How We Celebrated Thanksgiving

In Portuguese our word "Thanksgiving" is usually translated to "Ação de Graça." While it is not celebrated at large in Brazil, there is at least one city where it is a local holiday. Recife, according to the Brazilian version of Wikipedia, celebrates this day because there are so many of American heritage there. Its mostly just another day in Teresina. We decided to have a simple meal to celebrate.

Allan, Hérika, and Yluska came over to join us for dinner on Friday evening. We had barbecued chicken, and mashed potatoes with soda (pop/whatever you call it—that fizzy sugary drink).

No, we didn't have all the trimmings, but it was a very thankful time; we each shared a few things that we were thankful for. It felt good to do that, sort of like I was at home.

Anyway, it was a really good evening. I am thankful it happened. :D

How was your Thanksgiving? Any interesting stories you care to divulge?

Technorati Tags: barbecued chicken, fizzy, soda pop, mashed potatoes, portuguese, brazil, thanksgiving, trimmings, wikipedia, friday evening, american heritage, recife, brazilian version, divulge, Brazil, Family, family and friends, family gatherings, family members, Life In Brazil, Living Outside the US

Thanksgiving In Brazil

Some have asked me what Thanksgiving is like here in Brazil. The answer is: Hot, just like any other day. According to Weather.com, it will be 97º F for a high, and 79º F for a low tomorrow.

There are plenty of holidays here, compared to the US. There is even a State holiday on the day the Piauí was founded. But there is no Thanksgiving. No turkey. None of my grandma's delicious mashed potatoes, or my aunt's amazing pecan pie (the pumpkin is good, too).
I miss this time of year there. The brisk fall days, the family gatherings, the excellent food, the rain–wait, don't miss that to much.
I suppose that I should have planned ahead this year, and put together a feast. That would have been fun, but a lot of work. I am not sure what we will do, but probably not much. I am okay with that, too. I can be thankful without turkey and gravy.
So, since I won't be with the family around the dinner table, here are some things I am thankful for:

• My wife.
• Her family.
• My family.
• Friends.
• I have work this year!
• It is much cooler here than it was last year this time.
• The internet (so I can communicate with friends and family).

The list could go on, but I will leave it there. I have a ton of things to be thankful for.
In honor of Thanksgiving, here is a little entertainment (If you are on a dial-up connection, that link might not be much fun.) to get you in the mood of being thankful.

Technorati Tags: being thankful, brisk fall, dial up connection, dinner table, family and friends, family friends, family gatherings, feast, friends and family, grandma, gravy, holidays, Life In Brazil, Living Outside the US, Love, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, pumpkin, rain, thanksgiving, time of year, turkey, weather