When I worked in U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, the Fourth of July was not a relaxing holiday for us. Embassies have national days, like Bastille Day on July 14 for the French, or a royal birthday for the British. The embassies and consulates usually celebrate their national days by inviting guests for some sort of feasting and perhaps entertainment.

Typically, we staged a formal gathering the night of the Fourth. The staff, American and national employees, worked on preparations—lists of the invited, the invitations themselves, security, parking, menu, program, and so on. Our guest list included former enemies, now staunch allies. I doubt any U.S. official mentioned to the British ambassador anything about 1776 or talked to the German ambassador about Hitler.

Invitations went out to other foreign embassies, as well as the host country’s high ranking politicians. We tried to include as many American citizens as possible who lived in the country. Obviously including everyone is easy in a country with few Americans, but not possible, say, in London or Paris.

American and national employees met guests, guided them to meet the ambassador or senior official at the entry, then guided them to tables or to the refreshment center. Then we mingled and talked with the guests. Drilled into the head of every new diplomat from orientation on is that embassy entertainment is for the guests, not the staff.

After an evening of meeting, greeting, and conversing, the introverts among us went home exhausted, hoping to be in the States on vacation for our next 4th of July.