Ahppy Ssanksgeeveeng (Happy Thanksgiving)

I had not been this excited for Thanksgiving in years and years.  Mostly I think the holiday is silly, but I think the distance allowed me to appreciate it a little better.  Also, the conversations about it were hilarious.

in class: "Isn't today some day of yours?" 

at dinner: "So, what exactly are we thanking?"

from my british friend: "Isn't it really about killing all the native americans to make space for you?"

"Uh, yes, yes that happened...But that's my hometown!!!"

at dessert: "It's a pumpkin? It's a pumpkin in the pie? Oh non non non!"

Some friends of mine also overheard a rather disturbing conversation between some french kids and a canadian about what 'black Friday' is, including the phrase, "What is Kohls?"

On Wednesday evening, Smith hosted a potluck dinner at Reid Hall, which was delicious and amazing.  I spent the morning shopping for and baking three loaves of cranberry-nut bread.  It was a trip, I had to go to two Picards (the chic frozen food store) to find airelles (the french version of cranberries, then to a store called "Thanksgiving" for baking soda, then to the Monoprix for the rest of the ingredients.  It was only when I got back home and began to bake that I realized there were no measuring tools in my kitchen.  I felt kind of like the person in the family who insists on having Thanksgiving at their house and then forgets to buy the turkey until the day of.  Thankfully, miraculously, it came out well and apparently got some rave reviews from my friends host family who took some back to her host family. 

Then on real Thanksgiving my friend Clarissa invited me and my host mom to a dinner that she prepared  chez elle for her housemates, host mom, and friends.   The table was complete with the vegetarian versions of the Thanksgiving essentials and silver art nouveau candelabras with chubby cherubs.  The host moms and french housemates ate their first pumpkin pie.