Magosto

Chestnuts Roasting over and open fire .....................During the month of November in Galicia, the people celebrate a tradition called Magosto.  This past Friday, my school held their annual Magosto celebration.  To read a tid bit on Mogosto CLICK HERE

To start the day off, all the students received colored bracelets that put them into different color groups for the morning activities.  These are the 3 year old students showing off their "Pulseras" (Bracelets).  

Next all of the students from all ages formed their color groups outside.  Fortunately we had spectacular weather for our Magosto celebration! Behind the groups you can see the Infantil school.  This is where students ages 3-5 attend school.  Once in groups, the students attended different stations set up throughout the playground.  All of the activities were related to Magosto.  

One of the activities was using a ball of paper, a string and a cup.  The students had to fling the ball into the air and catch it in the cup.  Here is Carlos (5th and 6th grade teacher) demonstrating to the group!

Clearly it took a lot of concentration =) 

The next game involved to lines of students, each an equal distance away from a ring with a chestnut in the middle.  Each student in the line would have a number.  The teacher would call out a number, and the students with the corresponding number would run to the middle and try to snatch the chestnut first and return to their line without being caught by the opponent.  

These two were pretty evenly matched! 

Here Marcos (The Special Education Teacher) is showing students how to balance on the rope while carrying two plates overflowing with chestnuts! 

Marta (1st Grade Teacher) led a storytelling activity with the students.  

Patricia (The Librarian, Secretary, and Physical Education Teacher) helped students make mobiles using sticks, string and pinecones/leaves from the woods nearby.  

Pilar (English Teacher) and Alberto (Infantil/Preschool Teacher) led a relay race game.  Students had to run through hoops, jump and collect a branch. The team who finished first won the game.  

Ismael (4th Grade and Music) played a traditional game with students.  They had to spin around in circles with their finger on the ground.  When he said go, students had to run to a hoop, and try to throw the hoop over a block set up.  Very difficult if I do say so myself.  

One of the 3 year old students shares his Magosto artwork with his teacher, Marta (3 Year Old teacher).  

Love the look of accomplishment on his face! 

After a morning of fun and games, students headed to the main area inside for a feast of Chestnut proportions.  Cakes, breads, sweets, and more all with chestnuts incorporated in some way shape or form.  

Here are what chestnuts look like! 

After our feast, some parents came by the school and roasted the chestnuts.  They built a fire and then used some chicken wire to keep the nuts out of the coals.  

This was my first taste of a real chestnut, and it wasn't half bad.  I have to say I probably wouldn't eat them all day every day, but they were pretty good.  Once roasted you crack the shell off and there is a soft potato like inside ready to be eaten! 

This is Josefa (2nd Grade Teacher) with her students.  Each student made a necklace out of recycled materials.  They put the chestnuts into these boxes while they ate them.  

Yum! Chestnuts! 

OKTOBERFEST! ..... In Spain?

That's right people.  While the real event happens in Germany a few hundred miles from where I live, I was still able to experience the fun, excitement and nature of this German tradition.  Only with a Spanish flare.  For an entire week there was an event called Oktoberfest happening in Plaza del Rei (about 3 blocks from my piso).  On the last night, some friends talked me into checking it out, and I am so glad that I did.  That night was also a big Soccer match in Vigo.  They had played the game on a big screen in the tent earlier in the night, so when I arrived there were tons of people decked out in baby blue and white (Vigo's team colors).  I found my friends sitting at a table close to the middle.  There were people dressed up in german outfits all over the place.

Now you may be thinking to yourself that since this is an Oktoberfest event, that the people that were participating in this event were all adults.  18 or 21 + years old.  That was definitely not the case.  And while I know that some of you may not entirely understand this and think that this is something that is "wrong" or "bad", this is an aspect of the Spanish culture that I really admire.  The entire population of the people in the tents ranged from probably 2 years old to mid 80's.  Everyone was sitting around tables, having a beer, socializing and spending time with their families and friends.  There were college aged kids chugging pints in the corner while a group of kids were running through the crowds of people.  I loved that this type of event could be enjoyed by people of all ages and that a person's age isn't a big deal.

After sitting around the table for a few minutes listening to music (which is almost all american pop music you hear on the radio back home, with one or two spanish songs thrown in every now and then), a tall man in a lederhosen outfit climbs up onto the stage in the middle of the tent.  He introduces himself, and then began to sing.  The songs that he sang ranged from tradition favorites of the Spanish community to 80's rock-n-roll, to gangham style.  The funny part of it was when a song in English came up he had no idea what the words were and just said random words he knew in spanish to the entire song.  The crowd loved him! Apparently he's a local "celebrity" and does this type of thing a lot. There were moms and dads hopping on tables to dance while he was singing, everyone was joining in the songs and he even pulled a group of kids on stage to help him as backup singers.

I don't have too many photos that turned out spectacular from this night, but I still wanted to share this experience.  I was home by 1am (my earliest night out in Spain) and had an amazing time.

When in Spain - Do as the Spaniards do.... Oktoberfest =)

Inside the Oktoberfest tent.  

Our entertainment! 

Me and Alex! 

Siobhan and Maria! 

Alex and Zoe! 

 Me and my 1/2 Pint!