Students explore Thanksgiving traditions

For graduate student Xiaoying Pang, going home for Thanksgiving break is not an option, because home is more than 3,000 miles away. People don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in China, anyway.

Instead of gobbling down turkey, Pang will spend her time off relaxing and catching up on work.

For international students, the upcoming week will not mean a reunion with the family, but an opportunity to learn about the American holiday, travel or take some time to relax in Bloomington.

There are few options for international students who are not willing to spend a lot of money to go home for the short break.

“If they have friends who happen to be Americans, they go home with them,” said Daniel Soto, the Latino assistant at the International Center. “They love to stay with friends, but most just stay in Bloomington.”

Going home with a family is a good way to learn about an American tradition, and students gain from being around a family.

“They get to be involved with anything that the family does,” Soto said. “They can practice English, meet friends and ask questions.”

For students who stay in Bloomington, some make their own Thanksgiving dinner.

“Many are interested in a traditional Thanksgiving, and they will try to make it themselves,” said Dawn Shanks, who is an assistant at the International Center. “I was shopping for Thanksgiving, and I saw some of them buying the ingredients for pumpkin pie.”

Some of the students who stay in Bloomington participate in homestays and dinners provided by Bloomington organizations. One of these organizations is Bloomington-Worldwide Friendship, Inc., which encourages Bloomington residents to invite two to three students into their homes for Thanksgiving dinner. By doing this, students get the opportunity to be involved in the American tradition without having to leave Bloomington, Soto said.

Churches in Bloomington also offer options for international students. Sherwood Oaks Christian Church invites some international students to eat with families, Shanks said. Another church offering this opportunity is Evangelical Community Church.

Another option many international students take is to travel during the break. They want to see the rest of the country, and the break is a good time to get out of Bloomington for a few days, Soto said.

“The students usually go to Chicago, New York or Washington, D.C.,” Soto said.
Many international students just want to find out what Thanksgiving is all about and take a break from school work.

“The whole idea of Thanksgiving is foreign,” Soto said.

But this does not stop some international students from wanting to participate in the holiday traditions.

“The students are willing to go anywhere,” Soto said. “If they have children, they want to have them learn the American customs.”

Though Thanksgiving is an American holiday, international students are still enthusiastic about it, Shanks said.

For many students, this Thanksgiving will be the first one they celebrate, Soto said.

“For people born in the United States, Thanksgiving is not just a meal, but the spirit and the meaning of Thanksgiving,” Soto said. “It is a time to be thankful.”