arigato gazaimasu: Thank you

Last year while I was home for Thanksgiving break I did the same thing that most college students do--slept, spent quality time catching up with my family, and went out partying with my friends back home. Along with two of my closest friends, Jocelyn and Mallory, I went out to the most happening bars in Pittsburgh, hoping to run into old friends who I hadn't seen since high school graduation. Rather than seeing old friends, we had awkward encounters with ex-boyfriends which led to a stressful series of bar hopping, at which point I lost track of whether we were trying to run away from them or run into them. The three of us spent the next night at Mallory's apartment curled up together discussing how we only needed each other, and that is what we were thankful for.

This year Jocelyn is teaching English in South Korea, and Mallory is doing the same in Costa Rica. This morning we had a 3-way Skype conversation, where yet again, we spoke of how lucky we are to have each other--despite the oceans that separate us. Jocelyn spent her Thanksgiving eating ice cream and potato chips from her local convenience store. However, tonight she is cooking a somewhat traditional menu for eight of her Korean co-workers. We'll see how eating mashed potatoes with chopsticks goes...
Mallory celebrated the holiday over pancakes while watching Schindler's List on TV.

In Japan, decorations jump straight from Halloween to Christmas because no one seems to care about the holiday wedged in between. However, I did not completely turn my back on the American tradition.
Thursday night my little apartment came alive when Caitlin and two of my friends came over to eat pumpkin soup and lasagna. We were so distracted by good food and company that we forgot to go around the table to say what we were thankful for.

During our intercontinental conversation this morning, the three of us decided that so many people our age are in a rush to grow up too fast, yet we acknowledged that everyone has different causes of happiness. Mallory reminded me that what makes me happy is when all of my students yell "hello" to me on my bike ride home from school. Jocelyn finds peace going on hikes and during her nightly yoga class. As for Mallory, she is happy to be able to eat three meals a day and have an apartment to call her own.

I am thankful that the world is full of possibilities, and that I always have someone to share my stories with.