Vegas It Ain't
It’s one week to the day since Mindy and Thayer’s wedding, which seems crazy to me, and even crazier is that I spent it at a big Tacuati fiesta. My youth group had been talking of having this party before I left, but I thought/hoped that it would fall through, but they surprised me by having several bands booked, tickets presold and everything generally together for this dance, held at the municipality outdoor stadium. All I had to do was show up at 8pm, hold the money, and stay til the end, which at dances past has been 5 or 6am. So I was a bit worried, but pulled out my best Vegas attitude and went to support my kids.
It was a little funny to compare this party to the height of the American partying scene. There were stray dogs, and babies, and moms get in at a discount price because they all come to chaperone their teenage daughters. You can drive your moto inside so it won’t get stolen off the street, and the bar is a few tables set up next to big coolers of beer, which cost about 85c each. But it’s open air here, so you get to dance under the stars (not Vegas painted-ceiling stars, real ones).
Boys are the same, though. Once my money guarding-duties were over and I could enjoy myself a bit (but didn’t want to drink because I was with the kids) I danced and was inevitably asked to dance by several, by this time quite drunk, fellas. The first one proclaimed almost immediately “I love you.” When I responded that he didn’t even know me, he said he loved me anyway. Then when I said that in my country it’s the custom for people to get to know each other and THEN fall in love, he said “either way” (igual no mas). The 19-year-old I danced with next was similarly enamored but less bold, and appropriately humbled when I told him my age. It’s amazing how many people wanted to be my boyfriend tonight.
Fortunately when the bands were done we got the dj to turn off the music and got everyone out by 3am, and it looks like the youth group made over 1,000,000guaranies, the equivalent of about $200 and nearly one month of my salary. We’ll meet tomorrow and start thinking about what we want to do with that cash, after I sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep in.
It was a little funny to compare this party to the height of the American partying scene. There were stray dogs, and babies, and moms get in at a discount price because they all come to chaperone their teenage daughters. You can drive your moto inside so it won’t get stolen off the street, and the bar is a few tables set up next to big coolers of beer, which cost about 85c each. But it’s open air here, so you get to dance under the stars (not Vegas painted-ceiling stars, real ones).
Boys are the same, though. Once my money guarding-duties were over and I could enjoy myself a bit (but didn’t want to drink because I was with the kids) I danced and was inevitably asked to dance by several, by this time quite drunk, fellas. The first one proclaimed almost immediately “I love you.” When I responded that he didn’t even know me, he said he loved me anyway. Then when I said that in my country it’s the custom for people to get to know each other and THEN fall in love, he said “either way” (igual no mas). The 19-year-old I danced with next was similarly enamored but less bold, and appropriately humbled when I told him my age. It’s amazing how many people wanted to be my boyfriend tonight.
Fortunately when the bands were done we got the dj to turn off the music and got everyone out by 3am, and it looks like the youth group made over 1,000,000guaranies, the equivalent of about $200 and nearly one month of my salary. We’ll meet tomorrow and start thinking about what we want to do with that cash, after I sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep in.
posted by Lori @ 5:50 PM
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