It seems to me that Halloween is catching on here in Mexico, but that doesn’t mean that Day of the Dead is taking a lower profile. Kids walked around Centro in costume but they basically called out “Halloween” here and there, not really expecting candy. I think if anything it is another day to wear a costume an have parties, and that makes for a popular day for kids.
All the blogs here in Mexico seem to have had their Halloween or Day of the Dead post this year… but I never got around to it. But since I am heading to Mexico City for a long weekend with my son and his family, I thought I could get away with sharing an adorable picture of our granddaughter Consuelo and her first Halloween bucket. That picture is at the top of the post. Below is a picture of her looking at their family Day of the Dead altar with her mother.
She’s a sweetheart, and is going to be a pro at balancing the best of two cultures! I just hope that we are able to see her enough so that she gets an early foundation in English. Her parents are fluent in both English and Spanish but they speak Spanish at home. So I plan on visiting often and giving her books, audio books, and movies in English. Her dad does do some business on the phone in English so hopefully her ear will be tuned to the sound of it. Her parents believe the two languages will come to her naturally given her blended family, and I think they are probably right.
Unfortunately, Abue (Paul) isn’t going to be coming with me for this trip, but we’ll plan a longer visit together for around the Christmas holidays.
Steve Cotton
November 3, 2009I hope Paul has fully recovered. I was a bit concerned that I had joined him in the Dengue camp this week — with a two-week trip break NOB on the way. It turned out to be simple salmonella.
Great family photographs.
islagringo
November 3, 2009I hope you are right, but I doubt it. Please have your son talk to Kelly of CancunCanuck fame. Since birth, she has only spoken English and her husband only Spanish to her son. At 4, he is amazingly bilingual because of it. It is called the OPOL method…one parent, one language. But in whatever language, she sure is a cutey!
john calypso
November 4, 2009Have a great trip to DF Amiga!
Our experience with our son picking up both languages was really quite amazing. He learned Spanish (as a second language) muy rapido.
Saludos,
j.
Nancy
November 4, 2009Steve, Paul is fully recovered now. And I wouldn’t call salmonella simple, I had to be hospitalized overnight because of it! Be careful!
Isla Gringo, I sent them links to Kelly’s site back when she did a big collation of all the multi language families and how they did it. But their language between each other is Spanish and that is just the way it is. She’ll be bilingual, I am sure of it.
John, Thanks, I plan on having a great time, it has been too long. And I have every confidence she’ll pick up English with all the English speaking family members she has… and it is a close family!