I am thankful for those who have given their lives so that we can be a free country. I'm proud that we have freedom of speech. I'm proud that we can vote for who we want. I'm proud that we live in a country that is so appealing that people are sneaking in just to make better lives for themselves - even if it's wrong, it's our country that people so desperately want to be a part of.
Sometimes I wish I was from another country.
My family is Dutch. My dad is 100% Dutch, and we grew up knowing the phrase "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much". I have used that phrase many times in my life, proud of that heritage.
I've never been to the Netherlands.
I take pride in the culture of the Dutch, and yet I don't know a whole lot about it. I like tulips, and windmills, and wooden shoes, and Dutch letters, and the fact that my dad's family is super tall. I even know a Dutch phrase (though it's not appropriate for a public blog). I'd like to visit the Netherlands someday.
The fact is, people who live in the Netherlands are Dutch. People who live in Italy are Italians. Those who live in Germany are Germans, and those that live in Costa Rica are Ticos.
So who are we?
We are a blend of cultures. A mixture of many nationalities. Americans, we are called.
One time while we were visiting Nicaragua, there was a poetry festival going on. It was a really neat cultural event, with a concert in the town square one evening. A famous Nicaraguan singer started performing some beautiful songs all about patriotism. The songs spoke about the country's culture. It's land, the people, its food, etc. I stood proudly and swayed with the music, as tears welled up in my eyes. At that point, I wished I were Nicaraguan!
I really enjoyed Independence Day while we lived in Costa Rica (celebrated September 15). The country has different celebrations there, like the passing of the torch. People run from town to town, passing the torch off to new runners all around the country. In the valley we lived in, members of the community would get up early and ride on horseback to the top of the valley, while others would drive up with breakfast, in time for the torch to arrive. They'd sing patriotic songs, and then the torch would be on its way. And it wasn't summer break, so schools all around the country held programs with kids dressed in traditional clothing while singing and dancing to traditional songs.
I'm proud to be from the good ol' US of A. There are a lot of great principles our country stands for. But with our country being such a blend of cultures, I find myself sometimes wishing I was from a different country, where patriotism is slightly different. It's hard to describe our culture. Our food. Our land. Our music. Our clothing. We are diverse, which is a great thing. But there is a certain appeal with other countries who have a specific culture and celebrate accordingly.
I do know that I'm thankful to live in a country that has provided me with the opportunities to travel and experience many other cultures.
And my kids are cute.
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