First Thanksgiving Away from Home

This Thanksgiving was the first Thanksgiving away from home and not spending time with my family.

Before the week of Thanksgiving came around, two of my three roommates have left home for California for the holiday to spend time with the ones they love and care most. I would have loved to flew home for Thanksgiving but I still had class to attend and didn't have the money to by an airfare ticket with already spending about $500 to go back home during winter break.

After I got out of my last class on Tuesday, almost everyone on my dormitory hall have left, and by night it was just me and my roommate from California in the hall. Usually, the hall is loud and obnoxious. Although it does get annoying at times, it bring a little life to the hall. This time, it reminded me of a ghost town. No one was here. Just dead silence.

During this time, I had some time to think about what was going on with my life, what should I do to get ahead of school, and so on. But what I was thinking about most was that I wish I could be at home relaxing, worrying about nothing, and just sharing some laughters with my family.

Honestly, I was a little sad thinking about my family. I haven't seen them in about 3 months, with the exception of via Skype. Although I am a Japanese-decent, we celebrate Thanksgiving because it is a time where we all sit down at the dinner table and eat as a family. Usually, four or five days out of the week, someone is always missing at the dinner table since my mother, my sisters and I have different schedules.

Once Thanksgiving came around, I really didn't know what to do that day. It was only my roommate and I on the floor and most likely, restuarants weren't probably going to be open. But I got a called from one of my teammates staying on campus to come play basketball down at the outside court at the school. So my roommate and I went down to go play, an hour after he called, and ended up that everyone wanted to go back inside.

There were about 10 of us including my roommate and I that stayed here at Mount Mercy for the holidays (Not to mention, they are all from California except for one). One of them told us that they were doing a Thanksgiving potluck. I was pretty stoked to here that. I, then made a trip to Walmart with two of my teammates and got my recipe to contribute to the potluck; I made some garlic rice with spinich.

At the end of the day, all of us gathered around and said grace before we ate (which I never do at my house hold). It was a feast. I got full with only one plate down. I could have never been more appreciative and thankful for my teammates. The days I wish I could be home, they are the one that made days like those so special.

Overall, my Thanksgiving away from home and family wasn't such a bad experience. All I have to say is I am thankful for my family for support me in any shape or form, through thick and thin while I'm out here in Iowa, my friends for always being there for me whenever I need a person to talk to. And my teammates that I got to spend my time with this Thanksgiving.

I can't wait until I get to go home for Christmas break. It's so close I can taste it.

-Jun