4th of July, which was 12 days ago

So to celebrate the only holiday we have in the middle of summer, Emily and I decided to have a BBQ for the 4th (but to celebrate it on Sat. the 5th.
I was inviting Em and Nils up to my site to spend the weekend, and decided, hey why not Go Big and share our culture with other people. They invited people, I invited all the other PCV in the area, and neighbors, and people from the Primaria. I always worry that everyone will show up, but people never do.

We had plenty of food, and people enjoyed it! Em and I came up with the all-American menu that we hoped would appeal to the Romanian pallet. We made: beef hamburgers, marinated pork patties with onion burgers, marinated grilled chicken drumbs, chicken hot dogs, macaroni and salad, corn bread, fried potato chunks, a dip for the potato, and corn flake crispies! We had grapefruit soda and cold sweet fruit tea. I took care of the meat products (it took a trip to the city to get), and Em made a lot of the side dishes and they were soooo yummy!

Some of the material we used came from a PCV who left; like the marshmellows for the crispies, but all else was makable here.

People who came were my counterpart and his wife, he is the ex-mayor but now the vice-mayor (I'm glad he's still with us, but he's sadder I think cause he's got more work and less choice on community topics), and his wife is my landlord. My landlord's friend across the street (who gives me fresh veggies once in a while) and her hubby, and Em and Nils are the ones in the picture. My neighbors were invited too, but they would only eat the stuff that was given to them at the end.

My neighbors = very giving, but don't always like to accept things in return. I'm super lucky to have them. Sometimes, actually almost every week I eat in their kitchen with them, and one weekend for every meal a weekend, but I told my neighbor that was a bit much. Great neighbors = very hard to find and it's great having them!

Em and I cooked almost all of it, Nils fried the fries (and super-saturated them in salt), but he was a champ and did all the dishes!! I hope my husband (to be) washes dishes willingly!