Happy Halloween!

Y Feliz Dia de Muertos! (And Happy Day of the Dead!)
Well I stayed late after school yesterday and got there early this morning but it was all worth it. The Halloween Festival at school went great and we all had a great time. In general, I was really impressed with all the kids costumes, they really took it seriously and have the funds to buy high quality costumes. Their were lots of vampires and witches, Spidermen and other action figures. I dressed up as a soccer player, dressed in the full Tuzo Pachuca uniform. In primary they had a big concurso to choose the best dressed teachers and students; in secondary they had selected winners among the students as well and played games outside; and in preschool well we had a big parade, ate pizza and visited a Haunted House. Miss Marta worked so hard on our Casa Embrujada and it turned out so well. The first part was an enchanted forest and cementery; next the kids crawled through a black tunnel and arrived in a room of mirrors with a live mummy waiting for them. I worked all afternoon yesterday peeling grapes and making pasta so they could tuck their hand under the sheet and touch eyes and brains. They kids really loved it and all said that the Haunted House was their favorite part. They also went to another room to hear a story about Halloween, learned a Halloween song, and had a dance party to the song Monster Mash. So everything turned out really well and the kids had a great day. We teachers had a great time too and especially loved that we got to leave early by 130. Unfortunately tomorrow we have a regular school day which is so weird. Its Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, and its a very traditional Mexican holiday in which they make ofrendas or altars and remember their loved ones that have passed on. They visit cementeries and the whole holiday is more about respect than fear, like Halloween. However, anymore this old tradition is fading and most of our kids families no longer put up ofrendas in their homes. Either way we are putting up ofrendas in our school and the kids will visit them all tomorrow. Its kind of crazy to have 2 big holidays back to back. My Spanish team teacher with whom I share my room is in charge of the Dia de los Muertos activites so things have been nuts in our room.
This weekend we have off Friday from school so we are going on another trip, probably to Morelia, another colonial town north of Mexico City. Cant wait to see what Dia de los Muertos activities we get to see this weekend. Every where theyre selling lots of skeletons and skulls made of pure sugar.
Hope you had a fun Halloween!