Santiago has put the sprung in spring!

Happy Labor Day! As everyone back home knows well, it’s time to experience that joy of joys: the three-day weekend. They are rare, and I think we can all agree they are lovely. When they arrive, Friday is the beginning of what feels like endless time to relax, get away, cook, write, whatever it is you often have to put off during the work week. Then Saturday may as well be Friday, and when Sunday arrives you still have a solid 36 hours left to go. By Monday evening, you sense the return of those stomach rumblings usually reserved for Sunday (because you may still have all your homework left to do). Still, you persevere. You hang on to the last flavorful remnants until… the alarm is going off and you’re heading back to the office or school or job site or desk or cafe. But it’s Tuesday morning! The start of a four-day work week. Everybody wins. Needless to say, Labor Day won’t be observed here in Chile…. until May 1, that is. However, there is a veritable slew of new holidays that Ryan and I now get to celebrate, including homage to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and Assumption of Mary (which we just had on August 15).

 

 

While July 4 was obviously just another work day down here, Chile’s Independence Day is right around the corner. As everyone here knows well, September brings the biggest holiday of the year. As in bigger than Christmas, people. We’re talking about the Fiestas Patrias of September 18, the national day of Chile. Colloquially, it’s called “the Dieciocho,” which marks the country’s first strides toward independence from Spain (specifically with the First Government Junta, formed in 1810. Napoleon was also involved. Since my history is shoddy, I’ll direct you to the previous link, which has the details.) The hearty celebration continues the next day and the rest of the week.

 

 

But since it’s the very beginning of September, someone somewhere is already starting the party rock anthem because the official mes de la patria is underway. I have yet to see this holiday up close, so I’ll be sure to report back with news of Santiago’s flag-filled parades and dancing in the streets and barbeques, a.k.a. asados. Last year, Ryan was here to mark the 200th anniversary, which was obviously bigger than “bigger than Christmas.” We’ll just have to see what 201 has in store. I’ll still miss you all this weekend, as you head outside to pool parties, light the grill, and stock the car for a little road trip, ready to enjoy all the general goodness wrapped up in these last days of summer (or as they are here, the first sweet days of spring). Whatever you do, please, please stay safe out there and encourage your dear friends and family to do the same.

 

Spring overlapping with the rest of winter.