My
First Thanksgiving Away
Written
the day before Thanksgiving, 11/26/2014
It's
official. I am missing my first family holiday. To say there is mixed
emotions would be putting it too simply. The truth is, I know I
wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world than where I am now.
But still, undeniably, a part of me misses home. Who wouldn't?
I
don't long to be home everyday, actually, the thought of not being
back in America for two years is rather thrilling. I love where I am.
I am beginning to really feel at home in my community. I am working
on other projects, planning future vacations around this beautiful
country, and starting to make a very flexible plan for the rest of my
time here. I am having the time of my life!
I
think what is most difficult about this holiday in particular is that
no one here knows anything about it. It's a mystical event celebrated
half way across the world. Here, Tomorrow is just another day. While
all of my friends and family are taking time away from work and
school to be with family and friends..my life here continues on as
usual.
But
"usual" life here is still exciting and new everyday. A few
weeks ago I saw a lemur, yesterday a market vendor told another
vendor that she needs to tell me the price in Malagasy and not
French, and today a student stayed after class just to chat with me.
I
have so much to be thankful for! Including my wonderful, supportive
family. Even though I cannot tell everyone I love and care for that I
am thankful that they are in my lives with a stomach full of turkey,
pie, and mash potatoes...I can still celebrate my thankful-ness in my
own way.
And
thats what this holiday is suppose to really be about, isn't it?
Written
two days after Thanksgiving, 11/29/2014
I
had a wonderful, beautiful, and simple Thanksgiving at site. It
started, officially (according to myself) the night before
Thanksgiving when my site mate and I had our own little impromptu
Thanksgiving feast with some friends at a restaruant in town, STUFFED
CRAB! And deliciously sauteed potatoes. We hadn't intended on going
out, but when our friends said the restaruant had a special thing on
the menu, we decided it would be our Thanksgiving splurge!
On
actual Thanksgiving, I started my day by teaching two classes. The
first part of the lesson, I told the students that today was a
holiday in America called Thanksgiving. I not only astounded my
students by the fact that I actually know Malagasy pretty well by
explaining the holiday activities in English, and then Malagasy, I
also felt like they really enjoyed this lesson.
I
talked about how usually, I'd be going to my Grandma's house and my
whole family would be there. We would talk about what we are Thankful
for (which when I think about it, we never really did...but I think
every family should really start doing that!) and we eat a lot of
food until we are very full.
My
favorite part of the lesson was the astonishment that while we eat
turkey (okolokoloka in my dialect) and mashed potatoes at our
Thanksgiving feast, we do not eat rice. My students went wild when I
said there was no rice at the Thanksgiving feast. I followed the
discussion of Thanksgiving by letting my students ask three questions
about America, which ended up being more like 10 questions...
The
first question: What do you eat with rice? I said we eat rice mostly
with Chinese food. When I said we don't eat rice at every meal, and
not even every day, but maybe once a week or once a month they were
shocked! What do you eat?! I said bread, pasta, meat, vegetables,
fruits. The same things you eat...but with more rue (side dish) and
no rice.
The
next question..was inevitably going to happen sometime: Do you have
children? I laughed so hard and said, no! I am still a madamosille.
They all laughed and one student shyly raised her hand and said, “How
old are you?” I thought for a second about not answering, saying we
don't talk about age in America, but I decided I would go for it, “I
am twenty one.” They went wild.
Once
I got the students quiteded down, the next question: Do you have a
car? I said, “In America?” They all laughed. Yes, they meant do I
have a car in America. I said I knew how to drive, but cars are
expensive and I just finished school. That question was less exciting
than they had anticipated.
It
was so fun to share a little bit about myself and what Thanksgiving
is. They acutally understood what “I am thankful for...” meant
and I think they really appreciated the lesson.
And
then we had a take-home quiz....
After
my lunch (chocolate chip pancakes and lychees with green tea, my own
Thanksgiving feast) I headed over to the Cultural Center, where
furniture had arrived and students came every day to read books in
English and French. I read a few books to some students and they just
kept handing me more! Finally I had to say I was tired, but it was so
adorable to have so many students huddled around to listen to
English.
I
finished my Thanksgiving with a long chat with my mom on Vibr :)
A
pretty perfect Thanksgiving if I say so myself! And no madness of
Black Friday shopping to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment