A word about our new neighborhood demographic: Latin American majority. This is so awesome for me, since I LOVE the Latin American culture and speak Spanish and also have a insatiable love for Mexican food... So it's not all that hard for me to love my neighbors when there are brown Spanish speaking babies running around with Lexi at the park and the kids on the side of the road have an horchata stand (forget the lemonade!) and there is a lady that sells tamales and elote and helado right across the street from our apartment!
But if there is one thing that you should know about Latin Americans (especially if you plan to live in the same neighborhood), it is that they LOVE LOVE LOVE fireworks! And when I say Love, I really mean L.O.V.E!!! If you have ever spent any time in Mexico City, you will understand what I mean. Latinos celebrate a LOT. They love life and they live it fully and passionately and with lots of parties and music and, you guessed it, FIREWORKS!
Every single night during the 3 1/2 years that I lived in Mexico City, there would be fireworks going on all around the neighborhood and city. They set off fireworks for everything. To commemorate a Saint, to ward off evil spirits, to celebrate a birthday, to honor a death, etc., etc., or to simply just set them off for the heck of it!
So now imagine all these Latin Americans who have come to live in Chicago, IL, where it is illegal to buy/sell fireworks in the state. People become much more selective about when to set them off, since it means a long drive to Wisconsin and back for a decent supply!
This year, Chicago decided to cancel their big July 3rd (not the 4th) firework show down at Grant Park to reduce costs and avoid the massive crowds. Instead, Chicago has decided to just let Navy Pier do the show and hope that the whole city decides to stay home instead of trying to all cram on the pier together. Yeah right. I've been to one of their firework displays on a Wednesday night in June and the entire walkway was PACKED with human persons!!!
So this being the case, our neighbors have made a point to have as much firework fun as they can, city show canceled or not! Eric and I literally watched a family unload an entire TRUCKLOAD of huge fireworks from the back of their truck the other day!!!
(Did I mention that unauthorized fireworks in Illinois are illegal?)
All that being said, it is only July 2nd, and it sounds like we are being heavily bombed over here. (It probably doesn't help that I've been watching Battle Los Angeles at the same time...Me: "Was that just a grenade?!?")
Now, don't get me wrong. I love these people that I intentionally moved to live closer to. I am ALL for them gaining legal status here in the USA and becoming citizens and having a good life here. I know what life can be like back where they come from, and I am glad that they can make their home here now. And I'm glad they are having fun this weekend with their fireworks.
But I'm also glad that the USA only has one real fireworks holiday. Especially since I have a baby who needs to sleep. :)
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