Independence Day

I have a dear friend who is half-French, half-Brazilian. She’s been living in India for about five years now, and is a unique blend of several cultures. Here’s what she said about the 15th of August, 2013.

How I feel during Independence Day… 
So today is Independence Day and I went for Flag hoisting in my schoolThe attendance is compulsory and and I am a batch holder so there is no way I can miss.
But even if i could I wouldn’t!
People might think I’d get extremely bored… half the speeches are in marathi, and the songs in hindi and the fact that I am not Indian by blood… But no, not at all…
I love celebrating Independence Day.
I love standing in line singing the Rashtra geet with everyone accompanied with the sound of drums, I love singing Vande Maataram and the satisfying fact that I know how to sing it and I know and love the meaning.I even love standing there int he middle of everyone listening to speeches i don’t understand…well I understand some words and they are enough to give me the message of pride and glory of the country. I love the feeling that even though Im so different from everyone there, I am also inevitably one of them.I feel I am a part of it .Wouldn’t it be normal to find myself out of place?But I don’t and it’s surprising even to me.I never find myself excluded in India.I love thinking about how people are so proud of their country and their heroes and how I am proud too and how I am so proud of all the countries I’ve lived in …India, Brasil,France… my three nations…and I’m sure that if i live as long in any other country I’ll feel very proud of it too.I have this special feeling during this day, a feeling that anywhere I go there will always be a reason to be proud of that place to love that place….I feel that actually all is one… — feeling blessed.