September 18th is the independence day of Chile, and September 19th is the Armed Forces Day. This week is called “Diesiocho” (meaning “18” in Spanish), and most companies and schools have one-week holidays. The town was enveloped by the festive atmosphere with people enjoying parades of the military forces and traditional dance called “Cueca” performed on the streets. We, at the Santiago office, also cut out of work in the morning, and had a small party in the afternoon. The picture shows Caracoles Street decorated with Chilean national flags. It is said that the flag’s red color represents the bloodshed in the independence movement, white color represents the snow in the Andes, blue color represents sea and sky, and stars express the wish for national unity.