it's beginning to look a lot like...no, not really.

This was my second year in a row being away from home for Thanksgiving, and the two that I have had abroad have been...interesting. Last year when I was in London, I won tickets to see MGMT on Thanksgiving night in the most intense and epic ebay battle of my life. The concert was amazing - Ben and Andrew dressed as pilgrims and Indians, I danced and fell more in love with Andrew, and all was good.

NYU in London did nothing for us for Thanksgiving, so I wasn't expecting anything from NYU in Ghana, but I guess because we're in Africa and about as far away from American holiday culture as you can get, and because lately all we've been hearing about the holidays is that we have to protect our valuables because there's been an increase in machete attacks, they decided to throw us a big dinner event. And when I say big, I mean big. Turkeys were flown in, our director brought Ocean Spray cranberry sauce back with her from her last trip to America, and everyone started planning desserts to contribute. It was very fancy schmancy - tablecloths, candles - much more formal than any Thanksgiving I've had, where we usually wear pajamas and watch television until its time to eat. I'm a vegetarian, so the turkeys they brought out didn't interest me, but according to the carnivores it was amazing and 'juicy' (that sounds disgusting to me). They also have some amazing mac and cheese and SO MUCH mashed potatoes, which they thoughtfully set right in front of me. Snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies, Mississippi mud pie - so much food that none of us could do anything after but fall asleep or moan about our stomachs being full. After we had all stuffed ourselves, they switched from elevator music to hiplife, since any night is not complete without dancing to Bumper to Bumper and World Trade Center (youtube it).

I have always been the number one Christmas enthusiast, and Thanksgiving is the time when I create my massive Christmas music playlist and force everyone to listen to it incessantly, but this year I have felt absolutely no connection to the holidays. It's very strange to be sweating your ass off in ninety degree weather and see wreaths and garland randomly hanging up in stores. It was amazing to be in London around the holiday season - Harrods beats Macy's any day - but here...not so much. It is December and yet I am waking up covered in sweat because our air conditioner has been broken. Snow? Christmas carols? Doesn't really fit in here. I am fine, however, sitting in the air conditioner watching Elf and Love Actually instead of working on my final paper. Christmas may not translate, but procrastination does.