Happy Thanksgiving!! Joyeuse Action de Grace!

Happy Dinde Day!

I love Garfield. Citation.

     I've enjoyed teaching my classes about the history and meaning of Thanksgiving this week. Before I started my lessons, I asked each class why they thought Americans celebrate this particular holiday. Most of them said that we just like to eat turkey, so we decided to make it into a national thing. One student said that it was to celebrate Christopher Columbus' first colony in America. Nice try. Yet another said that it was to thank the Indians for letting Americans into their land. There was no mention of the fact that America was only a colony at that point, and when I first tried to explain pilgrims- by drawing the traditional hat and costume- the kids thought I was talking about a leprechaun.

     After some discussion, I taught them all about the pilgrims, the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, and Squanto. Hopefully some of it sank in, but I'm not overly hopeful. I had some of the classes make hand turkeys and write four things they're thankful this year in each feather. Hand turkeys are ageless, as in they never get old and it doesn't matter how old you are when you make them. I also showed them some videos of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade- which was a new concept for most, but they especially liked this video of New Orleans' own 610 stompers- and we talked about American football. All components of a good Thanksgiving, in my opinion. 

     When you're abroad, you feel the most foreign on days like this. Election day, Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, etc. are holidays that feel like a necessary part of American life, and when everyone around you is going about their day as if nothing was different or special it's a little unnerving. Luckily, I've been able to share the Thanksgiving story with people other than just my students. 

     I just had lunch at a place called Little Mum down the street from my apartment. Since it's so close, I've been quite a few times for lunch. The owner and her son, the chef, are extremely friendly, and they make wonderful salads, soups, and fresh tartes. I'm not entirely sure why we started talking about Thanksgiving, but the little mum wanted to know what the fuss was all about. We talked history and then, more importantly in this case, we talked food. 

     Usually pumpkin is used in dishes that the French would call sale, meaning salty, like soups. When I told her that we eat pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top her eyes lit up. "Can I have the recipe?!" she asked excitedly. It just so happens that my friend found a France-friendly recipe, they don't do canned pumpkin or pumpkin spice, so I was more than happy to oblige. In return for my stories and recipe, I got a little lagniappe of chocolate cake that she hoped I would share with my friends during our feast. That I will, little mum, that I will.

     I didn't get to make a hand turkey of my own in class, so here is what I would have written:
-So far this year, I'm thankful to have graduated from a wonderful institution of higher education with my sanity, wonderful friends whom I miss dearly, connections with the town of Davidson and with Davidson College professors that I hope to maintain for a long time, a great cheerleading career with a great squad, and a diploma full of knowledge and good times. 
-I am also thankful for this whirlwind opportunity that I have to teach the Frenchies a thing or two about English and break some stereotypes they have about Americans. I also get to live in the amazing city of Toulouse, which isn't a bad trade off. 
-I'm thankful for my health and good fortune, and that of my family and friends, and for the many blessings in my life- like the ability to travel and write freely right now. 
-Most importantly, I cannot express how thankful I am for my parents and handsome beau who have seen me through many a trial and tribulation, victory, and small success in this past year. 

     Tonight, I have the pleasure of cooking an American, French, and French Canadian-style Thanksgiving feast with two of the other American assistants. We will also have a Quebecoise who is excited to join in on the fete, and she is actually the one who found a turkey (they're not really "in season" in France until Christmastime). On the menu we have foie gras, prunes with goat cheese and wine sauce, steamed green beans and carrots, aligot- this ridiculously good fondu looking cheesy mashed potato goodness, and pumpkin pie. There's definitely going to be some wine in there as well. I should be able to Skype into my family's Thanksgiving too, so I'll get a twofer. 

     I hope everyone has a wonderful day full of thanks and good eats! Geaux Saints!