Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

International students find American Fourth of July fascinating
By J. Blankenship
The Shorthorn (U. Texas-Arlington)
07/06/2007

(U-WIRE) ARLINGTON, Texas — Fireworks spark curiosity as international students explore American Independence Day celebrations. The event punctuates cultural differences and delights.

"I've seen parades and fireworks shows on television, but never in reality," said Vineet Shah, mechanical engineering graduate student. "I want to see how it is done here."

He joined the campus community in the spring, coming directly from Vadodara, a community in Gujarat, India. He said very small fireworks frequently accompany weddings and key events, but nothing on the scale of what he'll probably see this week.

India has been independent since 1947 and has an annual celebration Aug. 15. Shah said schools and colleges close so students and their families can participate in events held within those facilities. The entire community isn't involved, so the focus is primarily upon students within their schools and colleges.

"There is a flag hoisting with speeches and lots of songs," he said. "Students wear all white clothes, even their shoes, on that day."

There are no parades or patriotic colors as seen in the American equivalent. Small flags are frequently sold along the road a few days before. He said people stick the flags on their cars or wear flag pins on their clothes.

His neighbor, Sameer Gokhale, is also from India. They met on the Internet before arriving in America, where they discovered they shared the same major and destination. Neither has witnessed an American Independence Day, and both said they look forward to it.

Gokhale, unlike Shah, had seen notable fireworks shows because he lived in Mumbai. He said religious cultures and celebration dates differed across the nation but that the entire country celebrates New Year's Eve on Dec. 31. The festivities always include large fireworks displays.

"But we didn't have parades," he said. "I am curious to see what that is all about."

Parades didn't catch the interest of electrical engineering senior Bhumika Makwana, who works in the Ransom Hall computer center. This isn't her first American Independence Day celebration.

"It isn't a special day, so some students just sleep," she said. "We don't go to the parade, but we usually go see the fireworks show."

Three English Language Institute summer program students visiting America from Taiwan for the first time weren't attracted to the parade either. Their homeland doesn't have parades.

"That just isn't something we do," Ashley Chang said. "We see many fireworks shows in our country, and I want to see an American one."

Her homeland celebrates a national holiday every Oct. 10, though they're not an independent nation. Festivities include singing the national anthem, observing military displays in front of their central government buildings and enjoying fireworks after dark, she said.

The idea of people eating food at a national celebration was new to Chang and her two fellow students. Parades and picnics in the park before a fireworks show didn't fit her image of a national holiday.

"I want to see these people who gather at the park and eat," Lily Wang said. "I especially want to go for the show."

News about the upcoming celebration enthused Baron Yang, and the fireworks show peaked his interest.

"It would make me sad to miss something like that," he said. "Now that I know it will be here, I want to go."

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