This Wednesday, the United States of America will be celebrating the anniversary of their independence (thank you, Captain America). Like all national (and international) holidays, we Urchins each have our own special way of celebrating.

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I have been told that we Americans enjoy the tradition of excessive beer drinking on the 4th of July – in addition to watching explosions in the sky and covering our nicest clothes in BBQ sauce. Needless to say, I was intrigued. This year, I shall be celebrating our independence from the Urchin Homeland in one of America’s greatest success and failure stories – Detroit. My boyfriend’s family hosts an annual BBQ, and from what I gather, it is on par with American tradition. I have also gathered that Detroit is a hot place. So, I shall therefore take in this holiday from the pool with a beer and probably some BBQ sauce.

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New York City is easily the most American place I’ve ever called home, so apparently the 4th of July celebrations will be quite festive. I intend to stay away. It will be my first Independence Day celebration here in the Big Apple, and intend to live to see the second one. Not only will most everyone in NYC be drunk and handling explosives, but every visiting tourist will be as well. And so, I intend to celebrate America’s independence with my own, hopefully by finding a somewhat secluded section of Prospect Park to eat my attempt at a homemade sweet potato burger, listen to Sly and the Family Stone, and read books about race. And, call me un-American if you dare, but I won’t be watching the fireworks. Ever since watching a fireworks display in London that was accompanied by opera music, the bar is inconceivably high.

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This will be my first 4th of July away from the US. At first, I was heartbroken to be missing my annual Taste of Chicago date with my family and best friends (it would have been the 13th!), but to ease my pain, the City of Chicago decided to move Taste of Chicago from 11 – 15 July. One day when I’m back in the states, I plan to protest this treasonous move, but this year I’m grateful. Instead of broiling in Chicago, I’ll be spending my 4th of July driving the 11 hairpin bends of the Trollstigen Mountain Road in Norway towards the Geirangerfjord before settling down in the most fun ever-named town of Flåm. We’re hoping to find some veggie sausage to approximate a Stateside barbecue, but based on the veg options we’ve been finding, or more accurately, not finding, so far, we have to settle for some Norwegian beer and breathtaking scenery. Rats.