Celebrating Independence

How does one show American patriotism while not in America?  This is how...

First you get a bunch of patriotic Americans together.

Throw in a rather large American flag (hanging from a clothes line).

Bring some meat for the grill. (Meat's expensive, so you might want to settle for some grilled veggies and have beans for your protein.)

Serve up some potluck sides and eat on a picnic blanket.

Sing the National Anthem to that beautiful flag.

Play songs like "Proud to be an American" and "Sweet Home Alabama".

Be creative in a display of "fireworks" (example: tie steel wool to a string, light it on fire, and spin it around really fast).

Watch Independence Day on the big screen (well... a nice size projector).

And wear red, white, and blue in layers because it's going to get down in the 50s before the night's over!

 Amanda and Mandy: my new awesome friends

(and what's the 4th without the Braves?)

I did have to work that day... you know, I'm not in America, after all.  But it was really nice to experience something so American.  If it had only been 100 degrees, I would have felt like I was back home!

I've heard that Papua New Guinea's Independence Day is quite an event, too.  It happens in September.  I'll tell you all about it!