Just like every other holiday we celebrated this semester, Thanksgiving at the Jia was celebrated a few days early in order to allow for everyone to travel immediately after classes on Wednesday. So as Tuesday morning dawned, I prepared myself for a long day of cooking and cleaning.
As one of the few people in the Jia with a free Tuesday schedule, I took it upon myself to make sure all of the traditional, American dishes we all know and love made it to the dinner table. Only issue: I can’t cook. Really, I’m not being modest. I CANNOT cook. Thankfully though, everyone in the Jia pitched in to make their favorite dishes. I simply took responsibility for making sure they came out of the oven at the right times. It was a logistical nightmare, but three trips to the international market, two failed Jell-O molds and dozens of dishes later, dinner was ready to serve.
Guests began to arrive. Everyone turned out dressed in their Sunday best. We even invited the neighbors and our friends from Fudan. It was exciting to share one of my most favorite holidays with them. Neither our Fudan friends nor any of the neighborhood children had ever been to a Thanksgiving meal, yet they were eager to join in the festivities. Each of our guests brought a dish of his or her own, giving the meal an international feel. Finally it was time to serve the meal. Everything needed for a meal for 50+ people was carefully prepared and in place, except for the centerpiece: the turkey.
First a word on turkey in China — it doesn’t exist. Because turkeys are not native to Asia, they are a major luxury — so much so that the birds had to be specially ordered from a nearby international hotel and cost a whopping $200 each.
As the minutes ticked by, panic began to set in. Though we had more than enough food to feed all of our guests, the turkey was the main attraction. It’s simply not Thanksgiving without turkey. The group valiantly pressed on though hunger to wait for the birds to arrive. We chatted and played games, even danced a bit. Finally, 45 minutes past the allotted time, a harried man on a scooter drove up lugging two big turkeys and a ham for our dinner. The day was saved.
As the group gathered for grace a sense of peace and calm washed over me. Though the day had been long, and a bit stressful it was worth it. I am so grateful to have come to China, for the new friends I have met and things I have learned.
The meal was delicious, conversation lively and everyone went to bed content. Though we still miss our families at home this substitute family, our Jia, is a perfect substitute for now.
Thanksgiving Break: Taiwan Trip
As families across the United States sat down to dinner, I boarded a plane to Taiwan with two of my lovely Jia mates for the adventure of a lifetime. We embarked on an expedition to see Taipei, Taiwan, the most populated city on a large island off the western coast of China. Taiwan sits just a little ways from Hong Kong and shares much of its weather and landscape.
When we arrived it was warm and rainy. It remained so for much of our trip. Though there are many other things to see on the island of Taiwan, we mostly concentrated our adventures in Taipei because of our time constraints. It’s important to note that Taiwan is officially a part of the People’s Republic of China; however, the island remains politically at odds with the Communist Party. It operates similar to the SARs of Macau and Hong Kong with its own judicial system and local government separate from the Communist Party of mainland China. The situation is still very tense.
We witnessed some of this quiet turmoil first hand. For instance, country flags were conspicuously absent. No Chinese flags. No Taiwanese flags. Additionally none of the tourist attractions bore the mark of Chinese nationalism so often seen on the mainland.
The trip was wonderful. We saw the National Palace Museum, the zoo and some tea plantations. We even spent some time in Taipei’s famous night markets.
My favorite part was the zoo, which seems a little silly seeing how far we traveled, but the zoo is world-renowned. The exhibits are beautiful and the park was large and well-landscaped. There were a variety of animals, all of which were out and about due to the cool weather. Overall the trip was a success. Though it wasn’t the adventure we were looking for, I think all had a good time. Well that’s all for now! More soon!
