Of Holidays, Gravy, and Refugee Camps

2019 n23
If you grew up in the United States, the story isn’t new for you. You know about the Pilgrims’ struggle to survive when they first arrived in the new land, about the Native Americans’ generosity and patience, and about that first Thanksgiving feast to celebrate a plentiful harvest.

But Thanksgiving is an exclusively American holiday, so for ten African adult English students meeting at a nearby middle school, everything about it is new—even the mashed potatoes.

One recent Monday morning, their instructor shared the history behind Thanksgiving, but even after defining many vocabulary words, the questions piled up. Among the most difficult were those about Native Americans: Why were they called “Indians”? Where did they come from? Where are they now?

​The instructor drew a crude map of the world on the whiteboard and showed how Europeans came to the Americas on boats, finding highly developed cultures and governing systems. The pilgrims, for example, first landed at Plymouth Rock. But then she had to talk about the Indian Removal Act, and to these Africans, it sounded a lot like being in a refugee camp. The locals were forced off their land and herded into unfamiliar areas with people they didn’t know?!? Every refugee knew what that was like.

Eventually, the class moved on. They talked about Thanksgiving foods, many of which were familiar, including turkey, vegetables, and bread. But mashed potatoes were something new, as was stuffing and gravy. Have you ever tried to describe gravy to someone who hasn’t seen it?

Finally, the instructor talked about the purpose behind Thanksgiving. Many of us pause during the day to thank God for everything--the good and the bad--in the previous year. The students stood around their classroom table, holding hands, while the American instructor and helper shared some of their blessings from the year.

To finish this English module, students shared a few things they were thankful for. Watch the video below to hear some of the things these newly-arrived internationals were thankful for.

READY TO GET INVOLVED?
Wouldn't it be fun to introduce a new-to-Knoxville family to all our fabulous Thanksgiving food? Our Embrace program creates opportunities for that and much more as you and your small group come around an international family to help them thrive in metro Knoxville. Learn more on our Embrace page, and let us know if you're ready to schedule an info session.​