Thanksgiving for two in Taiwan

As I sit here at work on a Monday I can not help but think about the holiday I am missing out on at home. What I miss about Thanksgiving has nothing to do with the holiday itself. I suppose the meaning of the day has really changed for everyone. It is not about pilgrims and indians or whatever we learned in school. Thanksgiving is about a time for families and friends to get together and be thankful for everything we have in our lives. And traditionally a time to stuff our faces.

This thanksgiving I am thankful for my family and friends who stay connected with me even though I am on the other side of the world. I am thankful for my new nephew and I can not wait to meet him. I am thankful to be working in a job I love. But most of all I am thankful to be living with and loving my other half everyday.

There are some positives to making your own holiday in a country which does not celebrate it. We can choose to celebrate however we like (or I like since JP doesn’t really celebrate Thanksgiving until now) For example we didn’t have turkey and stuffing so we used whatever we could find to make a nice meal and shared it together. There was no over eating or belts taken out a few notches like Thanksgiving meals at home. There was no endless snacking and going for desserts even though we are full. It was simply a weekend together filled with studying, lesson planning, movie nights in bed and home cooked meals of comfort food for two.

Although I feel so lucky to be living the life I have there are a few things I do miss about thanksgiving. I miss having a long weekend (being at work on a holiday Monday sucks), eating leftovers, visiting family, leaves falling and changing colors. I miss the cold in the breeze and Tim’s hot apple cider with cinnamon. JP just misses Tim Horton’s in general and randomly shouts it out in sorrow.

PEACH DRINK!! CHEDDAR CHEESE BAGEL!! MAPLE DIP DONUTS!!

I forgot to mention it is 35 plus out today and sunny. Currently, I am in flip flops, shorts, a t-shirt and sweating as I teach my students who are wearing long sleeves because it is "fall".

Happy Thanksgiving!