The Fourth of July is a day for fireworks, barbecue, the outdoors and celebration of our country’s independence. AAFSW celebrated in grand style at the home of Tom and Sheila Switzer. Sheila and Tom have been working for several years to make their garden as beautiful as the inside of their home. Tom welcomed all of the guests and toasted those departing for overseas.

The party was attended by nearly 60 AAFSW members and guests, who enjoyed an abundance of fun, dancing, togetherness, delicious food, drinks, and gorgeous decor inside and outside. The dining room table was loaded with great variety of homemade dishes, while the countertops were filled with a magnificent fruit plate and several desserts.

In addition to celebrating the Fourth, the party was aimed at saying goodbye to Yoko and her husband, as well as welcoming newcomers such as Russell and Belinda Taylor. Belinda Taylor baked both the cupcakes and the cakes! She has a talent and a gift to delight anyone’s palate, and I recommended to Belinda that when they arrive at their next post, Ghana, she should start a catering business for the Embassy community and others.

The new candidate for AAFSW’s presidency, Joanna Athanasopoulos, honored the party with her presence, and one member traveled 220 miles each way just to attend this grand event for our Independence Day, to spend time with AAFSW friends, and to join in the farewell and welcome celebration.

The party started before 7:00 p.m. and continued into the dawn hours of the morning! After dinner and dessert, the event kept getting better and better by the moment, with guests dancing the Macarena, line dances, the Chicken Dance and other favorites. Annabel and Anni helped lead and teach everyone. The melodies ran straight to our veins and made our bodies follow the tunes. Even 5-year-old Victoria danced in the middle with others around her in a circle!

The weather and the garden were lovely, but the real beauty was the presence of everyone. This was one more example of AAFSW’s abundance of fun, joy, and happiness, as we welcomed newcomers and bid farewell to a very special member and friend.

AAFSW provides the greatest, the finest and best times when we visit museums, enjoy lunches, celebrate events, and enjoy Halloween, Christmas, July 4th and other parties like no other group or organization does — so please join AAFSW to experience some of the best times of your life!

— Troella Tyznik