A Life: Sukran Günü (Thanksgiving)

Happy Thanksgiving! Mutlu Sukran Günü!

Well… a few days ago, but it's the thought that counts! I have a few things to be thankful for this year, so here is a list!

1) My parents back home. I am who I am today because of ya'll, and that is not exaggerating. After being out in the world on my own for the first time, I realize what an amazing job ya'll have done. I love you guys so much, and will ALWAYS be thankful for you. Every day, of every year.

2) The YES Program for allowing me to come to this country on a full scholarship. I could not have done this without Senators Kennedy and Lugar, and after just two months it has already taught me so much.

3) My friends back home who did not once tell me to stay home. Ya'll offered nothing but support and love through every step of this crazy adventure, and I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

"Of course I want you to come home, but not for another eight months." - Lizzy

4) My global community in Turkey and every other country I have friends in who have added their support to this year. I am as happy as I am today only because of ya'll.

5) The people who have welcomed me into their lives here in Turkey with open arms and hearts. Who have accepted who I am and the mistakes I make, and recognize that I am still learning and adjusting to this culture. You make this year what it is! Thank you.

Although Thanksgiving isn't celebrated in Turkey, I was surprised by how many people here knew about it, although in Turkish it is called Sukran Günü. On Thanksgiving day I received messages from my friends and family in the States, and I cannot tell you how many times people told me "Hey! Make sure to eat some TURKEY in TURKEY!" So, for all of you out there who have said that, or are planning on saying it, let me fill you in on a little secret. In Turkish, the name for the country Turkey is Türkiye, and it doesn't mean turkey (the bird). The word for turkey (the bird) is hindi, and the word for India is Hindistan. So while we laugh about eating turkey in Turkey, the Turkish people are laughing about eating hindi in Hindistan. Funny, right?!

The other YES kids in Kayseri and I had been planning to make our host families a big Thanksgiving dinner for over a month before Thanksgiving. We had planned out what each person would make, which house it would be hosted at, and who would be cooking where. On Saturday morning (two days after Thanksgiving, because the actual day was a school night), I hopped on a bus after breakfast and headed over to Zoë's house to cook my soup and my cookies while she made her dishes. After everything was finished, we had SOOOOOOOO much more food than we needed. Again, I will provide a list because it is easier.

1) Four chickens prepared by Zoë's host mom.

2) Içli köfte, a Turkish dish prepared by Tommy's host mom.

3) Mashed potatoes

4) Corn

5) Carrots in brown sugar sauce

6) Mac and cheese

7) Vegetable stuffing

8) Hungarian mushroom soup

9) Corn

10) Thumbprint cookies

11) Apple cider

Our host families loved the dinner, and stayed up talking until midnight, something that hadn't happened to any of us so far. Although they knew about Thanksgiving, they had never experienced it themselves. Having all the food on the table at the same time in a self serve style is not something commonly done here, and not with the amount of food that we made. Spending this classic American holiday with my American friends made it a little easier to be away from home, and sharing it with our host families was a great opportunity to teach them a little bit about our lives. One of the best Thanksgivings ever! Thank you everyone who made it what it was <3

Xoxo, Izzy