Thanksgiving in Deutschland

Exciting news you guys – I’m FINALLY up-to-date on the blog.  I realize I haven’t really talked a whole lot about my job (I do work, I promise) and where I live.  Someday.  But for now, let me tell you about my first Thanksgiving outside of the United States.

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday.  It is all about food, and food is my favorite.  My birthday is always close to Thanksgiving, so the delicious feast with my family is topped off with birthday cake (my grandma’s four layer chocolate cream cake — yum).  I love watching the Macy’s Parade on TV while we cook everything (my mom and I also do kick lines in the living room when the Rockettes come on — WE’RE NORMAL) and watching football while we try to digest the massive amounts of turkey and dressing.  So, I thought I’d be really depressed this year being away from home, but luckily I have lots of great friends who helped me not miss it all that much.

To first spread Thanksgiving cheer, I made pumpkin pie bars and pecan pie bars for the teachers at my school.  Easier said than done, as I had to roast and puree the pumpkin myself (no canned pumpkin in Germany), and corn syrup for pecan pie is basically nonexistent.  I spent an arm and a leg at Kaufland (Walmart-esque that stocks things like cheddar cheese), but it all turned out great and one of the teachers even asked for a recipe.  ‘Merica!

The main event, however, was Thanksgiving on Saturday night.  It was an international affair, hosted by a Swedish guy who did his undergrad at UNLV, and attended by two Germans, five British ETAs, and six Americans.  Gabby came over and made pies at my place Friday, and Saturday I woke up at nine to start cooking, which Gabby and I did all day until it was time to eat.  I loved cooking with Gabby, since she’s from Alabama we definitely bonded over southern comfort food!

Thomas downloaded the two Thanksgiving Day football games and was playing them on the TV.  We made hand print turkeys and played charades.  Our potluck had all the American favorites (turkey, dressing, gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, cranberry sauce, mac and cheese, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, buttermilk pie, apple pie), and some British dishes snuck in as well (Yorkshire puddings, pigs in a blanket – which in England means sausage wrapped in BACON, Victoria Sponge).

Football!

Our delicious spread — notice the decorative turkeys in the background

Sunday Susanna, her friend Christian, and Gabby came over to my place and we ate leftovers with my roommates.  I was so glad they got to experience the leftovers, as those are almost as important as the holiday itself.  I really thought that on Thanksgiving I would be really depressed about having currywurst for dinner instead of turkey and dressing (that currywurst was delicious #noregrets).  It turns out I wasn’t depressed at all, because I have so, so much to be thankful for, and I was much too happy (and too full) to be sad.

Out and About

Early November was crazy busy for us.  The week after Berlin we went to Hamburg for a German Fulbright Alumni Association event, which included things like wine receptions at the US Consulate and “networking” – AKA hanging out with current Fulbrighters from the US and past Fulbrighters who had recently come back to Germany after their Fulbright year.  It was a really fun weekend, and we got to meet so many new people, but we spent a lot of time conferencing, so I’d love to go back to Hamburg sometime and see more of the city itself.

Gabby, Breanna, and I all dressed up for the reception at the consulate for the German Fulbright Alumni Association

The next weekend and the following week most of us decided to stay around the Ruhrpott to recuperate from all the galavanting across the country we’d been doing.  We hung out in Bochum and enjoyed some sunny weather, and Susanna, Gabby, Claire, and I spent the day cooking tasty food (because it is everything) and having a Lord of the Rings movie marathon.

Sunny days in Bochum

 

The next week the Christmas markets officially opened in all of their glory (they’d been open before, but the festivities really got underway after Totensonntag (Dead Sunday – an old Prussian holiday where you remember all of your dead loved ones on a day where you’re not allowed to play music or dance.  Afterwards you can celebrate Christmas!).  We saw the world’s largest Christmas tree lit up in Dortmund.  Jess and I went to the market in Herne, which was actually extremely sad… so sad we just got on the train and went to the one in Bochum.  We’ve spent a good few nights after class at the market in Bochum.  On my birthday, I went to the Essen market after class, where the crew bestowed me with one of those adorable little gingerbread hearts.  They’re the best.

Dortmund Christmas Market

Dortmund Christmas Market

Roommates made me a birthday cookie cake! “The best thing to come out of America. I mean, besides you, of course.”

My roommates also gave me a homemade advent calendar hanging above my bed. Too cool!

 

Birthday in Essen!