Freedom from Want

Yesterday was not Thanksgiving. Not in London, anyway, where everyone just went on with their daily lives without any indication that the last Thursday in November was anything special. It's a bit strange not being at home on a major holiday like Thanksgiving. Sure, I've done it before. When I was in high school I was out of the country traveling with my family for more than one Independence Day. Thanksgiving's different, though. It's a big deal at my house, so it's weird missing it.

In order to keep up with the American spirit, however, my friend who lives across the hall roasted a turkey and invited me to join him in a Thanksgiving party. Ten of us American students gathered around a way-too-small kitchen table. We all shared what we were thankful for and feasted on the best turkey amateur college students can make. It wasn't home, but it was close. I suppose this isn't all that unique. Anyone who migrates to another country seems to want to keep the traditions of their homeland alive, which is why we hear about holidays like Chinese New Year.

I called home via video chat, where all my relatives gathered around a computer where it was Thanksgiving and updated me on what was going on in Connecticut. It made me happy that Thanksgiving was the only major holiday I'd me missing while in London.

These past couple of weeks I've been enjoying London. I went to see Oliver, the musical based on Oliver Twist. I rode the bus over to Portobello Road Market and ate enough really good food to keep me full all day.

It's been cold, by London's standards. It doesn't get below freezing that often in London, even in the middle of winter, but it's November and it's been well below freezing at night. There's talk of snow in the next few days.

I don't want to leave London in three weeks because everything's nice here and I like the city. But I want my American holidays back.