Sant Jordi's (Saint George's) Day

Day 14: On Monday's I get out of school at 3:30, so I met Sarai, Damaris, Laura, and Judith to see Sagrada Familia and shop. I think we went to almost every store with cheap shoes possible in Barcelona. April 22 is my sister's birthday, so I tried to find her a present from Barcelona. I found something (but of course I can't say what it is since she may read this blog). I didn't get many pictures, except a few of the outside of the Sagrada Familia and random snapshots of the girls.

Sagrada Familia

Day 15: Saint George's Day! 

On April 23, the people of Barcelona celebrate Saint George's day. It is a day filled with books and roses (which I will explain later). 

The story goes like this: Once upon a time there was a dragon in the land. The dragon was eating all of the animals. Eventually, they ran out of animals so they started a lottery and drew names of people in the village to send to the dragon to eat. One day, the princess's name was drawn from the lottery. The king was devastated, but the people demanded she go because it wouldn't be fair if she didn't. Luckily, the knight Saint George volunteered to fight the dragon and save the princess. Saint George was very brave and killed the dragon. Where the dragon's blood flowed on the ground, a rose grew in its place. Saint George married the princess (I think) and lived happily ever after.

If you understand Spanish you may enjoy the following video about Saint George: 

If you don't know Spanish you may enjoy this video about the universality of the thought that boys are icky:

...but I think I might kinda sorta like them....but not really...but kinda....I'm not sure....giggle.....

So on Saint George's day the men give the women roses. It is typically a single rose with a strand of wheat. However, no one that I asked knew why the roses had wheat with them. Saint George's Day also falls on the Day of Books, so that is why the girls give the boys a book. 

On Saint George's Day...

I received my first rose from Maria.

We took pictures as a class.

I learned all about Saint George's Day from Miss Laura, my cooperating teacher.

We posed for a million pictures.

We worked hard on a Saint George's Day book.

We witnessed the boys shocked/anguished reactions when they found out they had to dance with girls...

We learned to dance.

We figured out that Saint George's Day is awesome!

We posed for pictures.

We saw really a impressive dragon outside on the patio.

You could get your face or arm painted.

Or make a tissue paper rose.

We preformed a play for the younger girls. 

And valiantly slayed the dragon.

We saw lots and lots of books for sale.

I received two roses, a candy rose, and a book about Gaudi!

HAPPY SAINT GEORGE'S DAY!!

On a side note....I tried raw salmon tonight for the first time and thought it was very good. I'm surprised at my taste buds. Also, my pants are so big from all of the non-processed foods I've been eating and all of the walking I've been doing.