This
year was my second year spending Thanksgiving away from home. For as long as I
can remember, Thanksgiving has always been a time to fellowship with my friends
and family while enjoying a delectable feast of mac & cheese, stuffing,
cranberry sauce...well, you know. Unfortunately, this Thanksgiving was a bit
different (for obvious reasons).
Being
in a foreign country with very few friends and even fewer people who understand
the importance of being with loved ones on holidays like Thanksgiving, it is
way too easy to develop the "woe is me" attitude and talk about how
much I miss being in Virginia with my homies, eating turkey and gravy, and
getting fat. Instead, I have decided to embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving and
spend this time focusing on what I am thankful for. Although it would be ideal
to be home sitting around the table sharing laughs with my family over a nice
home cooked meal and watching football games on TV, I would be remiss to let a
Thanksgiving pass without showing my appreciation for all of my blessings.
Having the opportunity to live abroad in one of the most populous countries in
the world and being able to experience a new culture firsthand every day are just
some of the many things I am thankful for this year - not to mention the family
& friends who support my endeavors, even as I am halfway across the world.
As
an alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving celebration, I decided to get
away from Ningbo for a few days and went on a weekend excursion to Shanghai
with some other foreigners in the area. We spent the weekend exploring the
city, visiting Buddhist temples, shopping, enjoying the local Chinese cuisine,
and indulging in the Shanghai nightlife. Needless to say, I have so much to be
thankful for.
Happy
Thanksgiving from China.
-FBG