manolo

my fourth grade class

During the school celebration of carnival, the best moment of the day comes during fourth hour, when the entire school parades around the park for a crowd of parents and random Cordobans.  Before this event, I was in my fourth grade class where one of my students, Dani, asked me to draw a mustache on his face with eyeliner.  He was dressed as Zorro, and all the other kids were feverishly covering themselves with face paint, so I agreed.

“Teacher, teacher!  Me pone un bigote!”  (Put a moustache on me)

“All right, Dani.  Hold still.”

“Que?!  TEACHER!  Put me a bigot!”

“No, Dani.  Just… no.”  cue imminent death by laughter

Never a dull day here in Spain.

school congregates on the patio

punks, futbolistas, and Star Wars villians from 5th grade

sweet fifth grade girls

parade around the plaza

Today I’m headed off to Cádiz to celebrate Carnival on a grander scale (by the way, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, click here).  I’m going with Emily and some of her college friends and will be meeting up with 3/4 of my girlfriends from Sevilla—Jess, Kels, and Kerry, because Keely will sadly not be traversing for the festivities this time.  This will be my third trip to Cádiz since I moved here and will involve very little sleep, as the bus I’m taking leaves Córdoba today at 5PM and picks us up again in Cádiz at 7AM.  However, sleepless nights are becoming a pretty regular phenomenon for me here in Spain, so I’m going to suck it up for the experience.  Feliz Carnival!