Belens and Bloody Noses
I just finished the last of my Christmas shopping this afternoon, in the midst of Plaza Mayor madness filled. During the holidays, apparently, Plaza Mayor is home to vendors who sell extremely elegant and expensive pieces for the Belen (the Nativity Scene, which is all the rage here) and also, well, wigs. Huge Miss J-esque afros, purple metallic brades, Pippi Longstocking red pigtails, the works. I'm not sure of the significance, but they are everywhere.
Also, amidst the Nativity Pieces of the Reyes Magos (Three Kings) and the Virgin Mary, there lies El Canager, a man literally poised popping a squat, in the midst of taking a shit. Don't ask me why this is included in the Holy Nativity, but apparently this man froze himself in history in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of my fellow Fulbrighters describes the significance, so now I think that I'll let her field this one by including the quote:
"EL CAGNAGER: This is a figurine that is included in the belén for good luck. What is so unique about him? Well, literally, he’s having a BM. I’m sorry if that’s a bit crass, but I couldn’t think of a delicate way to say it. He’s supposed to bring good luck because he symbolizes how unprepared we are for the coming of Christ. I don’t quite follow the thought process, but I’ll accept it. Of course, if I find one of these in Plaza Mayor, I’ll have to buy it. In case you don’t believe me, here’s a link to a picture: http://www.caganer.com/images/caganer-Avia-Especial.jpg You can also buy a caganer made in the image of a public figure: politicians, celebrities, and athletes have all been immortalized this way as you can see from www.caganer.com, an entire website devoted to selling them. I think this is the tradition that is most incomprehensible to me; I’m not really offended, but I do think it’s a bit ridiculous."
I'm coming back home on Dec 19, and I'm so excited. I'll be in MI until Jan. 3rd, and then I'll fly to NY for a little visit until the 7th.
In school news: The other day, little Eva (a four year-old in my preschool class) came running up to me at the end of class.
"Tengo mucus!! Tengo mucus!" she cried, wherein I brushed her away to the bathroom, since runny snot filled noses are a fairly common occurrence during class.
Then, however, one of her fellow classmates, Nacho, yelled "Hay sangre! Hay sangre!" and a group of the little rugrats gathered around her. I looked behind me and realized that it was true: her fingers, her nose and her shirt were all covered in blood!
I pushed my way through the kiddes and pulled Eva out of the huddle straight to the bathroom where her regular teacher Marga had the first aid kit on hand. Since I couldn't leave he other kids alone, I went back to the class, and a few minutes later Eva came trotting in with Marga in tow.
"Is she all right?" I asked, obviously concerned.
"She's fine," said Marga.
"Well, did one of the kids hit her? Was it a bloody nose? What happened"
Marga laughed to herself, "No, she pushed her fingers so far up there to pick her nose, that she gave HERSELF a bloody nose," she said.
I stared at her incredulously, and we both started laughing in disbelief.
Also, amidst the Nativity Pieces of the Reyes Magos (Three Kings) and the Virgin Mary, there lies El Canager, a man literally poised popping a squat, in the midst of taking a shit. Don't ask me why this is included in the Holy Nativity, but apparently this man froze himself in history in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of my fellow Fulbrighters describes the significance, so now I think that I'll let her field this one by including the quote:
"EL CAGNAGER: This is a figurine that is included in the belén for good luck. What is so unique about him? Well, literally, he’s having a BM. I’m sorry if that’s a bit crass, but I couldn’t think of a delicate way to say it. He’s supposed to bring good luck because he symbolizes how unprepared we are for the coming of Christ. I don’t quite follow the thought process, but I’ll accept it. Of course, if I find one of these in Plaza Mayor, I’ll have to buy it. In case you don’t believe me, here’s a link to a picture: http://www.caganer.com/images/caganer-Avia-Especial.jpg You can also buy a caganer made in the image of a public figure: politicians, celebrities, and athletes have all been immortalized this way as you can see from www.caganer.com, an entire website devoted to selling them. I think this is the tradition that is most incomprehensible to me; I’m not really offended, but I do think it’s a bit ridiculous."
I'm coming back home on Dec 19, and I'm so excited. I'll be in MI until Jan. 3rd, and then I'll fly to NY for a little visit until the 7th.
In school news: The other day, little Eva (a four year-old in my preschool class) came running up to me at the end of class.
"Tengo mucus!! Tengo mucus!" she cried, wherein I brushed her away to the bathroom, since runny snot filled noses are a fairly common occurrence during class.
Then, however, one of her fellow classmates, Nacho, yelled "Hay sangre! Hay sangre!" and a group of the little rugrats gathered around her. I looked behind me and realized that it was true: her fingers, her nose and her shirt were all covered in blood!
I pushed my way through the kiddes and pulled Eva out of the huddle straight to the bathroom where her regular teacher Marga had the first aid kit on hand. Since I couldn't leave he other kids alone, I went back to the class, and a few minutes later Eva came trotting in with Marga in tow.
"Is she all right?" I asked, obviously concerned.
"She's fine," said Marga.
"Well, did one of the kids hit her? Was it a bloody nose? What happened"
Marga laughed to herself, "No, she pushed her fingers so far up there to pick her nose, that she gave HERSELF a bloody nose," she said.
I stared at her incredulously, and we both started laughing in disbelief.