It was hard enough not celebrating Halloween, which is, quite possibly, my favorite holiday. Most of my friends dressed up and went out the night that I went to see BTS – and while I wouldn’t trade my third BTS concert for a night of drinks in a last-minute costume, I still wish I could have done something.

Thanksgiving hits differently. Growing up, my mother wasn’t the biggest fan of Halloween, so she was never keen on celebrating. Once I got a job, I had shifts instead of festivities more often than not. However, I have always celebrated Thanksgiving. While I don’t really like the origins of the Holiday and remembering the terrible things my European ancestors did, I do enjoy eating my weight in ham, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

Luckily enough for me, I got instant mashed potatoes and instant gravy in a care package sent by my wonderful family for my birthday. However, the cranberry sauce and ham are not going to be on my plate this year. In fact, I’m saving the potatoes for Christmas.

Instead, I’m going to a cafe in my little town that I frequently order delivery from. Last Saturday, my friend Charlotte (who accompanied me to the BTS concert) and I visited in person. The cafe was very cute, and had a stack of board games to keep visitors entertained while they waited on their foods. We went for an ‘American Brunch’. Charlotte got a sweet potato latte, I got a blueberry smoothie, and we shared a plate of bacon, sausage, eggs, fries, french toast, salad, and fresh fruit. It was wonderful.

For our ‘Thanksgiving Dinner’, we’re going to be a bit unconventional. Recognizing that our traditional foods just won’t be happening, we’ve decided to settle for getting every western food that the cafe offers. So it seems like we’re going to have a buffalo wing, chili dog, and philly cheesesteak sandwhich mukbang. I can’t say I’m disappointed.

I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and I think I can do without turkey and stuffing for a year or two. It’s just the company that’s harder to be without. That said, here is my list.

I’m thankful for my family who loves me even though I’m far away. I’m thankful for my friends back home who still talk to me almost daily. I’m thankful for the amazing new friends I’ve made here in Korea. I’m thankful for my kind and helpful co-teachers. I’m thankful for my funny and brilliant students. I’m thankful for BTS. I’m thankful for EPIK. I’m thankful for alcohol at the end of a long workweek. I’m thankful for public transportation. I’m thankful for delivery.

I’m thankful I was born in an English-speaking country and given the opportunities I was to be able to get a degree and move to Korea, where I have a nice home and make decent pay with insurance, sick days, and vacation. I’m thankful for God for giving me these things and blessing me even when I may not deserve it.

I’m thankful for my life. I cry a lot and I complain even more than I cry but I am still thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving, to my fellow expats, my one loyal reader, and anyone else who may stumble across this post.