Move over Gallo Pinto and tortillas, it’s Culture Day in Costa Rica! At Monteverde, that means children bringing food and sharing traditions from their many diverse home cultures.
Poutine – an instant Canadian heart attack consisting of fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds – was just one of the yummy offerings children brought to share. But before that indulgence, we were treated to various performances and presentations. The grade 7-8 social studies class let us know about the food, armies, clothing etc of ancient China. The grade 5-6’s each wrote and sung a verse about the highlights of their culture (evidently, Americans highly value hotdogs, Coke and baseball. And the highschool students learned a traditional American folk dance (the guy with the beard is our beloved Benito, an MFS grad from before time began). And of course we all played together – games from all over the world.
Monteverde Friends School is a rich cultural learning environment thanks to the mix of international study-abroad students, families who have come for one or a few years, families who have laid deep long-term roots in the community, and of course the majority of students who are from local families. Culture Day is a fun way to celebrate and learn more about our diversity, and of course a great excuse to eat gravy and cheese curds…
