Happy Thanksgiving

As we sat around the table, the same as most days, preparing to eat the big meal of the day in true Spanish style at 2pm, I began to think about what I was most thankful for in that moment.

The father had gone out to buy a roasted chicken and the mother had made mashed potatoes from a box after running to the store to buy an apple tort, as similar to an apple pie as she could find.

We sat to eat and I explained that Thanksgiving for us is a day to remember when the pilgrims came to the new land, America, and the Indians gave them food. This whole story seemed to take on a new perspective for me, being in the old world and imagining this taking place all the way across the Atlantic, what a new and interesting feeling for me!

I then explained that we must all say one thing we are truly thankful for today.

The father started by being thankful for his family, as he named each member, including me at the end as the newest member of that family. Then the mother said thanks for me coming to live with them. Pacha, surprising us all, gave thanks for the mashed potatoes, as we all burst out laughing.

To conclude the thanks I told them, with a stirring in my heart for how true it was for me, how thankful I was to be with them this Thanksgiving. That I was so fortunate to share an experience of family and thanks with my new Spanish family and for receiving all the loving attention of preparing such a special meal for me today!

After eating twice as much as I thought I possibly could, in true thanksgiving fashion, I gladly forced down a slice of "apple pie" with a smile on my face and joy in my heart of how special a thanksgiving this year was for me.

Now you are all wondering what I am talking about eating a thanksgiving meal today, because of course it is Wednesday, and therefore now I must confess that I confused the days and told them Thanksgiving was today, so today we celebrated thanksgiving, which was another blessing as tomorrow I am not eating with the family, but going to a bodega to sample local sherry with the other au pairs here in Jerez, the land of sherry.

I think it shall be the perfect balance between an American tradition and holiday, that I was able to share with my family here, and a sample of the heart of Jerez de la Frontera and the region of Andalusia, the soul of Spain, my new home for this year.