Much to Be Thankful For

My first blog post.

I have been living in southern China for a little over two months now and have outgrown the email chain I have been using to keep in touch with friends and family. A blog is a much happier medium as I can post massive amounts of pictures and data without ‘exceeding my attachment limit’ (take that Yahoo). After much thought, I settled on the name, ‘The Real World’ as it describes my life pretty perfectly right now. Post-college life is often referred to as ‘the real world.’ What more fitting of a title could I name my blog than ‘The Real World’ as I am experiencing the real world in the most literal sense of the phrase?

It is appropriate that I begin this blog on the day after Thanksgiving, as I have a lot to be thankful for this year- even if it doesn’t always feel like it. I have a challenging, (albeit often frustrating) job in a new and different country, an amazing group of friends and family who have supported my big move (even when they, or for that matter myself, didn’t quite understand it), new friends in China, my somewhat-decent health, and much more.

When I was taking post-graduate classes in Australia, I experienced my first holiday abroad. Living in a western country, I easily managed to find a public venue that re-created the holiday experience for myself and other area expats.

Thanksgiving in China is a different story. For a country whose standard method of cooking involves a wok and a stove, finding the ingredients and means (read: oven) to cook a traditional thanksgiving dinner has proved a challenge. That is not to say that it is impossible.

Life is definitely busy in China so finding time to celebrate Turkey Day amongst 6 days of work and 7 days of lesson planning was also a challenge. This Sunday however, I am inviting several friends over to celebrate the holiday. After networking to find the proverbial holiday fowl (turkeys are quite elusive here), I found a hotel that was willing to sell and cook me an 8 kilogram turkey. Since ovens are few and far between, Thanksgiving rolls are provided courtesy my wallet and the local KFC. Additional dishes are being made via toaster ovens and stovetops by those attending the feast and I am filling in the gaps.

An update to come after dinner on Sunday. I smartly scheduled a cleaning lady on “Thanksgiving” so things could get a little bit hectic. I hope she finishes before dinner and if not… I hope she likes turkey.