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nThenCaribbean island of Aruba is a part of the Kingdom of thenNetherlands, but on this date in 1948, a leader named Shon Emannpresented a petition with more than 2000 signatures, asking fornindependence for Aruba. It took almost 30 years to win independencen(called “status aparte”) through a peaceful process. Now Arubancelebrates March 18th as its national day.
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Therenwas a contest held to design Aruba’s flag, and a committee chosenelements repeated in many different designs – a star to representnthe island, liberty, and rebirth; stripes to represent the sun’snrays, and Aruba’s path as it moved from being part of the Kingdom ofnthe Netherlands to “status aparte”; and a blue field to representnboth the blue sky and the Caribbean Sea. This design was easy fornkids to draw and color, yet symbolic of things important to Aruba,nand it was easy to pick out among other flags (some flags, likenItaly’s and Ireland’s, are a lot-a lot alike!).
Therenwas a contest held to design Aruba’s flag, and a committee chosenelements repeated in many different designs – a star to representnthe island, liberty, and rebirth; stripes to represent the sun’snrays, and Aruba’s path as it moved from being part of the Kingdom ofnthe Netherlands to “status aparte”; and a blue field to representnboth the blue sky and the Caribbean Sea. This design was easy fornkids to draw and color, yet symbolic of things important to Aruba,nand it was easy to pick out among other flags (some flags, likenItaly’s and Ireland’s, are a lot-a lot alike!).n
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nThenother national symbol honored today is the national anthem, “Aruba,nPrecious Country.”
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nDonyou know…?
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nWhatn is the official language of Aruba?
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nAruban is quite warm, which is not surprising, since this Caribbean islandn is quite close to the equator. Do you think it is humid and coveredn with jungles, or dry and cactus-strewn?
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nAruban is quite close to two other islands, Bonaire and Curacao. What isn the group of the three islands called?
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nWhatn continent and country are closest to Aruba?
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| This weird tree is a Dividivi tree. |
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nANSWERS:
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n1.Dutchn– and also Papiamento n
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n2.Arubanis dry, what is called semi-arid. This is good for tourism, becausentourists can count on warm, dry, sunny days, and it is also a benefitnthat Aruba is out of the hurricane zone.
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n3.Thenthree islands are called the ABC Islands.
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n4.Arubanis off the coast of Venezuela, in South America.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversary of invention of the electric shaver
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nMen’s Day in Mongolia
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