Thinking of you all on this the thankful-est day of the year. Well, except here in France, and come to think of it, everywhere else in the world outside of America, where it’s just a normal Thursday. But you know what they say, you can take the Richardsons out of America, but you can’t take the America out of the Richardsons.
Today as we gather I thought I would make a list of all of the things I am especially thankful for this year.
1. Electronic Communication!!
I can’t tell you how often I say, “Thank Goodness for technology.” This trip would have been so much different (read: harder) without the email/Alexa/Facetime/Marco Polo technology. I have loved hearing Nora say, “Alexa, video call Nana” and then getting to video chat with our whole family. The other day Nana actually read Nora her bedtime story and my heart melted. And, do you know how excited I get when a new Marco Polo message pops up from one of my girlfriends?!? Probably a bit too excited. And, thank the heavens for unlimited text and data. I can’t imagine this trip without technology.
2. New Friends
We have been so lucky to be welcomed in by a group of kind and caring people (well done Ruchir – what a great group to have surrounded yourself with). Today when we are far from home, I’m especially thankful to be celebrating with old and new friends. Even new friends who have never heard of Thanksgiving and actually just think we are some wild, gluttonous Americans who will use any excuse to overeat.
3. Health
The truth is that a few of us are pretty under the weather (thanks a lot France for getting really cold and wet), but still today, in these times, I would be remiss not to be thankful for our health. I know that this year there are hundreds of thousands of people who are gathering around the Thanksgiving table with an empty chair where a loved one should be. We do not take our health or the health of those we love for granted.
4. Trains
I literally may never drive again. At least not willingly. Or happily. Trains are THE BEST. I absolutely love hopping on a train, picking of my kindle, and a few relaxing hours later ending up in a new city. I know there are regions of our country that have a good mass transportation, so you all might understand what I’m talking about, but coming from Houston, where it’s drive or bust, the trains have become my new best friend.
5. European Education System
As a family of terrible French speakers (and by that I mean, we speak little to no French), we are beyond grateful that everyone here learns at least some English. We would truly be screwed if we had to rely on our French to get by. Thankfully, even those French people who claim to know no English, actually know quite a bit. The number of times that we have responded to a French person telling us that their English is terrible by explaining that their English is far better than our French is insane.
6. Google Translate
In connection with No. 5, thank the tech gods for Google Translate and all the other translation apps. Another luxury we wouldn’t be able to get by without.
7. This Time
Above all, well except for health, I am thankful for this time with my family. This time to spend together, focused on each other and our experiences. Time when we aren’t rushing from one job to another to another, juggling family-time and work-time and failing miserably at both. Time that is passing way to quickly and that I know we’ll never get back again. Time to make the most of this time that we have together. Forever and ever, I will be grateful for this time.
And now for a few pictures of our French/American/English Friendsgiving Thanksgiving (I believe we were overserved).
0 Comments