A tasting menu: sweet potato chips, pork with caramelized apples, corn chowder with chipotle crème fraiche. In the far back right: the turkey melon (giant blob of turkey meat wrapped in bacon; visit Tumblr to see it in all its gluttonous glory).
A certain snarky friend of mine once called Thanksgiving a "bullshit holiday" because it glorifies that time in American history when, according to her, "The colonists were all like - 'Hey Native Americans, why don't you just bend over and take it while we overrun your territory!'" I'm no historian, but I'd say this is a pretty fair assessment of what happened, oh, everywhere that European colonists landed? But I digress.
This is the first Thanksgiving that I've spent away from home, and while I may question the validity of the origins of the holiday, I do appreciate the other values that it stands for - namely family, traditions and food. I miss my family, but they're coming to visit me in a month so instead I'd like to take a moment and reflect on things that I am thankful for.
The first is that, by happy coincidence, I did not go to Israel last weekend as originally planned, and that the friend who I was supposed to visit was safely in the US. As I understand it he has since returned now that the cease-fire is in effect and is staying with family in another part of the country. My thoughts go out to all those whose lives have been affected by the violence.
I'm thankful for having a family that supports me doing that which makes me happy and who has never pressured me to figure my life out when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. You are rare amongst parents, much less Asian ones, and I love you for it.
And, of course, my friends. From the new ones here who organized one of the best Thanksgiving dinners ever (that's what you get when everyone you know is a culinary school student) to the ones at home who promptly respond to emails regarding everything from new music to boy problems. I promise I will try harder to stay in touch.