halloween

Today was a really good day. And I was a good mom to Kenai and many of the students here.


With the fabulous art and creative skills of teacher Stephanie, Kenai's Darth Maul costume was great! Complete with chili pepper horns and a light saber that lite up. Huge Kudos to Stephanie for that one! It looked like a real costume!

Back in the states, Beth is the holiday person. She loves Halloween, and just about evey holiday that started in tradition or because Hallmark made a card for it. Me, take it or leave it. But, I really felt the need to share Halloween with the students and make it memorable for Kenai. Long story short, there are no pumpkins here, and watermelons are out of season. So, we carved the traditional Halloween papaya. I bought 30 of them at the market, we used forks, and away we went. They are actually quite perfect! Yes, a bit small, and you need to get pre-ripe ones, but cleaning them is way easier than cleaning a pumpkin, they are orange on the inside, and they carve quite easily. Oh, and they begin with a 'p.' It was fabulous!! Kudos to Stephanie again, and teacher Abel for their help organizing and working with the students on this new somaliland tradition.

It was funny, the kids did not get the idea of 'just for decoration.' Some did, but many wanted to eat the papaya and were wondering why we would leave the carved creations outside and on display. It is a crazy idea to try to get across to the kids- very wasteful in their eyes.

I also bought some cookies and candy, had visions of bobbing for oranges (it never happened, but the kids enjoyed the oranges), and had the kids eat doughnuts, handsless, from a string in the school courtyard. Sadly, only one or two kids got into the last game. How crazy are these white people?? That may not have drummed up the intended enthusiasm, but carving papapyas sure did!!

Finally, Kenai went to all of the dorms and tick-or-treated. What is it about halloween that makes kids come home and immediately dump and sort the candy? Here is no different. He dumped and sorted candy bars, cookies, small candies, an apple, four fanta, a can of juice and two yogurts. The kids are great to be so generous to Kenai! Again, how weird are some of our customs and 'traditions,' like trick-or-treating. How do you explain that one? Today, carving papayas and trick or treating put a smile on everyone’s face. I think that may be the point, even if it is a little wasteful.

Pics are on facebook right now, and I will post them here soon too.

Happy Halloween everyone!