4th of July- Sydney festivities

This morning we had a flight to Sydney from Adelaide at 11. Arriving in Sydney was smooth and we met up with Ben (Shayna's boyfriend who flew in from the states) at our airbnb in the center of town! We unpacked, rested a bit and then walked around to take some touristy photos near the opera house :)

At night, (as most Americans do), we wanted to join forces and celebrate the 4th of July. For those of you who’ve never celebrated the 4th of July, it is a commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as free an independent states, the United States of America, and were no longer connected to the British Crown (wikipedia). AKA A BIG HUGE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR THE STATES. Throughout the country we wear red, white, and blue, flying our flags outside of the house, bbqing, boating, drinking with friends and family, playing in the water and anything else we can do that’s summer-y and celebratory!

Actually, I'll take this opportunity to explain some flag guidelines we have in the states. (taken from https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/flag-hanging-dos-and-donts and http://www.usflag.org/flagholidays.html)

-Orient It Correctly: Whether hung vertically or horizontally, the flag should be positioned with the field of stars at the top left. If it's displayed in a window, always remember that the viewer is considered to be the outside.

-Leave a Light On: Traditionally, the flag is to be displayed outdoors only from sunrise to sunset, but it can stay there 24 hours a day if it's properly illuminated. To meet this requirement, try solar lights that charge throughout the day and shine bright at night, or a garden spotlight set on a timer.

-Consider the Weather: The flag shouldn't be subjected to harsh wind or to rain or snow unless it's made of an all-weather material. Choose one made from synthetic fibers, like nylon or polyester, that will stand up to the elements.

-Retire It When It's Worn: If your flag is showing signs of wear and tear, it should be disposed of in a dignified way, traditionally by burning. You can also contact your local VFW or American Legion; both groups offer to retire your flag in a respectful ceremony.

-The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free.

Some of the main holidays people put the flag out are: Inauguration Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (4th of July), Labor Day, Veterans Day and many more.

When you are away from home on the 4th and you’re an American, it’s easy to get a bit homesick, so what I’ve done this year in Sydney and the past year (I was in Berlin last summer- shoutout Stephanie, Krishna and Nick), is to seek out an American bar/theme night where there will be other Americans celebrating as well! We had a blast. We started off at Keg & Brew bar, got some drinks and amazing burgers, and were accompanied by Corey Smithe!! Corey is my friend who I saw when I was in Sydney last, and also he went to my university on an exchange program.

The whole lot of us were seated at a table with an aussie guy who was drinking his weight in beer and chatting with us nonstop. He was actually quite entertaining. Afterwards, we headed back to our airbnb and played drinking games and head’s up (charade game by Ellen Degeneres). The laughter was nonstop and so were the good ol’ American vibes. It was so special being with family on this holiday! Usually we head up to my grandparent’s in Wisconsin and watch the fireworks on the boat near the marina but this year we took a bit of a field trip down under!