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| Roz |
My admiration of America began when I was a teenager living in my native England. It had to do with big houses, mammoth cars, fast food, and a population of really attractive people, most of whom looked like John or Jackie Kennedy. (Remember, I was a teenager, and slightly shallow, so my opinion was based on TV shows and Hollywood movies).
In school my favorite subject was
history, beginning with the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 53. I guess with so
much to get through, our curriculum never got around to America.
So when I moved here, at the age
of 23, I knew practically nothing about the rich history of my new country. I
had no idea what the Boston Tea Party was about. Or Prohibition. Or the
Louisiana Purchase. I was clueless about Native American people. Or how tough
and brave the early settlers traveling west must have been. And let’s not even
talk about the Revolutionary War, which a British person probably should have
known something about.
Now America is 243 years old, and I am in awe at how much has been accomplished in such a
short time. Today I’m proud to be a citizen of this incredible country. After
forty-plus years I still enjoy learning about her amazing past and being part
of the ever-changing tapestry of these United States.
Happy Birthday, America!
