...it's September, this month we commemorate our independence from Spain (Central America on the 15th, Mexico on the 16th)...so, today, the K4, K5 and Prepa students are having a "typical breakfast" at school...I was asked to bring fried platains (thank God! this is inexpensive!...12 platains/ $1!)...other parents are bringing other stuff...AND, on Monday, they are having their Independence pageant, so Ale has to wear a traditional costume (either volcaneña - more colorful, less expensive if done in shiny fabric than if done in "manta"... or Izalqueña - I like this one better, seems more "traditional"...the other one really is from after the "Conquistadores" ...but, it's waaay more expensive...so volcaneña, I guess...) Her old one no longer fits!...so I need to buy her one and the leather sandals, too...these get worn 2x a year in ES, as you also wear them also for Oct 12 (which is Dia de la Raza in Latin America, as opposed to Columbus Day! ...and, yes, we get protests, too!)...oh, and on December 12 if you are a Catholic, in commemoration of the appearance of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe to Saint Juan Diego (he was sainted last year!)...this is part of the Salvadoran school reality: you HAVE to have a traditional costume!...I got lucky the first few years, as a friend from work gave us some of her daughter's (who was 2 years older than Ale...) but, we have since lost contact...and we don't have my niece's from so far back (only from about 2 years ago...we are saving those!)...
so, off to the market I go!
The 'hidden' costs of schooling!
September 8th, 2006 at 02:58 pm
September 8th, 2006 at 05:17 pm 1157735851
but baring that, can you make one? fudge it, or buy used?
do the sandals have to be 'perfect' can they be used for other days?
my kids have 'dressy' tennishoes, they wear for church and play..double use is a bonus.
September 8th, 2006 at 05:26 pm 1157736399
make a dress like that? not in my life! I can sew enough to do some light repairs, but not to do something more complicated than sewing buttons, really (my hems are not straight, for example!)...
September 9th, 2006 at 01:23 pm 1157808185
that other friend, try calling to buy hers..even if you lost touch buying used has to be cheaper than new...
September 9th, 2006 at 01:25 pm 1157808353
September 11th, 2006 at 02:58 pm 1157986735
I ended up having to buy the dress...and, they now come in 3 different types of cloth!...cotton (less expensive), raso and manta....unfortunately, they didn't have any size 6 dresses in cotton....I walked all over the marketplace and found only 2 size 6 dresses...in raso...the guy at the stand tried to help by offering me a size 8....but, if I weighed 110lbs, I would fit in a size 8 dress! LOL!...so, we opted for the size 6, eventhough it was a bit long...at least, Ale will still be able to wear it next year (the waist is adjustable)...although, next year it's probably going to be a bit short!...I took pictures...but forgot them at home...bummer...I'll post them tomorrow!