Hey, A Few Hundred Years Ago My Country Left Your Country... Let's Celebrate!

I am about to say something very un-American, something terribly unpatriotic, something that contradicts the very essence of my country... the Fourth of July is not my favorite holiday. In fact, I am more partial to Groundhog's Day than the Fourth. The Fourth of July is a bit like New Year's Eve, so much hope, so much promise, so much hype and so much let down. However, just like New Year's Eve each and evey year must be approached with excitement. Maybe, just maybe it will be the one year that the holiday lives up to all the wishes and dreams pinned upon it. A month ago Sanne and I came together with the idea of planning an amazingly American Fourth of July party, as American of a Fourth of July celebration one American and one Belgian can plan together.

It was to be modeled upon our Thanksgiving feast. We would invite the American Studies class and have them bring guests, hoping to further diversify the party. However, this party would have one small difference, the Belgian believed we should dress the part of a famous American/American stereotype. As the weeks progressed Sanne and I's time in the library "studying for our dissertation" turned into list making sessions. "Food for the Party" "Invitees" "Costume Ideas" "Decorations" etc. While these lists may have been penned a month or two before the actual event, the real preparation, of course, didn't occur until the night before/day of the party.

As mentioned at some point in this blog there is a Wal-Mart equivalent store in the UK, ASDA. ASDA is of course wonderful for party planning, everything you need in one store. However, ASDA is quite a distance from the flat. Being quite a nice person (also desperately searching for a costume) Richard volunteered to make the epic journey to ASDA. With baskets filled with cans of peaches, strawberries, hotdogs, marshmallows, gummy worms and potatoes we made our way to the clothing section of ASDA. Having purchased costumes at the store before we had high hopes for the acquiring the best costumes ever. But Richard and I had forgotten one tiny detail.... we previously purchased costumes for Halloween. Shockingly enough we had such luck with costumes because of the date of our costume shopping, there were no costumes to be found this time. After wandering around the clothing section of the store for a good half an hour inspiration struck in the form of an absolutely hideous brightly colored Hawaiian shirt, we would go as tacky American tourists! Simple yet fitting.

The Fourth of July was spent at Sanne's flat in preparation. In the early morning Sanne expressed her great concern about their being a lack of food for the party guests. Upon seeing a cake, dirt cups, smores, apple pies, peach cobbler, corn on the cob, baked beans, hot dogs, cole slaw and chips I believe she changed her mind. My mom once again saved the overall look of the party by sending decorations. The American flag crepe paper, Old Navy shirts and actual American flags really made the party authentic as did the heat of the kitchen. Due to our extreme day of cooking and the extreme amount of people in a small kitchen the temperature was roasting... just like a Kansas fourth.

Everyone greatly impressed with their costumes. In addition to the tacky tourist there was a beatnik, Marilyn Monroe, a cowboy, a Yankees player, Johnny Cash among others. There was also a game of United States Trivia that apparently was far too difficult and the game was quickly abandoned and questions were just read. Did you know that Hawaii is the happiest state (not surprising) and West Virginia is the unhappiest? Kansas is the tenth happiest state, pretty good I would say! The Largest Prairie Dog town is also in Kansas..... it's pretty special.

Sanne was extremely impressive with her decorative picture murals! This is just one of the few she had up around the flat.

The American Flag cake. So easy to make and so perfect for the Fourth of July. Minus the fact that as a  perfectionist it never turns out how I want it to because the strawberry juice runs all over the cake.... probably due to the super hot kitchen!

Half-Way through the party the tacky tourists decided to trade hats. This is notable because the baseball cap actually says "homerun".. oh the clothes you can buy at ASDA! Also, side ponytails are apparently "American"

The hostesses! Sanne was so gracious to do so much planning and to host the party in her flat, I know everyone is greatly indebted to her. She is pretty much the best.

No food shortage here!

Just like our Thanksgiving feast, I was the only American celebrating the American holiday. I have to say in some ways I will miss this. It is really entertaining to find out how it is believed American holidays are celebrated. No, we actually don't go around on the Fourth of July shooting holes in road signs... well at least I never have. It is also fun to pass on some of my own holiday traditions and be repaid with Lithuanian dinners, Belgian waffles, French traditions, etc. One of the many, many, many perks of living in a foreign country. As for the celebrations stateside, it sounds as though despite the heat my family and friends managed to have a pretty wonderful Independence Day and see some great fireworks. I did miss the firework displays, Richard popping a party popper next to my ear while mid-conversation did not exactly hold the same effect.