There are always certain milestones you brace yourselves for as parents. When your kid finally walks, speaks his first words, gives you his first kiss, goes to school.
And now, after three and a half years, Liebi and I are finally going to be treated to Axl’s first show at his school. This is going to be a Christmas show, and we are instructed to have him ready, bright and early on Thursday, in the costume of an angel. This has always been Liebi’s secret ambition, to see Axl as an angel. With his pale complexion and goldilocks, that’s not so hard to imagine, but heck, here is her chance to see just that. Liebi, of course, takes a few days to handcraft the costume herself, creating the wings, the gown, the halo, the whole nine.
Before we got here we’d always thought of Axl as being a sweet little kid, albeit a little shy. So the question here is, will he perform with the other kids? Would he act up? Will he ditch everything altogether once he sees his parents in the audience?
The school itself puts up large tent-like structures, knowing the sun will be beating down on the parents and grandparents who are coming out to watch their little angels perform. As it turns out, there isn’t nearly enough room for the entire audience, so that half of the guests need to seek independent means of shelter from the sun. Remember, December is considered summer here in Bolivia, and with the sun beating down the way it has, there’s no doubt that winter is still quite a ways off.
The show finally is kicked off with the kids who are leaving the school, or ‘graduating’, if you will. About half a dozen kids clad in graduation garb, complete with gown and cap, are introduced and each given a round of applause.
Finally, it's time for the main act, the dance of the angels. The kids, all dressed in angel costumes, are marched out to the center stage, where they will then perform a choreographed dance, naturally to Christmas music. I sneak off to a corner, hoping Axl won’t spot me and then ditch the dance altogether.
The first songs play, and the kids twist and air-guitar their way through pre-arranged Christmas tunes, their parents filming and shooting photos throughout.
After song two, Axl decides to rebel and take off his angel costume. Can’t say I blame him. The kids have no place to go, and the sun is scorching them mercilessly. What follows then even makes me chuckle. When he tosses his costume on the floor, he goes to the center of the stage, to the very front. Clearly, he decides, the chorus line is not for him. Here he will do his own show for the grown-ups, pausing to wave hello at his parents without wishing to leave the stage.
We’d been wrong all along. No way is Axl coming off that stage without his saying so. A nice little Christmas gift. As the only white boy and non native Spanish speaker at his school, it is safe to assume he has finally arrived.
And now, after three and a half years, Liebi and I are finally going to be treated to Axl’s first show at his school. This is going to be a Christmas show, and we are instructed to have him ready, bright and early on Thursday, in the costume of an angel. This has always been Liebi’s secret ambition, to see Axl as an angel. With his pale complexion and goldilocks, that’s not so hard to imagine, but heck, here is her chance to see just that. Liebi, of course, takes a few days to handcraft the costume herself, creating the wings, the gown, the halo, the whole nine.
Before we got here we’d always thought of Axl as being a sweet little kid, albeit a little shy. So the question here is, will he perform with the other kids? Would he act up? Will he ditch everything altogether once he sees his parents in the audience?
The school itself puts up large tent-like structures, knowing the sun will be beating down on the parents and grandparents who are coming out to watch their little angels perform. As it turns out, there isn’t nearly enough room for the entire audience, so that half of the guests need to seek independent means of shelter from the sun. Remember, December is considered summer here in Bolivia, and with the sun beating down the way it has, there’s no doubt that winter is still quite a ways off.
The show finally is kicked off with the kids who are leaving the school, or ‘graduating’, if you will. About half a dozen kids clad in graduation garb, complete with gown and cap, are introduced and each given a round of applause.
Finally, it's time for the main act, the dance of the angels. The kids, all dressed in angel costumes, are marched out to the center stage, where they will then perform a choreographed dance, naturally to Christmas music. I sneak off to a corner, hoping Axl won’t spot me and then ditch the dance altogether.
The first songs play, and the kids twist and air-guitar their way through pre-arranged Christmas tunes, their parents filming and shooting photos throughout.
After song two, Axl decides to rebel and take off his angel costume. Can’t say I blame him. The kids have no place to go, and the sun is scorching them mercilessly. What follows then even makes me chuckle. When he tosses his costume on the floor, he goes to the center of the stage, to the very front. Clearly, he decides, the chorus line is not for him. Here he will do his own show for the grown-ups, pausing to wave hello at his parents without wishing to leave the stage.
We’d been wrong all along. No way is Axl coming off that stage without his saying so. A nice little Christmas gift. As the only white boy and non native Spanish speaker at his school, it is safe to assume he has finally arrived.
0 comments