Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Well, you can take the students out of America, but you can't take America out of the students.  Even though Thanksgiving is only a national holiday in the United States, we found a way to celebrate in Germany.

Tuesday night 21 students gathered in the USAC classroom for a buffet-style feast.  Everyone brought something, so we had a turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes (mashed and baked), corn pudding, corn bread, spaghetti, curry, apple pie, two kinds of cake, and cookies, too.  Most was home-made, though some was store- or bakery-bought by those of us whose cooking skills are lacking.  The Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special even made an appearance, courtesy of YouTube.  It wasn't all Americans, though.  Roommates and friends from around the world were invited, and got to experience their first Thanksgiving feast.  We even took a moment for everyone to say something for which we were especially thankful.

Wednesday, after a text-production exam in Composition II, I opened my mail from home (!), and did some homework before checking out the Lüneburg Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market).  The square in front of the Rathaus is filled with food stands (brats, currywurst, and fried mushrooms), drink stands (hot chocolate and glühwein) and stands selling arts and crafts.  I'm looking forward to visiting the markets in different cities!

Because USAC, as a program, is filled with mainly American students, we had no class today.  I slept in, did some homework, did some shopping, and then went over to some friends' apartment for a second Thanksgiving dinner.  Though only seven of us met this time, there was still plenty of food: turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, apple pie with ice cream, and even macaroni-and-cheese.  With the Packers-Lions game streaming online in the background, we all sat at the table and passed dishes to each other, American family style.

This Thanksgiving, I am so thankful for the opportunity to study abroad in Lüneburg.  I've already seen and done so much, and learned so many new things, and I still have a few weeks left!  I'm thankful for the friends I've made here in Germany, as my "cultural horizons" continue to expands.  I'm so grateful for my friends and family back home, who I can't wait to tell all about my time abroad in person!