Giant Snoopy floats over Macy's parade
Photo from silive.com

The lost holiday

By Megan McClure

November 27, 2008

A Bulgarian fourth Tuesday of November

Happy Thursday!

That’s an odd statement, I know. Today’s actually a national holiday in the United States, but here, today’s just Thursday. I mean, I hope you’re having a fantastic day regardless, but… ah, forget it.

So, Thanksgiving. In a nutshell, the holiday is designed to give people a chance to celebrate everything they are thankful for, material possessions and intangibles alike. It feels strange for me to essentially skip over the holiday, and when friends from home have realized this fact, their reactions have been priceless. One friend was completely surprised that I would actually have class on the fourth Thursday of November, a day that – in the United States – is traditionally set aside for family, food (especially turkey) and football.

Even as I write this, I’m not sure what November 27 will bring. Part of me hopes it will feel like just another day; ideally, one in which I’m busy with schoolwork and don’t have much spare time to wonder what’s going on at home. The truth is, I know exactly what’s going on at home, because it is the exact same situation as the previous 21 years.

Our family’s Thanksgiving celebration is pretty simple. We wake up in the morning and begin cooking. (Mom spearheads the effort, while my older brother is basically second in command.) As the noodles, spoon corn bread and other delicious dishes are cooking, we watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television. (The parade, sponsored by one of the nation’s largest retailers, winds its way through downtown New York City on Thanksgiving morning. Marching bands, celebrities and giant balloons are some of the highlights.)

Around the middle of the day, we pack up the food and drive to my aunt’s house, located roughly 45 minutes away. There, my mom’s side of the family gathers to share a holiday meal, with different people bringing different dishes to share. Later in the evening, my immediate family usually goes to my uncle’s house to have dessert and spend some time with the relatives from my dad’s side of the family.

So, like I said, the celebration is pretty simple. In my family, it’s basically a time to visit with relatives we don’t see very often and share some favorite family foods. Other people may celebrate in different ways, but most Thanksgiving traditions center around a meal.

Like at home, I’m hoping to cook a nice meal to celebrate the holiday. I’d also like to catch the Macy’s parade – and thanks to the wonders of the Internet, that may be possible.

The real reason for the holiday, though, is to give thanks. Since this is my first Thanksgiving – or major family holiday – away from home, I’ve had a chance to reflect on what this holiday means to me and what I’m thankful for. So, at risk of making this column sound like an eight-year-old’s school report, here are five things I’m thankful for in 2008:

Family… I always knew I loved them, but I suppose it took a 5,000-mile separation for me to truly understand how strongly they play into my life. (I have also learned that my mom’s e-mails are pretty cute.)

Friends… It’s kind of the same story as with family. Strangely enough, I think I’ve grown closer with a couple of my friends from home since arriving in Bulgaria. (I know, I know, the logic doesn’t quite work on that, but it’s true.)

AUBG… This semester’s been a priceless experience, and I feel indescribably fortunate to have ended up in a community so welcoming. (You’re all pretty cool, too.)

Food… There are two ways to look at this. On one hand, I’m grateful to have food readily accessible, because so many people do not have that luxury. On the other hand, I’m grateful to be able to try so many different types of food. (Note to self: look for places to buy sirene when you get home.)

Technology… They say we live in a wired world, and that is completely true. It’s amazing to me that people separated by oceans can communicate with one another instantaneously. (On that note, I’d like to find the person who invented Skype and shake his – or her – hand. Pure genius.)

So, even though Thanksgiving may not be a Bulgarian holiday, the idea of being thankful for your own blessings translates for everyone. I hope you’re all having a lovely Thursday, just as I hope my family and friends are having a lovely Thanksgiving.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to find some turkey…

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Note: This piece is part of the column "An outsider's guide to Bulgaria" published in defacto biweekly. Don't miss the new issue coming out next week.

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