Good Vibes

      Here at Boston University, I am part of an all-girls hip-hop team called Vibes. As a team, we follow Eudaimonia, and celebrate with each other, to help bring us all closer together. For example, after our competitions, we usually throw a party to celebrate being given the opportunity to compete and all of the achievements we have made as a team. Sometimes, however, our reasons for celebrating are much simpler. Thursday night is typically a time when we all get together to celebrate a long a week of successful practices. We usually just stay in our comfortable practice clothes and hang out at one of our teammate’s apartments. The night is spent telling stories, playing games, listening to music, and dancing around for fun.

     A really special aspect of Vibes is the fact that there are no “clicks” on the team; everyone gets along with each other and for a team of 20 girls, it is quite impressive. I don’t think this would be possible if we didn’t follow Eudiamonia. Following this religion gives us time to really get to know aspects of each other that we wouldn’t know from simply practicing together; our true personalities really shine through when we celebrate together. Additionally, the time spent together as a team outside of practice allows us to resolve any problems that might have arisen during practice and gives us a chance to unwind from the stress that comes with preparing for competitions. Celebrating as a team brings us all happiness and this happiness makes us a stronger and more successful team, both in practice and at competitions.

Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 2010 Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade attracted millions of people from all over the world of all ages to celebrate. Despite the 39 degree weather and the forecast of rain, people still lined up earlier than 6:30am (which was when we arrived) to secure a good spot to watch the parade. Even though our teeth were chattering and our muscles were shivering, everyone, for the most part, was happy and cheering in anticipation. People even came together to do the wave and see how far down they could get it to go:

...the wave didn't make it to the next block but nobody cared, everyone on our block had a great time trying. And we tried many, many times until the parade started.

Also on our block (between 63rd and 64th) was a young girl who was celebrating her birthday -- it was a double celebration! Before the parade started her family got the whole block to sing her happy birthday. Then, during the parade, a few parade clowns stopped to hug her, sing her a happy birthday, and throw confetti at her:

[The birthday girl is in red]

The parade featured people from different states (Florida, Oregon, Indiana), different cultures (Indian, Latin), and even different countries (Guatemala) all dressed in absolutely ridiculous costumes. It also featured celebrities such as Kanye West, Jimmy Fallon, Gladys Knight, and Jessica Simpson. Yet regardless of the cold and how silly they looked, the people in the parade were smiling and waving and yelling HAPPY THANKSGIVING! to anyone and everyone. The parade not only brought performers from all over the world but observers from all over the world:

A small portion of the sea of people gathered to celebrate, despite the cold weather and tentative rain.

People also watched the parade on their televisions - according to the website the parade attracts about 3.5 million people who line the streets and another 50 million people who tune into NBC. The celebration is universal and brings joy to people everywhere. Whether it was the little girls excited for the boy band on one of the floats or the parents happy to see the joy on their child's face (as well as some of the floats themselves) or the 20 year old girls behind us who were just extremely excited and happy to be there, everyone was cheering and laughing and smiling -- just enjoying the moment and the company of the people around them. I even made some new friends that day who taught me how to use my new camera! Being in such a contagiously happy atmosphere was such a wonderful way to start Thanksgiving Day. It made me realize how simply being surrounded by family and friends (new and old) can make me feel so alive and happy, and I'm truly thankful for that experience.

Diwali- The Celebration of Lights

In Hinduism, one of the most religious days of the year is Diwali. Diwali can be roughly translated into English to mean "the festival of lights". I have grown up celebrating this tradition and though I do not know much about the origin of the holiday, or the meaning behind its celebration, I do know it is one of the few days I look forward to every year. The first aspect of the holiday that I love is that it involves so many candles! All over the house are candles of all different sizes, shapes, and designs that create a beautiful glow throughout the home when lit. 

