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September 15th is Independence Day, celebrating the day Guatemala received independence from Spain in 1821. Guatemalans are very proud of their country, flying the national flag on businesses and cars. For weeks we've seen vendors selling small flags to wave or attach to car windows, similar to the BYU or UofU flags that were no doubt seen on cars in Utah this weekend! Yesterday was a big day of celebration for the schools. We saw a couple of parades near schools, with parents and children walking along the shoulder of the road with flags and pick-up trucks decorated with balloons and pretty "princesses" in the back. Last night thousands gathered at the center of the city. We live near the Avenida de las Americas, one of the main boulevards, and we heard car horns for hours and a few fireworks. Today we attended a celebration at the Montufor Ward, where members showed pride for their home countries throughout Central American with displays and by telling about their home and serving Guatemalan foods. Most small businesses were closed for the day as people celebrated with their families.
