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November 24, 2005
gobble gobble
Today, we talked about Thanksgiving.
I told my students stories about the traditions, the amazing feast: turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie... ohhh, the pumpkin pie! I told them about how families travel to be with each other and they cook and laugh and reflect on the wonderful things they're thankful for. I told them how turkey makes you sleepy and after dinner the whole family crashes in the living room for some good post-dinner Zzz's. I showed them how you can trace your hand on a piece of paper and make a turkey out of it. I told them how the kids sit at the little table and the grownups sit at the grownup table. I told them how I secretly missed the kids once I was finally old enough to sit at the grownup table, because it meant I wasn't a kid anymore. I told them Thanksgiving was about sharing and loving and talking and laughing and being with the ones you love. I even told them about Tofurkey and how they shape a turkey out of tofu for the vegetarians! We all laughed at how silly that really is.
In one of my classes, we sat around in a big circle, ate oranges and talked about what we're all thankful for. And I told them, even though I'm a billion miles away from my family, I still have so much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for my amazing, wonderful, creative and beautiful loving husband. My health, my happiness, my family. I'm thankful for the chance to have such an amazing adventure in China and to have met all of my students. I'm thankful for all of the good things, and the bad things too, because it helps me feel whole.
Britt and I went out for dinner. No turkey this year, not with the bird-flu going around! Plus, we haven't seen turkey since we've been here, although my students swear it exists. We went to our favorite little restaurant; the one with the girl who speaks English enough to tell us she never wants us to leave. We had beef with peppers, dates, and cashews, tofu in some kind of heavenly orange sticky sweet sauce, mushrooms of all kinds, huang gua (our favorite cucumber appetizer) and green tea. We shared a feast of our own, in our own special little way, and told each other how very grateful we are to have found each other... I'm such a lucky girl!
It was a lovely day, from beginning to end. And as I type this, I realize Thanksgiving in China is now in the past... but in America, it's just beginning!
*cheers!*
p.s. Can someone please FedEx 2 slices of pumpkin pie? Thanks!
Posted by daiseykat at November 24, 2005 10:38 PM
Comments
Ahoj Daisey and Britt,
Eva told me you were in China teaching English. I'm still in Prague doing the same thing. It snowed here the past few days. The city is beautiful when it snows. Tomorrow I'm going with some friends for the lighting of city's Christmas tree in Old Town Square (Starometske Namesti). It's funny I also told my students about Thanksgiving tradition but I couldn't think of the chemical that causes you to become sleepy after eating turkey. I could use some candied yams. Sweet potatoes cannot be found in the Czech Republic. Take care.
Na shledanou (See you later)
Howard
Posted by: Howard Groves at November 27, 2005 05:40 AM
Ni hao Howie!!!
What a sweet surprise to hear from you! I'm so anxious for it to snow here. Snow makes ANY city beautiful! The street vendors here sell sweet potatoes and people pick them up and eat them whole, like munching on a sweet baguette! One thing we miss here is cheese! You never realize how much you love certain foods until you find yourself in a city without it. :) Mom and her friend from work will be visiting next month for the holiday! I wish Eva could be here too... next time. ;) Take care and have a wonderful Christmas!
zàijiàn! (see you later!)
daisey
Posted by: daisey at November 27, 2005 03:25 PM