Harvest Festivals, Home and Abroad
November 23, 2017
First off, a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you taking the time to read this blog post. I am thankful for you. I titled this post "Harvest Festivals, Home and Abroad," because today in the United States is Thanksgiving! Yet, it is also my first Thanksgiving in China, my first Thanksgiving away from home, and my first real 'American' holiday in China.
Teaching a lesson about Thanksgiving today, and listening to students' reactions and thoughts about the Thanksgiving holiday, it reminded me a lot of the Mid-Autumn Festival earlier in October. While perhaps the customs, meaning and traditions (shopping..?) of Thanksgiving have evolved over the years, the story goes that the original Thanksgiving was a celebration of the harvest in the year following a long, difficult and dangerous winter for the Pilgrims who had recently arrived in North America. Thus, Thanksgiving, too, originated as a harvest festival, to give thanks for the crops and bountiful food grown in the prior year - just like the Mid-Autumn Festival.
And so in the spirit of sharing stories between cultures, I wanted to share with you what one of my students wrote as her diary of her harvest festival celebration earlier in October (the student has given me permission to share her original writing with you).
October 1: Today is National Day, an important festival for us Chinese people. I went outing with some of my friends. In the morning we went to the park. There wer many people enjoying themselves. We had a picnic under a big tree. In the afternoon we went to bookstore that bought some pens and books. Next, we walked in the countryside. We had a happy and exciting day today.
October 2: In the morning I got up at six o'clock. I have breakfast at half past six. Next I went to the bus stop with my good friend. I am very happy because this day is weekend. In the afternoon I went shopping with my classmate in the supermarket. I bought some vegetables and fruit. For example, apple, pear, banana and tomato. In the evening I play chess with my brother. Though, we listen to music about 25 minutes.
October 3: I help my grandma with made dumplings. My grandma made dumplings, one of the dumplings like obedient little ducks swimming in the bowl. My in the mind have a little not to eat them. But the smell of fragrance and let me greedily slobber. I eat up tit-bit. But I eat dumplings, the heart have a kind of feeling I can not tell.
October 4: Today was a nice day. In the morning, I did my homework. The homework is so easy, so I did it quickly. After that I watched TV with my sister. It is relaxing and funny. At afternoon my mother cooked many foods, like potatoes, meat, tomatoes, and egg soup. I think they are so delicious. In the evening, I played games with my friends at home, we are all had a great time. What a good day it is!
October 5: In the morning I did some cleaning and washing. Next I watched some sports. After lunch I listen to some light music and then have a nap. In the afternoon, I stayed at home to do my homework and read a book. In the evening, I watched TV with my grandfather. Looking forward to tomorrow coming!
October 6: It was the sixth day of our National Day holiday. I felt good. I felt I am free. I had a lot of time to do things I like. So I live alone but I don't feel lonely. But I didn't do something special. Oh! I wrote my English daily composition. It was my homework. Today, I have slept for 14 hours. I thought I was very tired. It is time for dinner. I must go! I am very happy.
October 7: I visited my uncle and aunt. My cousins were watching TV when I arrived. Then we went to the supermarket. We bought many things there. For example, some junk food, some juice, some bread, and so on. My aunt cooked a chicken for lunch. I think that is very delicious. Then we had a birthday party for my little sister. We bought some candles, some chicken, some candies, and so on. I bought her a doll. Her father bought her a notebook. Her brother bought her a book. Today we are happy.
October 8: I got up early, because I have so many things to do that I cant go to school this afternoon. I have to go to school tomorrow morning. At nine o'clock the phone rang, it is my friend calling to invite me to go to the library to read a book we like. I chose the book called The Old Man And The Sea by Haimingwei [Hemingway]. It's very interesting. Next we go to the clothes store, she bought a coat and a pair of shoes. Then we had lunch in a small restaurant. Then we got to student apartment. Today is tired and busy.
Reading back through the student's description of her harvest festival and family traditions, there are obviously a lot of identical traditions, but manifested differently: cooking favorite foods together (turkey or dumplings) with a 'fragrance that makes one greedily slobber,' visiting friends and family near to and far from home, sitting together as a family (watching football or playing chess), and of course the comfort foods that make one want to sleep (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes or meat, tomatoes and egg soup). Less obvious for me was the comfort of these traditions and experiences my students shared with me as I spend my first Thanksgiving in China without the opportunity to celebrate with my family, but instead share my past Thanksgivings with my students this year, aiming to model my student: 'So I live alone, but I don't feel lonely.'
And sharing Thanksgiving with my students has kept my loneliness at bay, and seeing the student's excitement over pictures of my past Thanksgiving dinner foods made me realize how much, perhaps, I had taken those meals for granted. "I want to try a turkey because it is very famous and exciting, and looks delicious, and I've never eaten it" was the near-universal consensus from my students.
What about Black Friday, you might ask? I wouldn't. "It looks crazy and dangerous"
I am thankful today for my family, my health, the opportunity to live, work and serve in the Peace Corps, and of course, my family of readers - join my family by subscribing here for notifications of new stories.
