Happy Birthday America!!!

Today, I have visions of ants walking across a checkered table cloth, beer in American flag cans, and fireworks (observed from far away because they still scare me). While none of those visions will be real this 4^th of July, I found some ways to celebrate in Romania. This holiday was rung in with a border crossing, heading back from Hungary to Romania. I will never be completely comfortable with the moment when border control is closely scrutinizing your passport, but thankfully they decided to let me back in and my United States passport is tucked away once again. When I got to work this morning, I was greeted with “Happy 4^th of July” and my co-workers began to google places to get an American hamburger (for me a veggie burger) for lunch. All we found was McDonald’s. So instead we headed to Pizza Hut for an all-you-can-eat pizza festival. What’s more American than eating so much that you have trouble standing after the meal? To close out the holiday, being a bit exhausted from my weekend in Budapest, I decided on Starbucks, skyping with my family, and blogging about the ten things I miss most about my country on its birthday. So here we go…

Found this in the Cluj mall :) 

10. Pandora and Netflix- These websites are restricted outside the states and I’m really missing Mumford and Sons radio and unlimited episodes of Weeds.

9. Goose Island Summertime- Ursus is pretty good but it isn’t quite up to Chicago’s own. So friends please get one for me today and enjoy.    

8. Hothouse Yoga- This doesn’t quite cut it. My balancing stick is becoming more pathetic by the day.

7. Wheat Thins- There is no more perfect snack in the world. My little sister sent me this box, as you see she kindly went with the family size, however today they are officially gone and I’m looking into a daunting month and a half wheat thin void.

6. Diet Cherry Coke- As I said in the last post I’ve settled on Coke Zero here because Cherry Coke is a drink of fiction. I found these in Budapest but I’m thinking they’ve been on the planet longer than me.

5. Making a phone call- I actually don’t miss my iPhone much but I do miss calling my mom or one of my friends  while I’m walking. There is one place on my walk home from work, where I’ve repeatedly reached into my bag for my phone to make a call, only to realize I have about 15 contacts in my European phone and I just left them at work.

4. Sangria and chips and salsa at Happy Hour- Who wants to go to Saloon for Happy Hour Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the week I get back?

3. Shower curtain- Now I’m no stranger to a really dirty bathroom. My roommates are well aware. There should have been some mandatory shots to enter our college house’s bathrooms, but in Romania there is an extra level of dirtiness due to the lack of shower curtains. My feet have yet to be fully dry in this country.

2. Dylan and Pebbles- My precious kitty and puppy who don’t yet understand how to work Skype.

Dylan on the 4th of July last year right after I got to take him home

1. My family and friends- I’ve got some of the best in the world and I wish I could carry you all around in my pocket. I wish you all a Happy 4^th of July!