Celebration!!
Halloween in New Zealand came and went fairly uneventfully. Basically a holiday with no cultural connections whatsoever, China has brought in the plastic costumes and a few kids craving “lollies” have talked mums and dads into buying them. But according to the Monday morning stories, this weak interest has created real little monsters, grumpy kids with skinny bags, demanding money and making threats. Luckily I didn’t see a single kid at my flat since the only sweet treat I could have offered would have been a spoonful of honey thrust into their painted pucker.
In contrast, despite the gusty wind and rain outside, tonight I hear fireworks blasting from every direction. “Guy Fawkes Day” I’m told is the biggest fireworks celebration of the year (and also includes the jolly burning of replica “Guys” as well). Since a celebration of an attempt to blow up British Parliament in 1603 really holds nil significance to me, I think I’ll give these sparkles and booms another meaning.
For me, the fireworks celebration is for the US Elections. I guess you could wonder why someone who’s barely been in the States for the past two years and who isn’t even living there now should care about US politics. Well, with surprising sentimentality, I found that with Obama’s election I feel sincerely optimistic. I feel that maybe for the first time in years as an American away from America, maybe, just maybe I won’t have to feel ashamed or apologetic. Maybe I will even be able to feel…..gulp…..proud. For those who haven’t left the states and for those who are maybe not feeling internal fireworks tonight, this probably makes no sense. It doesn’t have to. Time will tell. All I know is that I surprisingly found many Kiwis nearly equally as excited as I about the results of the American election. Does that seem strange? Hardly. Even if America is resented, hated, avoided, or envied, the fact remains that it’s a country with a huge profile and influence. Maybe this time it can be a clever profile and a positive influence.
Bang, kabzoom, yippee!!
Tags: Guy Fawkes Day, Halloween in New Zealand, New Zealand, US Elections
bimpy_ak
I had some wine in celebration last night! America’s vote to bring change and punish those who have degraded our liberties, sullied our reputation, and falsely led us into perhaps an unwinable war has renewed my faith in this nation and our Constitution.
However, it was rather bitter sweet for me due to Alaskan politics. It appears that a convict may be headed back to the Senate to represent us. And for sure, the re-elected congressman, Don Young, will join he ranks of the convicted felons in the future. The thought of Don Young makes me want to puke. He is a scoundrel, a liar, a thief. Most grievous of all, he feigns to represent the people of Alaska, to look out for us and our concerns, when in truth he merely looks after his own interests. And you know that typically I’m not one to waste time on hating someone.
Following on a personal promise to myself, I will no longer vote in local elections. Alaskans have shown me that the majority are concerned about money in their pockets more than what is right and wrong, more than what is right for America. Perhaps it is because they are Alaskans first and Americans second? Perhaps because they are more heavily invested and rooted in this place?
Though I am not religious in the least, my soul is worth more to me than any amount of money, ease of life, or future prosperity. Thus today I am less Alaskan than yesterday, but I am even more American. Cheers Cindy.