  

The holiday also usually falls sometime between late October early November (based on the astrological calendar so it varies yearly). If you live in New England, you know that means it’s cold but we rough it out anyways and use the holiday to wear some of our favorite traditional Indian outfits – sari’s, chaniya choli’s, chudidaars - you’ll see everyone dolled up in gorgeous, delicately and heavily embroidered outfits. Lastly, all of our friends and family get together to enjoy delicious traditional Indian food as we all catch up with each other and discuss everything new in our lives.

The reason that this holiday holds such a fond place in my heart is not because of the religious aspect, but rather because it is a chance for me to get to see all of the people I have virtually grown up with. We get the opportunity to stay up late, chatting and reminiscing, and just enjoy the company of all those we hold dear. I always forget the simple joy I feel from being surrounded by loved ones and this holiday always reminds me of that. These are the reasons that Diwali is a holiday I always look forward to.

Wedding Celebration

At my cousin's quirky "Alice in Wonderland"-themed wedding, we celebrated the official joining of her family with her fiancee's family. The newlyweds' families came together even before the official union to produce on skits and performances for the big day. The ladies of both families learned and danced the Hula:

the men of the family put on a skit and did their own... interesting dance:

and they all came together in this caterpillar costume to wish the bride and groom the very best on their new journey together:

It was a lot of fun to watch and from what I heard, a lot of fun to put together. At the wedding, people even dressed up as characters from Alice in Wonderland - there was a Queen of Hearts, Tweedledees and Tweedledums, and a few Mad Hatters. Speaking of the Mad Hatter, the cake was crafted to look like his hat made for the bride by a good friend:

The wedding was SO much fun. So many people joined forces to put the wedding together and to celebrate/ well-wish the newlyweds. We ate delicious Hawaiian food & yummy desserts, we danced and let loose, and we laughed at the silliness that was unveiled through the skits. It was such a great break from our busy everyday schedules and allowed us to reunite and catch up with family and friends we hadn't seen in a while. The wedding also brought the bride and grooms' families closer as they spent so much time together to put on such a jubilant production. The vibrant colors, quirky outfits, funny skits, basically everything about this celebration reminded me of how much joy comes from letting loose and living in the moment. I hadn't laughed so hard in months and almost forgot how rejuvenating belly-deep laughter could be.

Summer Camp

Every summer the second oldest group of girls, or juniors as they call themselves, organize a banquet for the entire camp to honor the oldest girls, the seniors.

The juniors spend the entire summer coming up with a theme, making decorations and creating costumes. Their goal is to transform our camp’s cafeteria into a magical place where the seniors are the center of attention. Banquet takes place on the second to last night of camp, and it is the biggest celebration of the summer.

This year, the juniors decided to transport us to a tropical paradise.

Everyone dressed in their brightest colors and the cafeteria was smothered in flowers. Floral tablecloths covered the tables along with candy and other brightly colored foods. Pink lemonade, cranberry juice, and orange juice were the only drinks allowed because of their color. Every item on the menu was tropical-themed from the star shaped chicken nuggets to the impeccably decorated cake.

The night was spent eating more food than any person should ever consume in one sitting, telling stories and laughing with friends. Banquet was created to honor the seniors but it also gave the entire camp a night to look back and celebrate yet another incredible summer. It's a time where I'm able to just enjoy the moment and look around at all the smiles and hear all the laughing of people who I've come to know. Banquet reminds me of the simple joy that the happiness of others brings to me.

Independence Day

Every 4^th of July, my entire family gets together for the biggest celebration of the year. It might seem unusual to make a big deal out of Independence Day, but it’s the only time of year when all of my cousins, aunts, and uncles can take work off and come up to our cabin in Maine to spend time together and celebrate.

We have a ton of food, stories, campfires, fireworks, and fun. It’s the time when all of my cousins bring their significant others to meet the family, so there are new faces every year. It’s also often the one day of the year when we get to meet the newest members of the family after someone has a baby!

Two of the newest family members learning to fish.

My uncle Jack gathers everyone together and makes a big speech, usually involving an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. His loud, booming voice makes it very exciting. After, there is a giant game of family badminton, during which absolutely everyone is accused of cheating—but it’s all in good fun!

