4. Juli

Independence Day is one of my favorite American holidays, and this is the second year in a row that I have celebrated it away from the homeland. But just like last summer in Capri, I found other Americans to share the day with. Youlia, Necco, and I (or "Team America" as we like to call ourselves) invited the rest of our colleagues to celebrate with us in a true American fashion. After work, we all walked to Daniel's garden where we had a BBQ. It is a summer tradition here in the Saarland to cook meat over a special swinging grill called a Schwenker (pictured below). The meal was delicious and afterwards we introduced everyone to an American campfire favorite--s'mores! Only instead of graham crackers & Hershey's squares, we used Butterkekse and Nutella. Yum! We also had sparklers (which took me almost 2 hours to find in town and I was so excited when I finally found them, that I bought over 100!) It was a great celebration and certainly a Fourth of July I won't soon forget. Happy 235th America!

"Oh, it's home again and home again, America for me!

I want a ship that's westward bound to plough the rolling sea
To the blessed land of Room Enough beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars."  

-Henry Van Dyke