Independence Day

Today is, or is as of writing this, (because although I'm writing on the 4^th, who knows when I'll be posting) el Día de Independencia de los Estados Unidos, or Independence Day of the United States. A handful of people here remembered it to me, and a few more got it after just a couple of hints. I was fully intending to spend this week with my Primaria teacher, but he didn't go in yesterday, and after we did Kindergarten today, he basically kicked me out of classes because I “shouldn't have to work on my Independence Day,” which meant that I could go to El Valle with a handful of other volunteers from around here. The a lot of Panama PCVs went to a beach party in Chiriquí, actually where I went on my volunteer visit back in January, but I hadn't wanted to miss that much school...even though I am missing it anyway, with today, yesterday, and tomorrow my teacher is going to a ceremony/presentation in Los Santos to get our new Bandera Azul flag. As a reminder, Bandera Azul is the First Lady's program to motivate environmental programs in schools. My teacher wanted to invite me to the ceremony, but wasn't allowed to bring more people, so I have the day for...whatever I decide I need to do. Which will involve finding internet to post this!

Now, to the point: Celebrating Independence Day in the United States

I admit that I haven't always been the most fervent patriot in the Union, and that celebrating the 4^th of July was more for the sake of fireworks than the country itself, but I am very grateful to be an American citizen. Of course there are political problems, social problems, economic problems, energy problems, environmental problems, internal problems, international problems- the list can be endless of the problems.

But every time I spend time outside of the States, I learn as much about home as I do about whatever country I'm in.

And in that, I am reminded of how good we really have it. Granted, with the exception of bits of time in Austria, Germany, and Canada, my international adventures have been in less developed, less modern, or perhaps just less “Western.” Whatever the reason, for the most part, we have reliable access to running, potable water, and much of the time, even heated water. There's almost definite access to electricity across the board, and as annoying as the orange barrels are, someone is maintaining the roads. Not everyone has air conditioning, but most communities have some place they can go to enjoy it. To varying degrees of quality, we have neighborhood, city, county, state, and national parks, and a hefty percentage of the population is equipped with an automobile.

Beyond all of this, there are the less measurable things that are at least as important, if not more. The American Dream has gotten a bit tarnished over time, but having that idea that anyone can be anything is really encouraging. That's not to say they will be, or that it will be straightforward, or even seem possible, but knowing that it is possible for an individual to find and take chances and opportunities to make their life into whatever form they want to- is that not an idea to cherish?

Our educational system is beset with problems, but it does result in creative and productive engineers, scientists, librarians, teachers, leaders political and social, thinkers, inventors, writers, builders...people in every realm of activity.

The American ideals of opportunity, freedom, justice, accountability...despite the problems, there are throngs of people who still want to come to the United States so desperately that they will risk everything that they have, just to be able to start with nothing, in hopes that they or their children, or their grandchildren, will be able to improve themselves.

A few weeks ago, my 'uncle' asked me why there were so many immigrants want to go into the United States. I don't know an answer from surveys or studies, but I know it must be a strong reason for them to face the challenges that confront both legal and illegal immigrants.

Yes, there are faults to find, and counter-examples to everything that I mention as good and well-done, but they haven't proven to be as lastingly definitive of the US, and who doesn't have room for improvement?

And so, despite the the occasional 'declines into socialism,' debates on constitutionality of this and that, despite particular decisions and actions that I disagree with, and certainly at times a lot of frustration, I am and I will continue to be proud to be an American citizen.

(I do think it highly ego/ethno-centric that we have claimed the name “American”, which really belongs to quite a few countries on two continents.  Here in Panamá, they use "Estadounidense", which roughly translates to the sociological "United States-ian" more often than they use "americano."  However, I'm not going to change my opinion of the entirety of the United States on the basis of linguistic annoyance.)