Festival Navideno

Yesterday was the day of Guerita’s school Christmas Concert so it was a busy day. To start with the class were going off to the auditorium for a rehearsal (yes, they take these things seriously - they had a rehearsal; it was held in an auditorium). The day before I got a note saying that a few of the Mums had offered to drive the kids from school to the rehearsal in the morning. I was prepared for this after last year, so I quickly told the teacher I would be coming to take Guerita in my car. Last year I did the same and I briefly wondered whether they would think I was some paranoid over-protective mother. But, there was no way I was going to let her go in a car with another Mum, because a lot of kids don’t ride in car seats - a lot of them don’t even wear seat-belts! Even after being here for 18 months (and seieng the same thing in Saudi) I still haven’t got used to the sight of kids climbing and jumping all around a moving car. The kids are often crammed into the front and back seats, or sitting in the tray of a ute (pick-up). I even saw my neighbour driving along the other day with her toddler on her lap! Not knowing where I was going last year I followed one of the other cars (which had 10 kids in it) and she drove like a madwoman, ducking and weaving throughout traffic, never using an indicator and doing illegal U-turns (in other words, she drove like everyone else here). I was so thankful I had insisted on taking Guerita myself. At least this year I knew the way so I could drive at my own pace.

In any event, I have to say, the concert in the evening was pretty good. Of course the 10 minutes that Guerita was on stage were great and I took loads of photos and enjoyed seeing all the “dance moves” she had been practicing round the house for weeks, but also the rest of the concert was quite bearable.

You know, usually you suffer through these things, just for the few minutes your child is on stage. Personally, I’m not usually that interested in seeing other people’s kids perform, unless they are related to me or friend’s kids….sometimes (so I’ll understand if you tune out at this post!). I was pleasantly surprised at how professional and entertaining the production was. The dialogue was all pre-recorded and the costumes were incredible. They were all professionally made and co-ordinated (none of those dodgy cobbled together Mum-made jobbies!).

It was a Santa’s workshop theme, which was a loose way to tie together each class dressing up as something Chrismassy and doing a little dance. The preschool is small and like a cross between kindergarten and daycare, so the kids range from 2 to 6. The little ones predictably wandered around the stage (dressed as snowmen) and looked bewildered, but the older ones really enjoyed themselves.

Guerita’s class was dressed as Christmas trees and they danced around to O Christmas Tree, Jingle Bells and Rockin around the Christmas Tree. They had such a good time twisting, kicking and swaying. Guerita is in her element when she’s got an audience (not shy that one) so she had a ball.