Thanksgiving is the ultimate American holiday. All over the United States, families gather for a beautiful and warm weekend full of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pie and whatever other lovely traditional food each household uniquely prepares.
It's a holiday to appreciate your relatives, and as much as some people complain about family discussions and fancy dinners, college students wouldn't pass up the opportunity for a home cooked meal. Ever.
Thanksgiving is a beautiful American tradition, one that is so uniquely American that we can totally see why every American TV series has a Thanksgiving episode and why every single one of them has a happy ending with the characters putting aside their differences to share turkey and pie.
Well, for international students like me, going back to see my family and watch football games together is not really an option during this so-special holiday. Granted, most of us don't even celebrate Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean that we would pass up the opportunity to go back home and reunite with family and friends, either. Some of us can afford this luxury, but most of us have to stay behind while all our American friends pack their bags and leave for the long weekend.
It's hard for us, international students, to see pictures of our friends on Facebook and Snapchat eating with their family, seeing their dogs and being cozy and warm in their rooms while we're on our University campus eating dining hall food and binge watching Netflix. For us, homesickness has another layer to it during this particular holiday.
This year, even though my culture doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, I'd like to borrow one tradition from Americans and humbly give thanks to my best friend who invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her family.
It warms my heart so much to know that some American families are willing to open their doors to international students this holiday. And believe me, while it might not seem like a big thing to have one of us over for this weekend, it means SO much to us.
Thanks for adding a place for us at the dinner table; thanks for giving us a place to escape our university campus for a bit; thanks for sharing this holiday with us. Those are just a few things every international student is feeling right now.
Even though Americans might find it utterly cringeworthy to spend the whole holiday playing video games and eating a delicious home-cooked meal, I'll still be thankful for doing that. It doesn't really matter if your family doesn't do the perfect sitcom dinner, what's really important is that you're willing to give us this heartwarming feeling of a home and family.
The truth is, I will never take this Thanksgiving for granted. It means too much that I have friends who are willing to share their tradition with me. And it makes me understand the feeling of gratitude that this holiday is all about. While I can't spend it with my own family, knowing that you care enough to share yours makes me so happy.
I'm so grateful to my best friend, and all other friends who are having their international friends over for the long weekend. It truly makes us feel blessed in our choice to study abroad.
