An Expat Thanksgiving: Making Our Own Traditions

tra·di·tion

trəˈdiSHən/

noun

1. 1.

   the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.

   
     Ever since I joined my husband's family, most of our Thanksgiving "dinners" have been a-typical/non-traditional by most Americans' standards.  We usually wind up eating dinner at the only open Chinese restaurant in town or something similar.  And let me say that I've truly grown to love our little non-traditional tradition.  There's something to be said for just spending time together and being thankful for one another, rather than having Mom or Grandma slaving away in the kitchen while everyone else plays games and watches football.

     All of that said, I do think that the traditional turkey dinner--and all of the hard work that goes into that dinner--is a beautiful thing.  Since my husband and I became vegetarians over three years ago, I must admit that the wonders of the Thanksgiving feast have lost their luster for us.  Because of our ethical decisions and lifestyle changes, I often feel like our kids are missing out on some of America's best family traditions.  But not this year.

     I've been blown away by the community support and love that I've seen this year.  We thought maybe we'd take a trip or have Thanksgiving "stuffed fish" at home, just the four of us.  Then, the unthought of happened:  Our friends invited us to go to their house, kids and all, for "THE FEAST."  It seems like five or six sweet families have taken on Thanksgiving this year, and they've invited the rest of the loners and vagabonds to join them.  This means that we all get share in the tradition this year, and I'm quite surprised by how much I'm looking forward to it. The boys are really excited too!  It's going to be their first time experiencing Thanksgiving dinner, and I'm excited for them.  Here in a few minutes, I'm going to start my Thanksgiving contributions: vegetarian stuffing, green bean casserole, my first attempt at pumpkin mac and cheese, and a bruschetta appetizer.

     Another Thanksgiving surprise this year was when the entire Embassy received a Thanksgiving dinner invitation from the President of Albania.  It seems that he's anxious to familiarize himself and, subsequently, celebrate some of the various embassies' national holidays.  For instance, we've heard that the Germans were invited over for "October Fest!"  So, off to our first "State" dinner we went!

     The dinner wasn't held at the President's residence but rather at his representational "Pallati" or palace.  There was a red carpet up the steps of the palace and everything.  We were shown into a massive room with impossibly high ceilings, where an orchestra and at least five T.V. cameras were already set up.  It turns out that even our U.S. Marines were attending, and they were all in their dress uniforms.  We said hi to everyone, and one of the Marines remarked that I looked pretty all dressed up with my pearls.  My automatic, Southern girl response was, "My Mama would be so proud!"  And she would.  I felt proud for all of us last night, the whole Embassy.

      Then, what luck!  We were told that it was actually open seating!  The Albanian President, the U.S. Ambassador, their wives, and several ministers were to sit at the head table; but we got to sit with my husband's boss and his wife at the very next table!  They came in from the rear of the room, and both the President and the Ambassador gave speeches about the meaning of Thanksgiving.  The Ambassador even read a letter from President Obama that was to congratulate Albania for their Independence Day, which corresponds with Thanksgiving.

     We were then presented with a four-course dinner, complete with turkey and dressing!  Of course, the unfortunate part is that my husband I couldn't eat any of it, but it looked wonderful and very authentic!  And, then, we had my absolute favorite thing in the whole world: cheesecake.  Woot woot!

     It was just about then that I realized and reaffirmed that my husband and I made the right decision.  I miss home like crazy, but I am experiencing things in this Foreign Service life that I would never have experienced in South Louisiana.  It's not every day that a bayou girl gets to get all dolled up in her pretty dress and matching shoes, wearing the real pearls that she got for her high school graduation, and then gets introduced to the President of Albania by the U.S. Ambassador to Albania.  I'm sorry, but that's cool stuff right there.