Happy 4th of July!

Do you remember those teachers who would say "There's no such thing as a stupid question"? I had friends in the US who would write to me while I was in Portugal who seemed determined to prove those teachers wrong. They'd ask me (about Portugal) things like:

• What's it like living in a 3rd world country?
• What's it like living south of the equator?
• How's your Spanish coming along?
• Do they have fireworks on the 4th of July?

I've come a long way in being graceful when people ask me questions about whatever country I happen to be in. I guess I've learned along the way that I don't know everything about every country and so I probably have asked some pretty good ones too to my friends that are in places completely foreign to me.

So...no, they don't have fireworks in Portugal on the 4th of July. In France, they DO have fireworks and parades and everything decked out in red, white, and blue on the 14th of July (their independence day), and it's close enough to the 4th and similar enough that I never felt like I was missing out on the 4th.

And I don't feel like I missed out today. If you're wondering how I celebrated the 4th (maybe a better way to phrase the question than the way mentioned above), I'm happy to tell you.

There are some Americans here who work for an oil company, and the company provides them with a HUMONGOUS house on top of a hill right near the beach. The family, however, is currently in the states on vacation, but offered the house to the rest of us Americans to use for a 4th party. A million of us showed up, played in the pool all afternoon long, grilled burgers, lit sparklers, played pro-America music (yes, someone had an awesome pro-America playlist on the ipod), and just had a jolly good ole time. There was even homemade apple pie.

While we were sitting around, Mrs. Real McCoy asked someone how they typically celebrated their 4th in the states. She thought about it, and then responded, "Well, I think the last time I was there for the 4th was 2002." I got to thinking of my own journey...

2010: Africa

2009: France

2008: France

2007: France

2006: Washington, D.C. (awesome)

2005: The Emirates

2004: India

2003: North Carolina

2002: Sri Lanka

2001: Just returned home from Portugal...maybe I'd been home 3 days?

2000: Portugal

1999: About to get on a plane to Portugal

So when I first thought about it, I lumped 1999 and 2001 in with the overseas celebrations...and then remembered that my coming and going to Portugal had been sandwiched by the 4th. So I hadn't spent quite as many 4th's overseas as I'd originally thought...but I've still spent quite a few abroad in the last 10 years or so.

Anyway, Americans typically know how to celebrate the 4th wherever they are. I've never felt like I've missed out (except maybe in 2003 while working camp in NC). Honestly, I'm more sad about missing Bastille Day in France just 10 days from now. I love the festive spirit and the fireworks are insane!

I hope yall have a great day celebrating the freedom of our country. I also hope you get a nice relaxing day by the pool with grilled burgers just like I did. There was even a lawn with GRASS. For a moment, I forgot I was in Africa...