Foreigners Learn Thanksgiving Tradition

But UNC international students who are unable to return to their native countries must make alternate plans.

Sharing a traditional meal with friends and sight-seeing are two popular options.

Diana Levy, assistant director of the International Center, said the center provides a variety of services for international students.

"We try to facilitate the adjustments of international students so they can accomplish their goals of studying and interacting with Americans," Levy said.

She said friendship programs help provide international students with places to spend Thanksgiving.

"The students are welcome to request host families in the community," Levy said. "Many times these families will invite the students to their homes to celebrate Thanksgiving."

She said many international students participate in the Conversation Partner program, where international students meet once a week with community members or other UNC students.

Sometimes international students are invited to their partners' homes for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Katherine Farrow, a junior from England, plans to spend the day with her roommate's family. Farrow said she likes the idea of Thanksgiving but has never before participated in the tradition.

"I'm open-minded about experiencing Thanksgiving for the first time," she said. "My roommate seems really excited about it."

Ramon Bescansa, a senior from Spain, said this Thanksgiving will be the third he has spent with his roommate's family.

"It's nice to be able to do something even though we don't celebrate it in Spain," Bescansa said.

Claire McDonnell from Australia will spend Thanksgiving this year at a friend's home. McDonnell said it seems like a great tradition but she doesn't know the full story behind it.

She said the mid-semester break from school is similar to one that colleges in Australia have. The difference is that their break lasts two to three weeks and it is not related to any sort of holiday.

Senior Christoffer Aasa from Sweden said that he has celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving before and that it was an interesting experience.

"It's different from back home because we don't celebrate it, but it's something that can be compared to Christmas," Aasa said.

Sophomore Eriko Ota from Japan spent last Thanksgiving with her roommate's family.

"It was very nice that they welcomed me," Ota said. "It seemed like if any friend of a family member wanted to come it would have been OK."

Ota said the experience reminded her of New Year's in Japan, where family members get together and eat traditional foods.

She said the openness and friendliness of Thanksgiving make it a very American tradition, and she recommends that her exchange-student friends try to spend the holiday in a U.S. home.

Levy said international students who will not be spending Thanksgiving in American homes may use the opportunity to travel instead to places like New York and Washington, D.C.

Ota will be flying to Phoenix this year with a friend from Japan who is studying abroad in San Diego. Then they will take a bus to the Grand Canyon.

Like Ota, Benjamin Hargreaves from Australia and Quentin Dubois from France will both be travelling.

Hargreaves will accompany his roommate on a geology excursion to Tallahassee, Fla., and Dubois will travel to New Orleans with friends.

Even though most international students are unable to spend Thanksgiving break with family members, they are far from idle.

Many international students said they will embrace the idea of celebrating Thanksgiving in America, from sight-seeing to participating in traditional holiday meals.

"What I've experienced of Thanksgiving, I've really enjoyed," Aasa said. "It's a good tradition to have."

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