During the course of the English School we had a number of special events. These gave the children a break from week after week of English lessons. Additionally they gave them something exciting to keep their attention on the English School.

One of these events was our sports day. This was greatly enjoyed by the children being something they had never experienced before. On the day of the event the field was filled with all the local children looking to get involved with what ever was on offer.

Rather than sports such as athletics which would have required timekeeping and strict organizing the focus was on the tacking part rather than just the winning. Although team scores were kept so that there could be a winner. Although I do seem to remember that things were adjusted such that it all finished in a draw and everyone went home happy.

With the events it was British games rather than international sports in which the children competed. Examples of the events were the obstacle relay, egg and spoon race and sticking the tail on the donkey. Party games rather than serious sports, and a good time was had by everyone.

The sports day was just on very busy afternoon but the English Week was far more ambitious. There were different activities spread out across the course of the week with a grand finale in front of their parents on the Friday.

No English event would be complete without flags. On day was spent on art. Everyone was busy painting Union Jacks and by the end of the day we had quite a collection with which to decorate the school.

On another day the task was cooking. Pancakes were chosen as they are a very British thing and require only a short and simple list of ingredients. They had another thing going for them as them children all knew the recipe.

Pancakes use the same ingredients as Paraguayan tortillas. The difference between the two being only that the mixture for tortilla is much thicker and stickier than that needed to make pancakes.

The children soon got the hang of making the mixture runny enough to turn into pancakes. However I don’t remember anyone tossing one successfully.

The main event of the week was though the show they were going to put on for their parents at the end of the week. That required plenty of time to practice and prepare.

The show was going to be a music one. That had words to learn and props to make. In addition to the songs that the children had been singing in their English classes for a while a short rendition of Yellow Submarine by The Beatles was chosen.

That the children busy with their artistic skill making various fish and sea creatures to be waved as they sang. Also of course a Yellow Submarine was needed. A large one was made out of yellow card with portholes big enough to poke singing heads through.

Teaching enough words for the children who had been coming to the school for quite a time by then was no more difficult than any of the other songs everyone already knew.

This was to be the finale of the show. Before that there were numerous other items. Songs, readings and little plays so that every child could play their part.

On the Friday morning long before the show was due to start children and their parents began arriving. As we had anticipated there was a very good turn out. It was an even larger audience than we had expected. The area in front of the stage had been filled with chairs and they were soon all taken with a sizable group of later arrivals having to stand.

The weather as is normal was just about perfect with no spots of rain to dampen the crepe paper seaweed that hung around the stage.

Once all the children had arrived and been organized the show began. Everything went just about perfectly and everyone took great delight in being able to show their parents all that they had learnt. We were pleased with the opportunity to meet the parents and to be able to show them how their children had been spending their days.

All the little plays and songs went without a hitch. Everyone was in the right place with the right words at the right time.

Then finally we reached the Yellow Submarine. On it danced onto the stage surrounded by fish and octopuses. The singing was just as it should have been with everyone joining in loudly and clearly. A very passable rendition.

Then it was over. A busy week ending in a very busy morning. Everyone went home happy. Children excited and parents proud and we looked forward to the weekend and a couple of days off.