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MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014
PAGE 12
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
INTERNATIONAL
Students celebrate Fourth of July while abroad
CONTRIBUTED BY LINDSAY BLOOM
Front row: Dylan Gaffney, Georgetown; Jackie Langdon, KU; Kim Pollock, St. Lawrence; Elly Lang, MU; Amanda Maisonave, Georgetown. Back row: Sheila Murray, St. Lawrence; Helen Hawkins KU, Betsy Tampke, KU, Daniel Atkins, CU; San José, Costa Rica.
A British student with the University students in Stuttgart, Germany made a cake resembling the American Flag as a part of 4th of July celebrations in the city.
CONTRIBUTED BY JACKIE LANGDON
ERIN ORRICK
news@kansan.com
Spanning several time zones, continents and countries, Jayhawks studying and interning abroad this summer all had one thing in common: they didn't have to be on American soil to celebrate Fourth of July in style.
On a holiday that represents being proud of where you're from, many University students decided to focus on bringing American flavor to places that may have not been the wiser.
Alex Lucas, a senior from Denver, who is interning in London as a graphic designer with KFDS and Kdot Online, spent the Fourth at a few American clubs with fellow Jayhawks, junior Erin Fowler and senior Sarah Kramer.
Lucas said while one club let them in for free just because they were Americans, there were also instances where the British public had no idea that it was an American holiday.
"It was interesting to see their reactions," Lucas said. "A lot of them didn't realize it was our Independence Day."
Despite some people not knowing the holiday and what it represents, some out-of-country students in the same programs found their own ways to contribute to the red, white and blue festivities.
Lindsay Bloom, a fifth-year senior from Overland Park, Kan., who is interning with an organization in Dublin, Ireland called ALONE (A Little Offering Never Ends), flew to Stuttgart, Germany to visit a sorority sister, who's also studying abroad. They partied with Americans and foreigners alike.
Bloom said her favorite part of the day was seeing how students from other countries helped them celebrate.
"A British girl made a red, white and blue cake topped with fruit and a Greek student brought another American flag dessert to share," Bloom said. "Other students seemed excited to celebrate like Americans with fireworks and hamburgers, and some even sported American flag
shirts."
Spending a prominent American holiday in another country was more of an eye-opening experience for some than it was for others.
Garvey Burrows, a senior from Miami, who is in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for the Critical Language Scholarship program to study Persian in a fullimmersion environment, said before studying abroad, he took a lot of things for granted, like food.
"Finding an American burger here is next to impossible," Burrows said.
"All of the Marines and their families who are stationed here, researchers and students came together to celebrate the independence of our country in the best way we could," Burrows said. "There were hot dogs, burgers, corn on the cob and a lot
Although he was homesick for American cuisine, Burrows got the opportunity to spend his Fourth of July at the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan and, luckily, there were hamburgers.
Contrary to his longing for an American burger, Burrows said his favorite part of the day was listening to a Taijik band play '80s rock music in the background.
of other traditional American food served."
Food, however, seemed to be a common denominator among many Jayhawks studying abroad.
"We talked about the food we miss most from home, and most of it was food you would never really expect to miss." Bloom said. "Taco Bell was on everyone's list."
Bloom said the Reese's peanut butter cups that a student got from someone who had access to the U.S. military base nearby was one highlight.
Olivia Hunter, a senior from Madison, Wis., who is in her last week of a four-week study abroad trip in Stirling, Scotland, wanted to do something just for extra fun and learning.
Other Jayhawks spent the Fourth in a more serene manner.
"I decide to stay in Stirling for the weekend," Hunter said. "I had been go, go, go' the previous two weekends, so I thought it would be nice to do something in town."
Hunter made a solo trek to the Wallace Monument, a tower built in honor of William Wallace, a Scottish freedom fighter and the inspiration behind the movie, "Braveheart."
Hunter said other students in her program recommended it so she thought what better day to go than on a day that is meant to celebrate freedom.
Even though students were thousands of miles away from home on an important American holiday, many found comfort and familiarity among their group.
Jackie Langdon, a senior from Denver, who has been studying abroad at Universidad de Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica for the past six months, gathered with nine other students for a potluck picnic.
Langdon said they used the holiday as an excuse to say their goodbyes
"We have become each other's support system," Langdon said. "Instead of moping around about missing out on what's going on back home, we decided to plan something special to do."
since their program is ending in a couple of weeks.
Langdon said they have been in Costa Rica for so long that it doesn't feel weird celebrating an American holiday there.
"Even though I'm thousands of miles away from home, celebrating with all of my friends and fellow Americans was a familiar and exciting experience," Burrows said.
1 have tried to blend in within the culture and not seem like a 'typical American,' but the Fourth was a day where we felt like we had an excuse to show our pride for our country," Bloom said.
Burrows and Bloom shared a lot of the same sentiment.
Edited by Kaitlyn Klein
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