Paying close attention to the annual Independence Day Speech.

Later in the night, those partiers left standing have a big card game, usually lasting until the early hours of the next morning. We all laugh, talk, and catch up on everything that has happened since the last time we saw each other, and even if it has been a year, it still feels like I’m sitting at the table with my closest friends. Independence Day is more than just an American holiday for my family, it's a day of laughter, bonding, and enjoying the company of those we hold dear.

La Notte Bianca!

In April I went to "La Notte Bianca" in Florence, Italy.  La Notte Bianca translates to The White Night and literally everyone in the city spends the night outside wandering the streets.  There was a huge sea of people everywhere I looked.  The atmosphere was so energetic and upbeat that I couldn't help but get swept in.  Strangers were giving my friends and I high-fives and everyone had a smile on their face.

The crowds downtown

As we made our way through the throngs of people we occasionally stopped and danced with the locals.  Music boomed in the night air and street vendors tried to sell us food at every corner.  After some dancing, food, and drinks we made our way to the Uffizi Gallery.  On The White Night, culture is also celebrated, and all museums are free and open to the public until the early hours of the morning.  So we went into the Uffizi and saw masterpieces such as Botticelli's "Birth of Venus".  We spent about half an hour exploring the museum, but a lot was still going on outside so we once again entered the mob of people on the streets.  We made our way towards the Arno river and saw some amazing performances.

Dancing with fire!

The highlight of the night were performers who danced with fire instead of the more traditional ribbon.  Everyone was enjoying the starry night to the fullest and just living in the moment. The whole city coming out and enjoying each others' company was one unbelievable night I will never forget! That night, I was reminded of just how much happiness can come from being surrounded by smiling faces and good company.

Carnaval de Barranquilla

For a particular city in Colombia, the month of March brings with it one of the most famous celebrations in the country.  The "Carnaval de Barranquilla" is known for its extravagant costumes, unbelievable dance routines, giant floats, and most of all its music.  The carnival celebrates the diversity of the people that live in Barranquilla and it embraces the different cultures that came upon the city's shores years ago.  The carnival starts off with the "batalla de flores" or "the battle of flowers" which is a giant parade that takes over the entire city. People dress up in traditional dresses from each respective caribbean culture.

Traditional "cumbiamberos" dancing one of the most famous dances in the coast, cumbia.

  During the battle, hundreds of floats filled with people parade the streets. You can find a float for everything from beer, to pirates, to clowns, and even a mock-celebrity float.  The carnival focuses a lot on satire and with simply having fun.  Anyone who wants can join the parade and dress up as whatever they want. Besides celebrating the different cultures that reside within this coastal city, the carnival also celebrates people's individuality.  The parade had a section for everything imaginable and if someone felt like they had something to express, they went right up and danced the streets proudly.  

These ladies are promoting one of the regional beers Aguila on their own float.

     The parade lasts all day and during the entire length of it, you get to hear traditional Colombian music such as salsa, merengue, and most importantly, cumbia.  Each of these genres comes with multiple sets of professional dancers that dance up and down the streets in giant, coordinated groups that leave you wishing that you had their unequaled ability to dance.  What leaves you even more in shock, is when, all of a sudden, the street fills up with hundreds of five to thirteen year old children all dancing at the same exact time with amazing rhythm and incredible latin flavor. Other big traditions during the battle include drinking Aguardiente (Colombia's traditional liquor) until at least every person there has had a little sip as well as throwing flour around until everyone's face is white. 

  My family was all in attendance last march...and they were more than ready to celebrate.

During this day, people let go of their problems and just start off the week of festivities by completely embracing the joyous atmosphere of the parade.  Everyone embraces each others' differences and the entire city celebrates as one.  It truly was amazing to be a part of this celebration and to see how an entire city can be united simply with music, dancing, flour, and aguardiente.

The carnival not only gave me quality time with my family, but it also reminded me of the joy of letting loose and celebrating life.