You may be missing home, but you have a lot of good things going for you.

If you’re an American expat, and away from the extended family you’re used to celebrating the holidays with, this time of the year, through Christmas, can really be a bummer.  In some countries you may not be able to find the foods and decorations you’re used to.  And if the climate is wildly different it may not feel like the season at all.  But expat holidays can be a lot of fun if you look on the bright side.  So here is my Thanksgiving list:

1.  If you’re a tourist, you only get a weird little slice of a country as seen through a two-week blur of hotels and tourist attractions.  As an expat you  can experience a country as the natives see it, and really get a lot more out of it.

2.  Forcing yourself to understand a different language, different currency, and different customs is good for you!

3.  No long lines at the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving!  And stores are open on Thanksgiving Day.

4.  No pressure to do the whole family reunion turkey day thing.  If you want to do it, you can.  No one will think you’re un-American or even un-thankful.  You can even claim you’re trying to “fit in” to your host country by NOT celebrating the American stuff.

5.  The realization that Dardanelle, Arkansas, (or whatever town you’re from) is not the edge of the world.  There is so much else out there.

6.  Making your friends  jealous.

7.  The chance to make new friends that you might never have met otherwise.

8.  A new appreciation of your home country and all the good things there are to miss there.

9.  You will always have wonderful memories instead of wondering what your life COULD have been like.

10. Discovering new tasty things that you can crave when you leave!

What are you thankful for this year (whether expat or not)?  I wanna know!  Tell me in the comments below.

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