Today the 4th of July came and went in Bangkok. We headed out to the American Chamber of Commerce event at the American School of Bangkok (nice campus). It was a sweltering day as hundreds of Americans and their Thai friends and family gathered around for a chili cook-off, BBQ and beer. Local American bands played the blues and a good time was all. Caught up with some friends, saw my American students from the Mountbatten program who after 18 months in the UK and Bangkok were happy to have an American day – and some fun people watching. The chili was great – for me it was a toss-up between the Roadhouse BBQ, who won, and one named "After Death". I ate way too much and left one more bite away from a coma.
Meanwhile Cody embraced his 50% American side and became the All American Kid for face painting. In a nice slow rock and roll version of America one of the singers did a monolog about what's an American. I find that's a hard thing to explain to a Thai who hasn't been out of Thailand – a very homogeneous people and country relative to the USA. "Is it cold in America?". Well that depends if we're talking about Key West or Nome I suppose. What I like about the monolog was how he talked about how America is an idea, which is what it is beyond a place and some people. We've all met the cab driver from Africa or the worker from Latin American or the shopkeeper from Asia who as fresh arrivals, full of the dream of a better life are 100% American because they share the idea and the ideals of what it means.
Happy Independence Day!
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