Thursday, November 23—Sunday, November 26, 2006

I spent my first Thanksgiving in India this past weekend and it was quite enjoyable, if not always relaxing. Though school was only in session a half-day, I spent most of Turkey Day working. I had a lot to catch up on since leaving for an unplanned visit to the States for a couple of weeks (another story…). I did, however, get to work from home since my Internet is finally connected again. I completed most of the ordering for next year’s departmental materials. I’ve asked for the moon figuring if I even get half of what I request I’ll be improving the resources twenty-fold from what they are now. I finessed my end-of-the-year lesson plans—Yes, only three more weeks to go!—trying. I responded to all my students’ journal entries—well, those who completed them, anyway. (Do substitutes ever actually follow lesson plans and encourage students to complete and TURN IN their assignments?! Or maybe even leave notes about what exactly they did accomplish in the class period?!) I even began working on end-of-the-semester comments. With all my meetings scheduled next week, I thought I had better try to get ahead of the game, a bit.

That evening, I celebrated Thanksgiving in proper, American style by sharing a meal with my fellow countrymen—and women—at the Taj Hotel, Lands End. The American Women’s Club of Bombay organizes this amazing event for displaced ex-patriots yearning for a patriotic feast. The gala began with an open bar (as usual no IPA or Dark Bock on tap ) set outside beyond the pool area. I quickly found my colleagues hovering around the bar, a mere coincidence, I am sure—having nothing whatsoever to do with strategic maneuvering. After a bit of mingling, the crowd dispersed as our hosts announced that food was being served. Though we were assigned tables, many of us chose our own lucky number so that we could eat with our friends. It was, after all, Thanksgiving: THE holiday to share with friends and family. I found my “family” at a nearby table, directly beside the podium where the head of the consulate was narrating the events of our forefathers and the poor souls who would soon be nearly exterminated by the white man’s disease and greediness. Well, he didn’t relate that part of the story, but we all know what was to happen to the natives after the pilgrims stole the recipes from the head chef, don’t we?

Having tricked us into sitting down by telling us we could eat, the hosts followed the U.S. Consul General’s storytelling with necessary, but seemingly endless, kudos to those who made the evening possible. Finally, thanks having been given to all of those who organized the Thanksgiving feast, the Star-Spangled Banner having been sung, and chairs having been rearranged to suit everyone’s desires, we merely awaited the “Turkey Parade.” Those of us who had never witnessed one of these parades before were not disappointed. Servers holding sparklers alight led the procession through the dining area, followed by other attendants with platters of turkeys. They finished off by standing in a line bracketing the head chef. After applause broke out, sparklers extinguished, and platters set down at each table, dishes of cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and other holiday favorites mysteriously appeared on our table. Now, this may not sound like much to those of you who have never lived abroad, but to those of us far away from home during the holidays, having Turkey with dressing and gravy and all the extras was nothing short of a miracle. THANK YOU AWB of Bombay!