A Very Spanish Halloween

Halloween is a fairly new tradition here in Spain.  They normally celebrate All Souls Day more than Halloween.  But as countries become more influenced by the US, Halloween seems to creep into the festivities.  Several kids wore costumes to school and many teachers tried to do some version of trick or treating (since very few kids would actually participate in my favorite event ever!).  Even if the kids weren't wearing an actually costume most of them had on some form of make-up, most of it being pretty elaborate as well.  For a country that's pretty new to the Halloween thing, they sure have the make-up part down! Trick or treating with the first graders was hilarious because just saying trick or treat was near impossible! However, all the kids seemed to love it! But then again who doesn't like dressing up and then getting candy?!
The Spanish understand Halloween costumes as always being something scary.  Which is actually what the original idea was when Halloween costumes began.  However, as most Americans know, Halloween is no longer only for the frightening costumes.  So I decided to be a ballerina.  It was the cheapest costume I could think of since all I needed to buy was a tutu.  But the first class I went into, when a kid asked what I was, the professor responded, "she's a ballerina, but a Halloween ballerina because she's in all black (with a pink tutu)."  Really, I was in black because that was the color of clothing I already had (black tights and a black cami!).
I brought my camera with me to document all of the cuteness that attends San Fernando.  Most of the kids loved getting their photos taken.  My favorite part of the experience was when children would say "Natalie take my picture please!!!" and then they would pose and give me the facial expression of a mug shot, as if this was the most painful experience they had had that day! Take a look here to see some of the most precious kids ever and to view some fine examples of the requested mugshots!
That night, my friends and I dressed up (I was a ballerina again, the others were a scary skeleton, David Bowe, and America-she had an eagle shirt and a red, white, and blue afro).  We tried to get into a club but the line was about a mile long so we eventually just headed home.  However, being as it was Halloween the universe decided I had to be tricked somehow and my phone was stolen from me! Thankfully there was no roughness, I actually barely even noticed.  But that's what happens when you forget to be vigilant in a crowded area and instead try to enjoy a beautiful Halloween night!