Thanksgiving: A prime rib dinner and no burning trees

November 1, 2011

Last year wasn’t my first Thanksgiving abroad, a holiday that is oh-so-North American that celebrations overseas usually take on a little local flavor.

In Kerala, India, we were treated to curried barbecue chicken and the most delicious mashed potatoes I may ever taste. I wore a navy blue churidar to that meal. In Dublin, our Irish hosts had a special meal cooked up for our group of college students on a social justice study trip. We arrived after dark and left patches of snow on the carpeted stairs as we tromped up to the second floor, where we ate family style. In Rome, I wore chic black and ate Chinese food at a restaurant in Monte Mario. Each time the food was warm and delicious and I felt thankful to be among friends thoughtful enough to make Thanksgiving part of their week.

Last year I celebrated Thanksgiving with hummus and pita in Bethlehem, Palestine, while my mother and younger brother made prime rib and Yorkshire pudding in Madison, Wis.

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