There have been many instances where the word "fiesta" was used in conversation here. Now, before I go into detail, let me remind you that 9 out of every 10 conversations I have had this summer, have ended with me understanding only about 1/2 to 1/3 of what was being communicated.... that is a lot of math and too many numbers for my taste. However, the odds that I 100% understand what someone is trying to tell me is slim, normally what happens is I nod or smile and say "si, si" and walk away like "omigosh what did I just agree too???!!" Then, sometimes hours, sometimes days, sometimes months, I realize exactly what that one conversation was about... too little, too late, oops :)

Anyways, back to the "fiestas." The very first night in Picagres, I was brought to a "fiesta", a birthday party for someone's dad? Uncle? Still not sure. Then a few weeks later, I was asked to another "fiesta", a quincenera for one of my student's sisters and legitimately a huge party. Then one time my host mom brought me to a "fiesta" that was actually a funeral for someone who recently died. One time a "fiesta" meant saying the rosary at the church for a few hours, one time it meant playing BINGO.... so I learned to take the English translation lightly. You might anticipate my hesitation when my host family told me about a three-day fiesta that occurred this past weekend. She told me it was two towns away, we had to walk, and there would be, and I translate "a mass and men serenading with guitars." It sounded fishy, but I tagged along. 

Now THIS fiesta was something I had NEVER experienced in Costa Rica. We arrived and I saw lights, and a disco ball, and a ferris wheel, a carousel, cotton candy, popcorn, a dance floor, carnival games, and yes a band of men playing all sorts of instruments! Now this was a fiesta! Taylor, if your reading this, or anyone else who has ever had the pleasure of eating at Las Margs in Gainesville, where the awkward marachi band plays at your table for a tip.... well it was like that.  And the "carousel" was actually a bunch of plastic Barbie trucks and such screwed to a circular platform that was made to go round and round by actula man power, aka the teen boy spun it in circles. Never mind the small details, I had a BLAST and cotton candy!