A Time for Thanks

Since the settlers and Indians shared a harvest dinner in America and not in England, Christmas, not Thanksgiving, is the next holiday in line after Halloween. So lights and decorations are already adorning the buildings in the city getting ready for Christmas over a month away. Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is coming up for us Americans, and the IES Staff over here at Nido King’s Cross Residence Hall are organizing an old-fashioned American Thanksgiving dinner for the students. And with my time in London drawing closer and closer to an end, I can’t think of a better way to recognize the holiday than by reflecting on my time abroad and acknowledging the things I’m thankful for.

• The old woman who bought me coffee and a mince pie from Costa Coffee while I was waiting in the freezing morning for a ticket to Scottsboro Boys.
• The Harry Potter Walking Tours guide who let me join in on the tour even though I hadn’t booked ahead of time.
• Peter the owner of the guesthouse in Stratford-Upon-Avon who went to such lengths to make sure my stay was comfortable.
• Chris and Carl O’Rourke who went miles and miles out of their way to take care of me and make sure I had a great time in Dublin after I missed my first flight.
• My parents who have always been supportive of my paths in life. Even if they take me far from home. It takes a very brave pair of people to raise a theatre student. And also for making me food. That’s important, too.
• My crazy, sleep-deprived friends at Mountview who welcomed me into their lives the very second they met me.
• My friends back at the University of Tulsa for helping me remember what a warm and loving home I have to greet me when I get back.
• The IES staff who put up with so many of my questions and emails towards the end of last semester and helped make this whole process last semester.
• Jonathan Gilland for telling me about Mountview and starting me on this journey in the first place.

I mean, you think about it, but it doesn’t really sink in until you actually leave your own country the kind of perspective you get on the things you didn’t know you’d miss back home, but also the things you didn’t know you were missing out on abroad.