Celebrate America

Many foreign service officers will tell you that after several years in the service they begin to dread the Fourth of July. Independence Day, which is when so many of us swell with pride for our country, has become just one more exhausting work day. You see most embassies and consulates have a really big party to celebrate the birth of our nation and invite all the local dignitaries and contacts. In some places they invite Americans living in the area, but more often than not there simply is not enough room for them and sometimes not even room for the families of FSOs. But the officers are required to be there to meet-n-greet, entertain guests and generally keep the crowd mingling for the duration of the event. Standing around chatting jovially with your colleagues while enjoying food and drink is not acceptable.

I have prepared myself for this possibility and steeled myself to still enjoy the patriotic day. But, alas, in Abu Dhabi there is apparently very few people here in July when temps can easily be 105 degrees Fahrenheit. So we celebrate National Day in February when the temps are low 70's. Our National Day reception was held the evening of Feb 17 and I very much enjoyed it.

There were no fireworks at the outdoor venue but the national anthem was played by a military band-very moving. All our spouses were invited-making it more fun. And I spent hours moving through the crowd meeting people and loving every minute of it. I met an officer on vacation from her post in Afghanistan who helps to repatriate Afghans back home; met the third secretary from Romania, military liaisons, several professors, business people and hotel representatives. One gentleman, an American living in Germany and UAE for several decades said that he did not generally get homesick for the US but this event brought up that emotion.

Needless to say I enjoyed my first celebration of America and its history and culture. May there be many more enjoyable celebrations.