Giving Thanks

This week was particularly difficult, thinking about everything I was missing by being abroad during Turkey Day.  I didn’t even try to hide my anguish as one of my professors assigned individual presentations to be given on Thanksgiving Day (Italians just don’t get it).  I not only had to be in school on this blessed day, but on top of it I had to give a presentation.  In Accounting.  *insert self-inducing vomit gesture here.*  But I knew I had to focus on the true meaning of the holiday – not the everything’s-better-smothered-in-gravy one, but the one about recognizing and appreciating everything for which you’re thankful.

with a little hard work, you can bring America to Italy

As it turns out, the pain of missing out on an important holiday (when you’re not on the same continent being constantly reminded of its existence) isn’t really that bad.  Everyone else around me had to go to work or school, shops were still open – it didn’t feel like Thanksgiving, but I knew it was.  So I decided to organize a dinner that would be an attempt at recreating a true American feast.  It started out as a few interested folks from our apartment and before I knew it we’d invited all the faculty, staff and students to partake in our holiday shindig.  Over the course of the week, the sign-up sheet grew to over 30 names and I started to worry about how I would be able to make and transport mass quantities of stuffing (arguably the most important side dish that has been known to occasionally outshine the turkey).

presenting the turkey

the thanksgiving spread

Everything worked out perfectly.  I’d convinced the café to order and prepare a 7-kilo (15.4lb) kosher turkey and I found myself advising our international crew on how to make traditional American dishes.  Apparently the Italians didn’t understand that the Pilgrims and Native Americans weren’t feasting on lasagna or tiramisu.  We had stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, caesar salad, quiche, pasta salad, garlic bread, potato pie, mac & cheese, some weird looking octopus salad (someone didn’t heed my “green bean casserole” suggestion), apple pie, chocolate peanut butter pie, cookies, banana bread, 2 giant jugs of wine and a Frankenstein turkey that had been stuffed and sewn shut by the local butcher who likely hadn’t ever done it before.  Oh, and something that resembled gravy but was attempted by use of olive oil.  And in retrospect I probably should’ve suggested someone bring vegetables, but whatever.

needs something green.  i think.

30 of us sat around, ate, drank, pushed each other to get through the line, laughed, ate some more, and generally enjoyed the party.  To top it off there was a “Western” band playing in the adjacent room of the café and that added to the ambience.  I dined at the table with my Project Management professor and her boyfriend along with a few of my roommates.  For everyone except 4 of us, this was their first Thanksgiving and I coached them through the turkey-mashed potato-stuffing combo that must be present on your fork. 

giuliano our facilities manager - doesn't speak a word of english but that night I taught him how to say (and make) "stuffing"

It was great being able to share a native holiday with my little international family here.  I looked around the crowded room and saw my classmates, my teachers, and members of the staff enjoying each other’s company and I felt right at home on that makeshift Thanksgiving Day.  Sure there wasn’t any pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, football, or green bean casserole, but I felt incredibly thankful for being able to share my culture with another part of the world and bringing our little family a bit closer together.

chowing down on the turkey cookie i made by tracing my hand in cooking class