4th of July in Peru

photo: Myself, Comandant of the Peruvian Army, and other PCV Teryn

¨Fiestas Patrias¨, or Independence day was celebrated in a very unique and strange place this 4th of July, the Peruvian army recreation center in Piura Perú. My site mate and I decided to take the day off and celebrate since it was our obligation as Americans and I wanted to commemorate my grandfather, John Hart, who signed the Declaration of Independence 8 generations ago. We had a great time swimming and sharing beers with the comandant who was in charge that day. Being the only ¨gringos¨ in swim suits in the area, the soldiers wearing their fatigues made us feel like the whole world was watching us. Teryn whipped out her American flag and pinned it on the umbrela that was at our table. Me being the type of person that doesn´t like a lot of attention was a little against the idea of waiving our flag in a foreign military facility that wasn´t ours. But in the end we had so many soldiers come up to us and wish us happy ¨Fiestas Patrias¨. Later, I wasn´t so against waiving our flag, after all it is our independence day and why shouldn´t we waive our flag. I guess I wouldn´t be offended if Peruvians that were living in the US waived their flag on their Fiestas Patrias which is coming up at the end of the month. I imagine living in Peru must be a little bit more different than living in other countries that were not so friendly towards North Americans. In Peru, they treat foreigners with respect and often special treatment, atleast that has been my case so far. I´ve been to a few places in Europe and was never treated like I have been treated in Peru. By the end of the day I was very proud to waive my flag at the pool and to be from the United States. There were so many people all over the city, at my work at the police station, and at the military facility that wished me happy Fiestas Patrias that day. My hope is that citizens of the United States remember Perú and their independence from the Spanish on July 28th, 1821 and wish them feliz fiestas patrias!