Five Things Friday

This is a special edition of Five Things Friday

because it is the last one I'll write in America

(at least for a few weeks!).

On Tuesday I'm off to France,

so I couldn't resist this opportunity to share all of my favorite things

about our fair country.

1. I love red, white, and blue. I seriously can't think of a better color combination. Betsy Ross knew what was up. No look is more classic than a pair of red high-waisted shorts and a blue and white striped tank. Please believe I'll be rockin' this outfit on July 4 and of course on Bastille Day, because the founding fathers of France knew what was up too.

2. I geek out over American history. I am a sucker for self-directed action, and Paul Revere and friends saw a problem they wanted to address and acted upon it. My best friend Morgan and I went to Washington DC when we were 14 and the American History Museum was without question my favorite part of the trip.

3. America is a melting pot. In one of my sociology classes, the professor argued that America is less of a melting pot and more of a stew, in which you can visibly see each part and there is not a whole lot of mixing. In any case, the "America as melting pot" image is still popular, so we're going with it. I love that when I come home to Hollister, Hispanic culture is readily apparent wherever I go. And when I'm at school in Berkeley, I am exposed to pretty much any culture you could imagine (especially in sociology). My favorite manifestation of the melting pot its influence on food. Rarely do I eat American food. I joke with my friends that I'm the most Mexican person they know, because I literally eat Mexican food at least three times a week. But I also love boba, Italian, sushi, Thai, and most of all, Indian.

4. Great American cities. My intense love for urbanity must have come out of living in a small town my whole life. I yearn for the fast-paced attitude and ability to walk everywhere. San Francisco is my greatest love, and always will be. But I've spent time in LA (not my fave, but suffices), New York, and Nashville, and I love them all. I have yet to visit an international city, but will be sure to report on how they stack up against my beloved American urban centers.

5. I love the fact that I still get goosebumps when I think about 9/11. I was only 11, of course, but I remember that day so vividly. The image of the firemen hoisting the flag over ground zero still makes me tear up, and whenever I think about the men who forced the plane to crash in Pennsylvania instead of the White House I get goosebumps so intensely that I shiver. It was a tragic day, but also a day that proved so much about how strong this country is. Yes, we were susceptible to terrorism, but we were also united. I think it's the most blatant symbol of Americana and American pride.

Okay, so maybe I teared up a little (or maybe a lot) when I was writing out that last one.

As excited as I am for my time abroad,

I am really going to miss my home.

I'm proud to be an American!

Happy Friday!