Thanksgiving

So today’s Thanksgiving, and there’s a lot to be thankful for. I guess the most obvious is that I’m in France. It’s been an amazing experience, even if my enthusiasm for the language has started to run out. And my whole family. Primarily my mother, because let’s face it, she did all of the work to get me here. But my sister, my dad, my grandparents, and all of my extended family have contributed and made this an amazing trip, going all the way back to the day I presented my thesis. God that seems so long ago.

But I guess the most immediate thing I’m thankful for is the friends I’ve made since I’ve been here. I really didn’t expect to find so many quality people here; I expected lots of spoiled rich kids and partiers. And there is a fair amount of those, but there’re also a lot of people that I just can’t picture not having as friends. It’s going to be quite an adjustment moving back home and away from all of them. They’ve kept me sane.

L to R: Emily, Stephanie, Elizabeth, and Jennifer

  Speaking of, we had the best Thanksgiving dinner tonight. Emily, Stephanie, Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Alejandra invited me to join them for dinner (and really, who am I to decline an offer from 5 women?) and we totally knocked it out of the park. Without the availability of an oven, I didn’t expect much, but we made for quite a spread: roasted chickens (turkeys aren’t available in France without a huge expenditure), mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, bread, cheese, fresh veggies, apple cider, and a delicious caramelized apple dessert. Sure, I missed the family, it’s the first time I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving without having any family around. It puts things in perspective: I don’t know that I’ve ever appreciated Thanksgiving like I did this year.

Jennifer, Alejandra, Emily, Stephanie, and Elizabeth

 Tomorrow, round two!