This Thanksgiving could not be called traditional. There were no cranberries. I did not watch the Cowboys football game. There were no black Friday ads to pour over with my mom. There was no devising a post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas sales strategy that involved determining just how early we needed to get up. But while it wasn't traditional, it did have all the required elements for a Thanksgiving: family, friends, turkey, and gratitude.
Thanksgiving started with a border crossing. In my experience, it definitely qualified as the mother of all border crossings. It involved 1 misplaced paper, 4 cups of coffee with 2 Jordanians, and 2 hours of waiting before we were allowed to cross into the holy land.
Our weekend in Israel was an effort to discover "Where in the World Was Jesus Christ?" Which meant Thanksgiving night found us at the Sea of Galilee. Over turkey shish kebobs, we went around the table stating what we were thankful for. Since health, family, friends, dogs, and horses were already taken, I had to think of what I was thankful for. Truthfully? My answer was, "My Internet connection."
I still remember when the Internet changed my life. (dramatic, but true.) Long before this war, my SP was sent to the desert to flex the biceps of the US military. These separations were long, and a phone call was the most precious gift. The calls from my SP were made over out-dated military lines. We were often cut off, prompting us to say, "I love you" and "good-bye" at the start of the conversation. Since the phone calls were irregular, it meant sitting at home in hopes of being there when the call came through. Nothing hurt more than to get home and find a message that meant it would be at least another week before we could actually talk.
One year, my SP was gone to the desert over Christmas. (actually, it was one of many years) But this particular year, my SP was flying on Christmas day. He used his radio to call a ham radio operator who called our home and used his ham radio to let us talk. That reminds me, I'm also thankful for ham radio operators.
The last time my SP went to the desert, he finally had the ability to email home. It was so precious to be able to hear from him everyday. And ~ we were never cut off. And ~ I didn't have to wait at home to hear from him. That connection was my sanity.
Speaking of sanity...I really don't think I'd be surviving this expat experience without my Internet. Through the Internet, if I miss something or someone from home, I just hop online. So while the Internet may seem like an odd choice for a "most thankful" list, to me, it just made sense. It's my connection to family and friends which keeps me sane and happy. Health, family, friends. Who's not thankful for that?
11 comments:
What a great post! First turkey shish kebobs on the Sea of Galilee, that's awesome.
Second, your internet connection!!! Of course, especially for you so far away, it is just that: a "connection." It's not Homegoods, it's better!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Hey, do you like any of that music?
I fully understand. My husband and I were dual military... he would be away, or I would be away, or we'd both be away.. it was hard! I can even remember trying to contact my parents one weekend during Basic - they were not there! Despite the chance to call several times, no answer! The next week, I get through... oh, dad says, it was nothing, we got evacuated for a hurricane. I was so cut off from everything that I'd had NO clue! Now, I have young cousins/friends going through Basic and they're on-line all the time! What a change! The internet is indeed a blessing to be thankful for.
oh, btw, if I say I am also thankful for another year without being forced to watch football, do I lose points off my US passport?? I did the traditional shopping thing instead.
Great post. My number one trip plan for this region is Isreal so i'm dead jealous that you've been. :)
I have no idea how my grandparents and later my parents moved half way around the world from their families in a time before cheap long distance and the internet.
Happy Thanksgiving! Yes the internet has made it on my thankful list as well. It is a wonderful way to keep in touch and meet other like minded people.
I hope you had a nice weekend :)
Oh I hear you! THanks for visiting once again:). I load up on Chocolate Chips myself when home so I can sympathize. See if there is somewhere that sells enormous blocks of chocolate and you can chop and bag 12oz each. I do that here when I have too. (and grind the local large crystal sugar in a coffee grinder in order to bake). Nothing like a little more labor in your life eh?
Sea of Galilee and turkey shish kabobs sound great!
I spent many years working periodically for 3-6 months in a remote area of the Himalayas. ONLY had mail, and it often took six weeks for air mail letters to move between home and where I was working. We did not have electricity. I had a working wife and she had 4 kids at home [ 10 - 16 years] so it was a bit of a wrench beng away and essentially incommunicado. You learn to write.
It is amazing what is commonly possible today, only 15 years later. Communications are vital, and the internet is pretty magic. But I fear that the quality of communications may be less.
It may not have been traditional, but it certainly sounds memorable!
I know what you mean about the Internet. I don't know what I would do without all of you.
Happy thanksgiving! And thank you so much for all of your comments. Your last one made me especially happy! Have fun!
Happy Thanksgiving! The internet seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to be thankful for!
Very interesting holiday! Glad to hear you can still connect with your friends and family!
I know Thanksgiving is long past but I have to comment that shopping there sounds like shopping in Jakarta. I left the house each week with a long shopping list divided by stores where I was most likely to find things, but of course you have to check the whole list at each store, just in case and if you found something you wanted even, if it wasn't on the list, BUY IT 'cause it won't be there later and don't look at the price because it really doesn't matter. You are going to buy it any way! When we first arrived I puzzled over why we had 2 refrigerators. Very quickly I discovered it was so there was plenty of room for hoarding.
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