By asthaa
Thanksgiving in my family has never involved turkey, as we are vegetarians, but like for most people in the US, it’s a time for us to meet with loved ones and enjoy a couple of days off from school and work. I knew Thanksgiving was not going to be a major affair here in Madrid, and I fully expected to go along my Thursday as per usual – class and the rest of the day to explore the city. However, Thanksgiving this fall and the days leading up to and following it ended up being extraordinary and reminded me of just how much I have to be thankful for.
One of the biggest things that made Thanksgiving week special was a visit from my best friend, Yenny. She came from New York with a university friend to see me and learn about Madrid. I was incredibly busy that week, and lucky I should add, with days filled with classes and evening comprised of enjoying Madrid with good friends from home. On Thanksgiving Day, I also met with a couple of GW friends who had family in Madrid and were in the city for a couple days. What I never could have imagined was that on Thanksgiving I would enjoy a scrumptious lunch with both my GW and home friends and get to see the sun set from the view of Temple Debod. For dinner, our program directors organized a feast for all of the students who were in town, with all of the Thanksgiving classics – including mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. In true family function fashion, the 2014 GW Madrid family’s Thanksgiving night was not only filled with delicious food but also some awkward dancing and loads of laughing.
Thanksgiving week was one of my favorites in Madrid so far, but there is one moment that stands out. One night before going out to eat with Yenny, I wanted to show her my home and to introduce her to my host family. With the intention of a short visit, I excitedly showed Yenny the home I have been living in for the last three months. She met my host mom, Raquel, and host brother, Damián, and tried out a few of the Spanish words she remembered form high school. My host mom also spoke the most English I had heard the whole semester. Graciously, Raquel invited us to stay for dinner and of course, we couldn’t deny a home-cooked meal. It was during that dinner with Yenny in my home for the last three months that it hit me that my friend of 13 years was here in Madrid with me and that we had the pleasure of eating and laughing with some of my favorite people in this city. During a week when I could have been missing the US deeply, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by friends who made me feel like Madrid was a second home.