Back in the USA. Spent the evening of July 4 on a boat that sailed down the Hudson River and anchored in the East River so we could watch the fireworks. Sailed past the site of Castle Clinton where my people came through from Prussia. They went to Iowa and then Nebraska, where they were in business inside of being in this country six months. I come from a long line of survivors and women that are tough and adventurous. Courageous, too, I guess. I thought about them a lot that night, watching the fireworks, and thought about my parents. This country meant so much to them.

As to me, while I love this country, each and every state, it is being an American that means so much to me. And that has only come to me in the last ten years as I have been able to travel internationally, see other countries and cultures and then, understand fully what it means to be an American. And I am deeply proud to say I*am*an*American.

There is one thing I love above all the best of traveling internationally and that is this: JFK Airport in New York. Know why? When you go through Customs there, they stamp your passport and say 'Welcome Home'. They don't do that in Los Angeles, San Francisco or Seattle or even Washington D.C. In New York at JFK, they say 'Welcome Home'. I always, always get tears and find myself overcome . I love to come home to the USA. I love being an American.


JBelle
Bellemaison
The Kan 'EWA