The whole of the coming week is all free of work here on this side of the Atlantic. (Yay!) We will all be busy travelling to places that warms our hearts and gathering at happy family tables to eat to our heart’s delight. It is the annual Thanksgiving celebration in the United States. The casualties this year, as in every, are the turkeys (and geese, for those with exotic taste buds), which would decorate each family table on Thursday amidst smiles and thankfulness. Last year, I spent the celebration in company of my wonderful host parents. This year, I would be spending it with the family of a friend. But on Tuesday, I would be at the International Institute to celebrate with other volunteers and international students.

More importantly, I would spend it in celebration of life, and much more: friends, family, adoptive parents, wonderful colleagues and co-workers, close and loved ones, distant well-wishers, blog readers and commenters, students, plantain chips, pounded yam and pepper soup, NPR, the dollar store, movies, music, Axe detailer, low gas prices in Missouri, eagled-eyed editors, warm socks, languages, smiling strangers, awesome classmates, amazing teachers, fast internet, long distance phone calls, Amazon.com, Skype, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, BreadCo, and the very many things and people that make live worth living.