Ever wonder what it is like to celebrate an American holiday in a foreign country? Well, worry not! I am here to share a little bit about how my YAGM friends and I pulled off a Thanksgiving celebration in Senegal!
Many families celebrate Thanksgiving differently; however, there are some essential ingredients to create a really memorable holiday. The recipe for a successful Thanksgiving abroad is as follows:
Step One: The Place
Thanksgiving is a time to reconnect, share about your lives, and create fantastic memories together, so the first step in celebrating this fantastic holiday is to find a space to gather with loved ones.
This year, my YAGM friends, coordinator, and I achieved this by gathering near Saint Louis, a small island in the northern part of the country. My group spent time sharing about our new lives in country, diving into the bible, and soaking up each others company. There were dance parties and plenty of laughs. It even felt like we were back home in the USA for a minute.
Step Two: The Food
This is the most important step to the recipe…the meal! Thanksgiving would not be what it is without the tried and true holiday dishes families cook up every year. Being in a foreign country with little food product diversity provides a bit of a challenge, though. The crew attempted to recreate our favorite family recipes by hunting down ingredients at vegetable stands, small boutiques (like corner stores), and even the “American Store” located in the capital. Luckily, if you are creative anything is possible! The menu for our feast included:
A tasty roast beef, perfectly seasoned by YAGM Collins
A perfectly toasted stuffing (replacing celery with cassava) and bissap (local tea leaf) apple cider created by YAGM Sarah
A delicious green been casserole made with love by YAGM Zig that tasted just like the American version
An improvised, but successful attempt at sweet potato casserole, made by yours truly. Local white sweet potatoes replaced the orange ones we know and love, and a brown sugar and oat streusel supplemented the lack of marshmallows found here.
A sweet fruit salad mixed together by Country Coordinator Kristin
A homemade pumpkin pie and the best cookies I have tasted baked by YAGM Connor
Buying the ingredients and cooking the meal took many twists and turns along the way, but anything is possible. You can definitely recreate a classic holiday meal abroad!
Step Three: Celebrating Life
This last step is key to the meaning of Thanksgiving, to share all that you are thankful for. The YAGM Senegal cohort took the time to reflect on this year, and gave thanks for the many blessings in our lives. One by one we each shared our thoughts around the table. Here is some of what I shared:
Teranga: The amount of hospitality that has been shared with me is astounding. To everyone in Senegal who has welcomed me and shown me the beauty of their country, I am eternally grateful.
Knowledge: I am thankful I had the opportunity to go to university and earn a degree. This has opened many doors for me and allowed me to grow exponentially as a person. I am also thankful for the opportunity to continue to learn every day from people of all walks of life.
Family: I would not be here today without the support of my family and friends back home. If it were not for them, I wouldn’t have the courage to step beyond my comfort zone. They inspire me everyday to continue on this journey and are so life giving.
This truly has been a unique experience and I am so happy I got to spend it with some special people. If you ever find yourself abroad during the Thanksgiving holiday, follow these steps and do not fret! It is still possible to soak up all the best parts of this day of thanks and enjoy all that life has to give.
Be kind to yourself and be kind to others, peace!