language, spanx, and gojiberries.

Wanna know how Chi.na Thanksgiving Round 3 was?

I went to class. I was the only American in class because the one other American was travelling. I baked 9 dozen cookies for my students and classmates so my classmates were pretty excited about Thanksgiving, even though they don't care/know nothing about it.

Then I went to work and gave away more cookies. And talked about pigrims, searching for freedoms, feasts, how the Native Americans and Pilgrims shared culture, and that Abraham Lincoln established Thankgiving during the Civil War to remind Americans to rememeber where they came from. Cool stuff. I was about to burst into a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, but then I remembered where I live. ha.

Then I went to my friends house where they had prepared Tom the Turkey and other Thanksgiving eats. I was way late, so Tom was gone, but I got to feast on mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and stuffing. Yum. My friends are awesome.

Then Friday morning I got up extra early before class to skype with my fam! I don't use skype much because my connection is bad and it makes me cry. Whenever I see my grandparents or dogs I sob. But it was worth it because I love looking at those faces!

family:

Thanksgiving dinner in a bowl:

my class brought me a box of chocolates on Thanksgiving:

Here are some things I am particularly thankful for this Thanksgiving season...in no particular order, aside from the obvious things I am and should be thankful for like family, guidance, mercy, friendships, provision, etc...

I am thankful for:

Language.

My living situation is awesome because I live in a constant state of second-language-ness. In almost every conversation I have, one or more of the parties is not speaking their native tongue. I love language. It's genius. We are all a brick in the tower of babel. Here is a note my Swiss neighbor left on my door the day he moved out last week. I was not home when he was leaving. I kept this note because I want to remember him and because I love the word "experienceful." What a genius word. Use it. I'm so thankful.

My new yellow Spanx (summer 2010 purchase)/Free Transportation via friends or my awesome bike.

I LOVE SPANX. Also, Alexina drives me home from chrch on Sundays on her swanky pink motorscooter. The taxi's to chrch are realllyyyy expensive (9$ roundtrip, I make 300$ a month. That's a big percentage at 36$ a month.) We have so much fun yelling to the natives as we wiz on by. One day I will take a video to show you everyones faces when they see us coming. It's priceless. I am so thankful for her scooter and my awesome bike that takes me to class in the mornings. My spanx make wearing dresses more modest while on my bike/her scooter, and the free transportation really helps. I'm so thankful.

And Goji berry, honey oatmeal.

I got a huge bag of Goji berries (a Ningxia specialty) on my trip there in October and have been slowly making my way through the bag by way of oatmeal with honey. This is my go-to breakfast and often is also my dinner. I love this meal. I am so thankful.

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful. I sure missed my family/America/turkey. But being here with so many things to be thankful for is not bad.

Happy beginning of the holiday season! I have a 10 inch tree somewhere in my cupbards to pull out soon...hmmm....gotta look for that!

walk slow. xoxo.