My name is Sasha, and I’m pleased to introduce myself as a new video producer here on the Transparent English blog. I’m an American guy from the great city of Detroit, and I currently work in Beijing, China as an English teacher and blogger. If you’re interested in all things China, you can check out some of my work on the Chinese blog. Or, if you just like reading travel articles in English, you can find some of my new stuff on the Japanese blog, and links to a bunch of posts I’ve done about Thailand on the Thai blog and also about Mexico on the Spanish blog. As far as the English blog goes, I’ll be bringing you some cultural videos, some travel videos, and plenty of videos focused specifically on the English language.
For my first video, I chose to highlight a very important day in the USA – the 4th of July:
The entire script follows:
The 4th of July is an important day in the USA. It’s Independence Day, and it’s our national holiday. On July 4th, 1776, our founding fathers met in Philadelphia and signed the Declaration of Independence. These days, most people like to get together with family and friends to have a barbecue in their backyard. Everyone wears red, white, and blue – the colors of our flag. People enjoy summer games, such as corn hole. There’s lot of food, including many snacks. The grill is hot, and there’s a whole lot of meat on it. Everyone lines up, grabs a plate, and chooses what they want to eat. Of course, there are many options to choose from. There’s lots of American food, such as: hot dogs, and hamburgers. You can add your own condiments, or even onions. Some other American classics are: potato salad, corn on the cob, chili, and fruit salad. Mmmm.. that looks delicious! There’s even a patriotic cake.
After the barbecue, many people go for a walk and join in the big crowd who are waiting for the celebration. Under the full moon, people chat with their friends and family. There are glow toys for sale, and many children like to buy them. Finally, it’s time for the celebration to begin! One of the biggest 4th of July traditions is watching a fireworks display. The fireworks are a symbol of this holiday, and they are great fun for all ages. Before you know it, it’s time for the grand finale. What a great birthday party for the United States of America!
Discussion:
Where are you from?
Does your country have a similar holiday? What is it called and when is it?
What is the history of this holiday?
What are some traditions and customs? (What do people like to do/eat/drink/etc.?)
Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.
