I have grown to love holidays more as I have gotten older and moved around the world. Celebrating things while in different countries allows me to have a multiplicity of excuses to celebrate. New holidays are always a great time. We celebrated Handover Day on Monday with a Junk Boat: quintessential Hong Kong.
It was a little unsettling then on Thursday morning to have no plans for the 4th of July. It was America’s birthday. I love America. I needed to do something.
I had texted most of the Americans I know in Hong Kong by 9 am: bbq on the roof. Bring anyone.
We managed to gather about 8 people at the last minute, built up a fire in our kettle grill, and found many American food products. We had beer from 4 parts of America, hot dogs, hamburgers, relish, mustard, potato salad made by a brit, and Japanese marshmallows for s’mores. And a friend even put on her collection of country music. All we needed.
The fire got so hot after it got started that it was blue. Consequently, I burned the hot dogs; or as one charitable person put it: they were char grilled. I like to think I’m just too good at making fire.
It is nice to have some quality Americans to celebrate with on the opposite side of the globe.
jamielynnwaters 
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