It doesn’t get any more U.S.A. then Independence Day, which is shortly upon EndorphinGirl™ and those living in the good ole’ U.S.ofA. For some it means the kickoff of summer, especially those grade school kids who have just finished the school year. While for others it already feels like the other side of summer (i.e., the second half of summer has begun). No matter what it is for you, it is in honor of the day in 1776 that the U.S.ofA. declared its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.  And it has come to be known as  the day associated with fireworks and parades and  barbecues and carnivals and picnics and concerts and baseball games and family reunions and political speeches and ceremonies as well as all the other traditions celebrated throughout the country.  It is deemed the National Day of the United States.

One of the most traditional 4^th of July celebrations EndorphinGirl™ recalls celebrating was when she was living in Moscow, Russia.  While that sounds a bit ironic, it is true. EndorphinGirl™ and EndorphinKids spent the day celebrating at The American Embassy Compound in Moscow.  Entering that Compound on a typical day was like being transformed to middle America.  Entering that compound on the 4^th of July was even more American than being in some U.S. cities. The Compound, at least back in the 1990’s, was transformed into everything American.  The apartments, in fact little row houses, looked American; the furnishings, were American design; the commissary store sold everything American; the snack bar sold hot dogs, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, and every type of American staple.  The playground was American. 

Now about that playground - EndorphinGirl will digress for just a brief sentence or two.  It was very American.  One day EndorphinGirl™ and her son were in the playground, just the
two of them, when a man and his dog appeared.  Now mind you the playground was inside the very tightly secured Embassy Compound, that required documents such as passports to be shown before being allowed to enter. On that day, EndorphinGirl™ was pushing her son on the swing in the playground.  At the same time that man and his dog were watching them.  He kept watching as evidenced by EndorphinGirl™’s peripheral vision!  Until eventually he walked over to chat. They started to chat, that type of chit chat and nothing meaningful chat. Through this nonsense chit chat they learned they were from the same area in the U.S.ofA. As they talked more, they learned they went to high school together.  As they chit chatted more they learned they were in the same classes together.  Funny!  And the reason he was at the Embassy?  His wife worked for the Embassy and he was the architect who designed the playground!  Funnier!!

Now back to the Embassy Compound and the 4th of July.  The purpose for Americanizing the Compound some say was to help the workers and families that worked and lived there to keep their culture with them as they moved from assignment to assignment and from country to country.  They were still U.S. government employees, perhaps the idea was to ensure their culture was always embedded in them?  While in theory familiarity could be a good thing for different reasons while working in another culture, in fact EndorphinGirl™ believes they lost out on truly acclimating to the new culture.  But they were there as Americans working for the U.S. government so they had a different purpose.  And they certainly had 'all the comforts of home.' 

Now this particular day at the Embassy.  That is the 4^th of July in the late 1990s, EndorphinGirl™ and Kids felt like they were back in the U.S.ofA.  They played baseball, enjoyed barbecued food with their Embassy friends, watched fireworks and even watched a parade of kids wearing  everything American.  All of this took place in a red white and blue theme.  [It should be noted EndorphinFamily lived off the compound and benefited from learning a new culture and never lost their own American culture!.]

Now where is the connection to endorphins.  Well first, the story is about EndorphinGirl™ so that’s one connection to endorphins?  And second, that particular 4^th of July there was a lot of endorphin activity on that compound.  The eating, the singing, the laughing, the baseball playing, the playing in the playground, the parading and the  fireworking!.  When EndorphinGirl™ sat down this evening to blog, without an idea of what to blog about, she remembered that the 4^th of July is upon us, and she then remembered this endorphin-filled 4^th of July in Moscow, Russia.  So she thought – go for it and blog about it. So there you have it. Happy 4^th of July wherever, however you celebrate it!

Today’s EndorphinGirl™ picture, which is courtesy
of EndorphinDaughter depicts her wishing you a swingin’ 4^th of July.

Meanwhile, guest comments always welcome in
guestbook and keep on endorphin’.

EndorphinGirl™