July 4th is Independence Day in the United States. It celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, when the 13 colonies declared their freedom from Great Britain. Many people celebrate the 4th of July with parades and fireworks. This year was the 250th anniversary, which meant many places had larger celebrations compared to previous years. In this blog, you can see how international students experienced Independence Day.
Independence Day in Seattle
Ania, from Russia, spent the day with other Russian friends in Seattle, WA. She visited some beautiful places in Seattle, like the Space Needle and the Queen Anne Neighborhood. In the evening, she watched fireworks at Gas Park above Lake Union. Also, she joined the Fan Parade for FIFA 2026 near the field where Belgium and the U.S. were playing. As it was her birthday too, her favorite part of the day was the evening, when her friends congratulated her, and then she watched fireworks. She was surprised by the special atmosphere and how people really love their country and the fireworks show.
Independence Day in Hawaii
Arisa, from Japan, spent the day in Hawaii. She attended a parade and spent the day at the beach with a friend she met at LCC who lives in Hawaii. She secured a spot early in the morning to watch the parade. At the parade, the marching band was playing music, and gifts were being handed out. For her, it was also impressive to see the entire town celebrating Independence Day and expressing their gratitude to one another. At night, she chilled and watched fireworks at the beach, ate dinner, and did karaoke with her friend’s family.
Independence Day is a unique American event for most international students, and I could see many of them enjoyed Independence Day in different ways. Experiencing this holiday allowed students to learn more about American traditions while sharing the experience with friends. It was wonderful to see them explore American culture while making memories during their summer break. Thank you for reading to the end!