Buen Viaje...

As I get ready to travel to Costa Rica with my family, I am feeling a lot of mixed emotions. For one, I am nervous to travel with my kids-5 1/2 and 11 months as it is always an unexpected adventure with them. Who knows if we'll have great listeners that day or a couple of kids who we will leave unclaimed at the baggage claim in SJO. My husband is from Costa Rica and his side of the family está muriendo pa' ver al chiquito. I just hope they pay some attention to my daughter as well.

We will be in Barva de Heredia for most of the trip. Luckily for me, I will have the opportunity to document the fascinating and STRANGE annual festival where the men dress up with masks, dance around and hit passersby with balloons made out of VEJIGAS (animal bladders.) It is the rainy season and when those things get wet, they STINK and it hurts when you're hit! Below is a video I found on YouTube. I am still not clear on the history of this ritual, so if anyone knows-please fill me in! 

I am a bit anxious to go in August since it is so close to the start of school. We get home and I have to wake up 5 hours later and go to the first of 3 teacher workshop days. I am fortunate to have so much time to prepare for the upcoming year with my colleagues, but I do enjoy the time I spend in an empty school organizing myself and preparing my transformation into PIRATE status using the ideas of my #wltlap PLN.

As any good pirate, I am ready to plunder some realia from the great country of Costa Rica. In the past I have bought signs (Silencio, Cuidado-Perro Bravo, Entrada, Salida), a flag, a lot of children's books, and magazines. I won't have a ton of room in my suitcases, but we will have some after we empty all of our gifts for family. What sorts of items would YOU be looking for to use in your classroom while abroad? 

I will NOT be bringing home a vejiga, that is for sure!