Independence Day

While the Fourth of July passed quietly here, with no local fanfare, today was still an independence day of sorts, as it marked the first official day of summer vacation. The last university exams were yesterday, so thousands of students celebrated today by sleeping past 6 am for the first time in recent memory, and by supporting local businesses with weeks of pent-up pocket money.

While I obviously had no exams, I too rejoiced over the end of finals, because it meant that my friends were finally free ("independent") to hang out with me again. A few of us celebrated by going out for barbecue, which was the most American thing I could think of doing. Of course, Chinese barbecue is quite different from the American variety:

Intestine, bone marrow, and pig's ears rarely appear on the menu at the typical Fourth of July picnic. The beer is the same though, and that's what matters eh?

I tried to encourage people to show their patriotic love for the U.S. by wearing red, white, and blue, but out of girlish modesty, my friends declined to wear red on the grounds that it is "too sexy".

Sexy indeed.

Miss you America! Happy Fourth of July!