We, recently, had the pleasure of welcoming our newest member to the Freeworld team, Shelby Bodily. Shelby is an American and has lived in the UK for a little while now. Below she writes about her experience celebrating Thanksgiving as a vegan American ex-pat in Edinburgh.
”Although Thanksgiving’s original purpose (celebrating the harvest) may not be as applicable as it once was, it still remains a deeply loved American holiday. It captures the spirit of the holiday season by reminding us to take a step back and remember to be grateful for what we have, to spend time with loved ones and, of course, eat copious amounts of delicious food. Â All of this is something that I typically really look forward to, but this year things were a little different. Being an American ex-pat, I spent this years thanksgiving 4,584 miles from my home and my family and quite honestly, I was a little negative about the whole thing. This feeling of missing out on the holiday was even further magnified as this was my first thanksgiving as a vegan. No turkey or creamy gravy for me. Even though I was ready to let the day slide by unnoticed, my friends had other plans. I was invited to one of their flats that evening and was greeted with, what I can only describe as, one of the most thoughtful and caring gestures. They had spent all day preparing a full American-style, vegan-friendly thanksgiving feast, just for me. Normally at thanksgiving, we go around the table and name something we are thankful for. This year, as we sat there, I thought, this is what I am thankful for. For being reminded that even this great distance from home, I still have many things to be grateful for, I still have a makeshift family, and with the help of a nut loaf to die for, I still even had the delicious food”.
