Thanksgiving at UEA

This year was undoubtedly the most international Thanksgiving celebration I've ever had. There was turkey and mashed potatoes and more pie than could ever be eaten in a single meal, but there were also mince pies, stir-fry, and stuffing balls. I chatted with Canadians and other MidWestern Americans about the mild weather and the British vocabulary that took a little adjusting, but then ate my meal with friends from China, Malaysia, and Brazil. I got to share a bit of America with them, seeing where we had similar traditions and what was entirely new to them.

Gathering with other American and Canadian students was nice, an opportunity to learn that feeling a little homesick and nostalgic is not unusual at this time of year. As we sat around trying to fill in all the states or provinces of our home country and neighbouring country — most of us failing miserably — there was a shared sense of camaraderie, everyone taking turns to point to their hometown. Plus, for once no one asked me who came up with pairing sweet potatoes and marshmallows and if it was any good!

There were hand-turkeys on the wall in bright yellow and deep red, some a bit better than others. (Mine were the not-so-well-done ones.) After reassuring everyone that there was not official Thanksgiving music — everyone’s too busy eating to write songs — we settled on generic chart toppers, but it was hardly noticed over the chatter filling the Arts Hub. That’s the real soundtrack of Thanksgiving. 

Bringing our traditional holiday to England and incorporating dishes and customs from all over the world was a perfect reminder of why we are here: to expand our horizons and, without sacrificing our background, learn more about the world at large.

-Justus, American Student Ambassador