This summer, I am completing a RISE (Recognizing Inequities and Standing for Equality) internship with the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Markets Institute at its headquarters in Washington, DC. This being the first ever summer I would spend in the US, I was excited to see what living outside the "Orange Bubble" (what student's call the Princeton universe) feels like, and most of all, how July 4th is celebrated in the U.S., especially D.C. Back home in Australia, I never really celebrated Australia Day, our version of Independence Day. Given the day’s date, which marks the anniversary of the arrival of the English First Fleet on Australian soil, many citizens and especially the Aboriginal Australian community regard it as a day of mourning. However, Independence Day here, from my pop culture knowledge, is a day full of celebration and patriotism–something that I was really interested in experiencing.
I started off my Fourth of July by meeting up with my friend near Georgetown University. We had pancakes and scrambled eggs for brunch–a fittingly American breakfast. After brunch, I met up with one of my WWF co-interns and headed to the US Capitol. My co-intern’s friend was working at the Capitol and invited us as plus ones to sit on the steps of the building. We decided to go early to avoid the crowds and to set up camp at a good location. When we arrived there, I was impressed by the Capitol’s architecture–it was grand, had a big dome in the middle of the building, and seemed almost out of place amongst the rest of its surroundings due to its neoclassical style.
When we sat down on the steps, I was amazed by the view. From the Capitol, I could clearly see the Washington Monument and the stretch of green between these two landmarks filled with crowds of people. There was a concert stage right in front of us with an orchestra, choir, army personnel, singers, and dancers. We were handed American flags by some people on the steps, so I felt that I fit right in waving the flag amongst a sea of red, white and blue.
Not before long, the performances on the stage started. One moment that stood out to me particularly was when the U.S. National Anthem was sung; everyone in the crowd stood up and put their hand on their chest. No one around me actually sang, and were instead silently listening to the singer on the stage. At that moment, I remembered the absurdity of my situation: I was an international student, surrounded by U.S. citizens, in the capital city, during the celebration of America’s Independence. When the song ended, I felt a great sense of gratitude that I had the opportunity to experience July 4th in such a unique and memorable way.
Before the concert finished, I left the Capitol–albeit a little unwillingly!–and headed to the rooftop of my summer accommodation where I met up with some other Princeton interns to watch the fireworks. While we theoretically had a great, up close vantage point for the fireworks, the wind was blowing smoke in our direction and covered most of the view. Despite this, I loved being with my friends and chatting, listening to the loud pops of the fireworks and seeing flashes of bright, sparkling light light up the night sky behind it.
When the day was over, I was pretty exhausted. However, I was also impressed and satisfied with how much fun I had. July 4th was the epitome of cultural immersion in the U.S.–I got to experience so much of this country through the food, sights, location, and culture that I encountered that day. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be interning in D.C., and know that I have much more in store for me for the rest of my internship. Future tigers, especially international tigers: I highly recommend applying for summer internships out of your hometown–who knows, you might end up getting to experience July 4th in the nation’s capital!