It's pretty much a fact now that I have two homes. I certainly have a home in Uganda where I rent a house, work a job (despite the non existent salary), attend a church, have children (though Ive yet to give birth), and have significant friendships and relationships...sounds like a home to me. This home has people I love and miss and ache for when I'm away. It has beauty and tropical delights as well as challenges and raw realities of life in its fullness.
Then...there's America, which I've gained much more appreciation for. I used to be a little bit cynical about America but for the first time I can clearly see our culture. Our culture...is the things that I miss most about America to be honest... Ugandans used to ask me about my culture...my cultural dances or tribes or what have you...and I've always been a little at a loss for words. But in fact...America does have a beautiful rich culture centered about family. This is what makes America....America:
1. smores
2. campfires
3. hayrides
4. church picnics
5. big yellow school busses
6. the first day of kindergarten
7. birthday parties
8. Christmas festivities
9. Thanksgiving festivities
10. fireworks, sparklers, and fourth of july cookouts with your church family
11. Family Love like grandma and mom and my step dad and all those familiar safe people.
12. driving your own car
13. the mall
14. Wal Mart
15. Places you grew up
16. School dances like the Prom.
17. Western Romance, trust me it's different than other cultures...like going on dates where the guy picks up the girl at her house in his car, dinner and a movie, flowers, extravagant thoughtful marriage proposals, diamond rings, and American wedding customs.
18. College days: eating pizza from friday night's party for all 3 meals on saturday.
19. cute creative baby announcements, wedding invitations in the mail, and showers of all kinds.
20. Taking your kids to get ice cream, to the swimming pool, or to go on family vacations...
Yep those are my list of 20...but I know there's tons more I could think of. Anyone care to post your ideas? What makes America...America? as in ...the good stuff. the culture. the life. the love. I <3 America these days...
1 comment:
When I lived in India as a missionary I used to think that we dont have a rich culture like other places...later I realized just how much culture we do have, even if it is not clearly defined as "culture".
One of the things that I can add to that list of Americas culture is Youth Camp. It was one of the things that I missed when I moved overseas. That fun filled week every summer when all of the youth from youth groups would raise money from wahtever we could think of...carwashes, parking cars, etc,...and put it all into one week of memories in some camp out in the middle of nowhere. Good memories!
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