Independence Day

View of the city before fireworks!

Today was American Independence Day! Usually, I attend a multicultural festival in El Cerrito put on by one of my high school teachers, but this year I got to spend July 4th in the same place that the Declaration of Independence were signed! All the residents of Philadelphia and surrounding cities showed their pride to be an American and came together to see a parade. While I was also having fun and enjoying being an American, I spent the majority of the parade looking for contradictions. While noticing the parade featured aspects of a lot of cultures, I also noticed that many other countries or regions were missing. I think this proves that Professor Lamas is teaching us well!

Beginning of the finale

After the parade, I went out to eat and get frozen yogurt with some friends and then hung out in the quad for a couple hours. I participated in some very interesting discussions with some people from my Social Justice class about the differences between America and other countries. Some of the biggest changes we noticed is that people in many other countries make more eye contact while walking in public, say hello to people in the streets, laws are much more lenient, street traffic is crazier and many more. Later, all three hundred Summer Discovery students joined together for a barbecue and then almost everyone went and watched fireworks. We had a very good view from a park where there were hundreds of other Philadelphians. All in all, today was a great day and I'm glad I got to spend it here on the East Coast!