4th of July thoughts

I've never felt less American than 4th of July last year.

Every time I return to the USA after being gone for a long time, I experience culture shock in a completely new, unexpected way. In 2019, I'd just returned after a year and a half of living in Asia and South America and having been in a relationship with a European. I hadn't really had a lot of contact with American culture (not like I'm used to, at least).

I was watching some 4th of July outdoor concert on TV with my family and thinking about how much brainwashing and bullshit was obviously in it. I felt unAmerican, but not like I belonged anywhere else... it was a really lost time for me.

Fast forward a year, and I feel American again. I really love this country, it's so vast with so many different landscapes, cultures, cuisines, all mishmashed together. It's home. It has its bullshit, but every single country does.