Being outside of the U.S. of A. makes me forget about holidays from the Western world. I would have been psyched to dress up for Halloween and I was a little sad about missing out on that event, but for the big holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July....you know the stuff that people really get behind - I'm not really put out. Honestly - imagine explaining to a Thai child about the meaning of Thanksgiving. I don't even want to do it. But, I will.....
Story of Thanksgiving for Thai 13-year-olds with basic English:
Okay, children, gather 'round while I tell you a story about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday in America that is very important. First, remember how I told you about the Spanish coming to the Americas? This is similar to that story. What is that you ask? Yes, you're right, the Spanish did destroy the Aztec and the Inca empires when they arrived. Like I said, this is a similar story. So, where were we? Oh, yes, look, America gets very very cold in the winter. It snows and people can ski and snowboard and there is ice everywhere. You have to wear lots of clothes because it is so cold. In fact, there are 4 different times during the year when the weather changes - like high season and low season here. Our seasons mean different weather and during the spring and summer seasons you have to grow food to last through the winter. Well, we don't now. We can eat strawberries all year round if we want, but this Thanksgiving business started a long time ago. Anyway, almost 400 years ago, a group of people moved from England to Holland so that they could believe in their own religion, because the king in England would not let them believe what they wanted. After being in Holland for awhile, they all got on a boat and sailed to America. The people who came to America were not ready for what they found. It was very cold and they did not have anything to eat. Just before all of the white people almost died in the cold, snowy winter of North America, the people living there already, Native Americans, gave them food to help them live and taught them how to survive. Yes, it was very nice of them. Unfortunately, the Native Americans did not know that once people from Europe survived, that they would take all of the land for themselves and murder all of the Native Americans. The ones that were not murdered, were put on bad land we are still mean to them today. However, the main idea of the story is to be thankful for people around you. No, we aren't thankful for the Native Americans now, but that's not the point. Each year, we get together with family to be thankful for football (American football - not soccer), eating, and Black Friday. And, that's the story of Thanksgiving. The End.
Sorry, Black Friday is a story for another day.
We are so strange! Being out here makes me laugh about the stuff that is important to us back home. Shoot! Call me Scrooge or Grinch McGee, but I've forgotten to get into the holiday spirit. Plus, there isn't the hustle and bustle of stores putting up turkey decorations, Christmas jams, or stressful family travel to remind me! In Thailand, I'm going to be working on Thanksgiving, but if I didn't work with other Americans, I would have forgotten about the month of November and Thanksgiving entirely.Disclaimer: I do think that thankfulness and gratitude in life are a MUST.
But, perhaps I see Thanksgiving as on the same level as Valentine's Day - a consumer holiday based on an emotion that we should incorporate into our daily lives regardless.
Any who, this week, this month, this year, I'm grateful for a few things.
1. My friends - who are really my family. I am who I am because of their love and support. My friends from Los Alamos, Flagstaff, Thailand, all over the place. I love you so much and I can't imagine life without you.
2. My family. My sister, mom, dad, and extended family who are always there for me.
3. My students. They remind me of how beautiful the world is.
4. The chance to live in Thailand. I always dreamed of moving here and I am so happy to have been able to experience this country.
5. Having the opportunity to travel. I feel unbelievably lucky and I am reminded of this everyday when my mind is blow by seeing a family of 5 on a motorbike or I get to drink alcohol...anywhere!
6. Being healthy. Living in a place with little regard for health and safety makes me thankful for being healthy and safe...most of the time.
7. Education. I am grateful for my education and for every chance I get to learn more.
8. Rock climbing. One of the best things I ever started doing.
9. Khee Rong, my cat, who keeps the snakes away from me while I'm sleeping.
10. Electronic musicians in America. Nuff said.
There's some other stuff too...like being young, not growing up in a conflict zone, being an English speaker, peanut butter, and green chile, and, well, if we go down the food list there's a lot I'm thankful for....but yeah, there's some stuff that I'm thankful for. So, I don't really give a fuck 'bout Thanksgiving, but I am thankful for somethings and I think that is important.
Bah, humbug! Happy Holidays, 'Merica.
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