Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the weirdest holidays for me as an American overseas.

I think I am most homesick over Thanksgiving, because only other Americans really "get it." Christmas, Easter...if you are in a country with any Christians at all, someone understands. But Thanksgiving? That is all us.

Thanksgiving is especially hard this year because I am also separated from my wife (though only 23 days to go, not that I am counting). And Thanksgiving for me is very much about being with my family. So this one has me a little in the dumps.

Luckily, my friends from language class have invited me to their place to share in the wonderful turkey goodness, so I won't be sitting in my apartment sulking. Plus, I am participating in a discussion on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" tomorrow evening (Why yes, I AM working on Thanksgiving...why do you act shocked?). So I will hopefully be too busy to be sad.

And today, I spoke to kids from the Jewish School here about Thanksgiving. I told them a bit about the history, a bit about the Indian perspective, and they read some poens they wrote for the occassion, did a presentation, and a group of girls sang a song (not a holiday song, but it was cute anyway).

Now, things I am thankful for:

A job I love.

That I will see my wife in 23 days and we will spend Christmas together.

That I just completed my first week as duty officer here without a single call (that NEVER happened in Jerusalem).