4th of July in Ecuador

Waking up on the 4th of July in a foreign country is kind of upsetting because no one walks with the same beat in their step.  We tried expressing to multiple Ecuadorians throughout the day that it was the 4th of July but they just looked at us like "and your point is..."  The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. I love the idea of unity and everyone coming together to have a good time.  The food is good, the music is good, the games are good.  The 4th of July is America.  While I forgot, it helped that half our team remembered to wear red, white and blue, so that help set the mood for the day.  As we stood in the lobby, I mulled over ways that I could celebrate here in Ecuador, and then it hit me.  What better way to celebrate being an American than doing American things in a foreign country?  So that is what I set out to do for the day...on the bus ride to campus, I compiled a list of stereotypical "American" things that could be accomplished today...


Things Americans do (things that are at least tangible in Ecuador):

• talk about politics
• brag about superiority
• watch fireworks
• play baseball
• eat barbecue food
• eat bacon
• flush toilet paper
• drink from the faucet, tap water
• wear shorts when above 70 degrees
• speak English/Spanglish
• go swimming
• drink "limonada" that consists of lemons
• listen to country music
• start a U-S-A chant
• Sing the National Anthem, God Bless America and recite the Pledge of Allegiance
• be a missionary in a foreign country
• pay with a $20
• be a hardcore tourist
• watch an American movie
• wear red, white and blue
• use smart phones
• play cornhole/ultimate frisbee

As it is now July 5th, I can proudly state that nearly all of the items on the list were accomplished today in some form or another.  For example, while baseball was not played, I did hit a pitched stuffed animal with a flip flop.  I had a bacon cheeseburger to knock out both barbecue food and bacon.  Even though limonada was on the menu and in Spanish class we learned it to be lemonade, the Ecuadorians confuse their fruits and make limeade instead, which is just not the same.  I swam this past weekend so I will count that as accomplished.  While I didn't watch a full length movie, we watched a clip from the Sandlot and I think that is definitely an American movie.  I briefly mentioned my dislike for politics which is enough political conversation for me.  I flushed toilet paper down the toilet even though it's frowned upon but I did not drink from the sink because I don't want to get sick, but that is one of the first things that I am doing when I return home.  I attended campus in a polo and jeans but quickly switched out into my EMELEC jersey (red, white, and blue despite being an Ecuador futbol team) and shorts. 

We were asked to promptly report to room 704 at 9pm for a surprise in which we had no idea about.  My fingers were crossed hoping that we were going to go to the roof and light off fireworks but I would end up being just as satisfied.  We opened up the door to room 704 to find a firework display being played from YouTube on one of the staff's computers.  We sat down to watch as a team, participating in "oooohs and ahhhhs" as well as singing the National Anthem and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and concluding with a U-S-A chant.  Afterwards we were surprised with a cake...yummm.  The sugar high launched us into a dance party sing-a-long with a playlist including country music, Journey, and other home town classics.  Somehow a video of native bird calls snuck in there but now we know that the sound of freedom (a.k.a. the caw of a Bald Eagle) lacks in comparison to our strong military force.  The night concluded with some of us playing Nertz (competitive solitaire) as it capped off a great celebratory 4th of July in Ecuador.

Happy 5th of July everyone! Goodnight from Ecuador :)