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I love picnics, don’t get me wrong, but I just realized that I’ve been sucked into the American picnic culture!
In the past 72 hours, I have been invited to five picnics.
Friday night, I attended a potluck with barbecued hamburgers and the traditional sides of sweet baked beans, pasta salad, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and watermelon. Yum!
Saturday lunch, I was invited to a church picnic with barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs, with the traditional sides of sweet baked beans, pasta salad, and ice cream. Yum!
Sunday afternoon, I was invited to a friend’s picnic. I declined. I still had leftover hamburgers in the fridge that my friend had sent me home with Friday night.
This morning, I was invited to two Labor Day picnics. I’m not sure what they’re eating, but my guess would be as good as yours . . . barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs, with the traditional sides of sweet baked beans, pasta salad, and a surprise dessert.
I love my country. I love my culture. I love picnics, and I love the American picnic culture.
And, hey, I don’t have to cook, so I am especially happy.
Other Picnic Cultures
As I’ve reflected today on my own culture, I reminisced of my years living in North Africa. My local Moroccan friends loved to go into the forest on Sunday afternoon for picnics. So did I.
They would always load up their little portable barbecue with charcoal. It would take forever to get that thing fired up, but that was part of the picnic culture there . . . hanging out for hours with friends, talking, playing, relaxing, and enjoying life together. When the grill was finally ready, we would barbecue kefta (ground beef), chicken kebabs, and corn on the cob. We always ended with fresh fruit, yummy treats smothered in honey, and hot mint tea in thermoses.
The French also love picnics, with their long fresh baguette sandwiches filled with sliced ham, cheese, and butter instead of mayonnaise. Crackers, fresh fruit, pastries, and wine often accompany.
The Spanish picnic culture . . . hmmm . . . that is one I need to explore. I honestly haven’t been with any local Spaniards on a picnic, so that will be one of new global adventures when I return to my home in Spain in a few weeks. I need to put on my cultural awareness glasses and continue to grow in cultural awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the host culture where I now live.
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
What is the picnic culture like in your home country or places where you have traveled or called “home”?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
