November 24, 2005
Thanksgiving Dinner with Chinese Characteristics
Katie and I had been planning on treating ourselves to Pizza Hut (a gourmet experience in China) in honor of the American holiday, but at the last minute we were invited to attend a traditional Thanksgiving Feast.
Fellow Whitman alum Erin Tennant taught at NPU last year, and is now teaching across town at the Foreign Language Institute. In contrast to our lazy Pizza plans, Erin was going to do her best to replicate an American Thanksgiving spread in her tiny apartment, and she was gracious enough to invite us to what turned out to be an impressive banquet, with two other Americans and about a dozen Chinese rounding out the guest list.
After surviving our first few harrowing months on foreign soil, we pilgrims arrived at the Foreign Language Institute to find a bounty prepared for us by the friendly natives. Although most of the Chinese in attendance steadfastly refused to take off their shirts or wear feathered headresses, it was in many ways like the first Thanksgiving. Only with Bird Flu instead of Small Pox.
Turkey, being just about the only animal that the Chinese find disgusting to eat, was not a possibility, but Erin managed to whip up some stir-fried chicken with onions and rosemary. Katie prepared a delicious curry pumpkin soup, and there was no shortage of sweet potatoes or pie.
All in all, a very traditional meal. Perhaps the only disorienting moment came when I was having some trouble skewering a sweet potato with my fork. “Do you need chopsticks?” my neighbor offered. Maybe I do, I thought. Maybe I do.