Monday, July 04, 2005

Fourth of July weekend

Every now and again someone asks me what 4th of July is like in my country - do we have fireworks etc. Huh? And why, exactly, would we celebrate 4th July?

Highlights of my 4th July weekend:
  • Hanging out on Bolinas beach with two friends and a dog
  • A Brazilian barbecue where I felt like I was in a different country entirely - lots of Portuguese and Spanish being spoken, fantastic Brazilian jam session in the living room (and a Brazilian complimented my drumming skills! yay for me)
  • Talking to my big sister in NZ, whose birthday it is today
  • Turning up at two separate barbecues, saying hello, grabbing food, and leaving, because we wanted to catch the fireworks
  • Walking really fast towards the marina to see the fireworks, and arriving just in time for the finale
  • Making plans for hiking in Marin, scuba diving in Monterey, a road trip to Portland, Oregon
  • Sleeping in
This marks the end of my first year in Berkeley. I've discovered that it can take a year to really settle in somewhere and make the friends you really want, rather than the friends that just happen to be available. I've been lucky in that I have a couple of good friends that I met in my first weeks in Berkeley in the first house I moved into, but I'm just now making some really good friends at work - it makes all the difference.

I'm not really sure what 4th July is all about (something about signing some declaration?) but for me it was a lovely celebration of friendship. And fireworks and beer.

R.

posted by flying kiwi @ 11:30 PM