Thanksgiving in Korea

Happy Thanksgiving America!! In many ways it’s hard to believe it is already Thanksgiving!  Yes, it was a different one for us this year for sure, including having to work just another regular day.  We greatly missed spending time celebrating the holiday with both of our families and eating two huge meals that left us feeling full for the next few days.   But it was also a special time for us as we enjoyed our small, different, Thanksgiving meal together, just the two of us, reflecting on all we have to be thankful for.  Not only do we have so much to be thankful for since we have arrived in Korea, but living here and experiencing a different side of the world has given us a new perspective on many things.   We wouldn’t trade the experience we are having here in Korea for anything in the world.  It has, and continues to, stretch us as individuals and as a married couple.  We are so thankful for all that we have learned over the last 8 months.  Navigating a new country very different from our own that comes with a completely different culture and language has not been easy at times for sure, but an amazing experience we will never forget and an opportunity that we are so thankful for. 

Our Thanksgiving dinner consisted of ham, mashed potatoes (my first creation with my new crockpot!), Kraft macaroni and cheese, rolls and corn.  And afterwards we watched a Thanksgiving movie to top it off: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  As much as we missed spending the day with family and will be thinking about everyone sitting down together tomorrow, we are incredibly thankful for all that we have in our lives right now.  Here are a couple reflections of our thanks...

One thing that we are especially thankful for this Thanksgiving: to be an American.  We have learned up close and personally how Americans are often stereotyped in other parts of the world, often not in a good way.  There have been numerous occasions where we have definitely noticed how much of a minority we are here in Korea.  There are more than a few people that look down on us because of the simple fact that we are American.  But yes, we have a new appreciation for being American.  While Americans continue to complain or overly rejoice about the recent election, last week in China, 1.3 billion people were simply told who their next leader would be with no public input whatsoever.  Last December, a country located barely 100 miles from where we are sitting right now was told who their next leader would be as well, not even aware that other countries like America have a choice in whom leads their country.  Yes we have a new respect for what it means to be American and the freedoms and opportunities, like the one we are experiencing right now, that come with it.  

We are extremely thankful for the love and support of our whole family even when we are so far away.  We miss them so much but are so thankful for how important they are in our lives.  We are thankful that we have been blessed with full time jobs that we both love and enjoy.  We are thankful for all of the people that we have met in Korea, without whom we would be just as confused as when we stepped off the airplane for the first time.  We are thankful for each other and that we get to have this adventure and experience together.  Neither one of us can imagine doing it alone, but having the opportunity to do it together is something we will be forever thankful for and never forget.  And of course the list goes on…

 We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy all the time you get to spend with loved ones!  Know that we are thinking of you and wish we were there with you!

Our Thanksgiving table for two  :)