Independence Day

In Jordan it is still America's Independence Day for another hour, and thusly will conclude my first Fourth of July outside of America- and let me tell you, it was good! Of course it is the morning of (and I hope you all remember that in Jordan, Sunday is the new Monday- so we were in class) and nothing had been planned for our group in terms of party-like-it's-1999. So, of course, I decided to put myself in charge and plan a party! Who would of thought I would plan an event? Really? Me? and "organizer"? Pshaw... (I'm not sure how much sarcasm this blog can take....) So I threw together some pot-luck and grilling (thanks to some wonderful gentleman who tended the fire not unlike cave men, but I love them!). We had all kinds of Middle Eastern salads and hummos and pita and Kunafa, oh and hamburgers and hot dogs. We played music and watched the sunset on a patio in front of our classroom building. Ahh, sweet sweet American party! This was my first 4th without fireworks and booze, well fireworks for the 4th. You see, Jordanians know how to celebrate! Every night the streets are alive with honking horns covered in flowers that celebrate weddings followed by fireworks all over the place. There are always people yelling and gathered in groups for weddings or graduations. EVERY. NIGHT. We smoke shiisha in a cafe on the 6th floor of a building that looks out over the whole city and I love going up there and see the fireworks across town, and even flying over the Middle East en rout to Beirut you could see the pops of bright colors all over the place. Jordanians know how to celebrate, and we had to show them that Americans can too!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Just remember that American wasn't always America, that we had to grow into a country, into an economy, and into a society, so that you can remember what it means to be a developing country.
Remember the great things that we have done as a people, like taking in immigrants and refugees, but don't hide the awful things that we have done, like creating immigrants and refugees.
A nation is more than borders, and independence is more than a piece of paper, but that borders and papers can kill a person's nationality and freedom.
Everyday I am learning to love the American flag more and more, because I understand more and more what part of my identity is "American" and how I'm connected to the rest of the world because of and in spite of it.

So, God Bless America (and everyone else!!)!