Fast approaching the end of our first year in San Francisco, we thought we should honour the occasion in a fitting way, so we held a Eurovision Song Contest party. Obvious really.
Having just had our visas extended for another year (we clearly haven't offended anyone yet then) we re-explored the Exchange Visitor Program remits and re-remembered that we should be increasing 'mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries (that's us, hello) by means of educational and cultural exchanges and to develop lasting and meaningful relationships' so logic followed that we share a slice of THE event in the Euro-pop calender with our new American friends. I'm pretty sure the night didn't help to develop long and meaningful relationships, or increase understanding, but it was fun!
I unashamedly love the institution that is Eurovision, but I still stare open mouthed at well, everything, and question whether the British actually are European, so I was curious to see what citizens of the home of melodrama would make of it. Being one of our parties, I'm not actually sure what anyone thought of it though, or whether any one could see or hear the TV properly in our tiny flat, or especially cared after we had opened the first bottle of schnapps, but the people who dressed up as their country looked fabulous! I really think it could catch on over here, using states as countries. As far as I can tell, there is enough politics, rivalry and state stereotypes to make it work.
