Although I was not able to spend the Fourth of July at home in the U.S., I was able to make an entirely new and exciting holiday memory- 
Bastille Day!
We spent a beautiful afternoon in Antibes, a small beach town only minutes from St-Laurent-du-Var. I swam in the ocean, tanned on the sandy beaches, and ate gelato shaped like a rose! Other students took a boat with a glass bottom, paddle boarded, or kayaked. It was a beautiful day spent among friends!
Afterwards, we returned to St-Laurent to rest before the fireworks show. I arrived with my roommate and host family at the beach around eight p.m., and we anxiously awaited the start of the spectacle! I went with a few friends to hang out on the beach, eat at a restaurant, and return in time to see the show. The fireworks were beautiful and allowed us, as Americans, to celebrate the national holiday we missed, as well as commemorate an important piece of French history alongside our French hosts.
-Amy