Día de Acción de Gracias (Thanksgiving)

(me and most of my students on Thanksgiving... I'm front row, left side)

Pumpkin bread was nowhere to be found, and the turkey tasted just a little too boring without canned cranberry sauce, but other than that, my Mexican Thanksgiving experience exceeded all expectations!

On Thursday afternoon, the English language department along with my students and me, sponsored a Thanksgiving celebration at my University, UTEZ. The whole school was invited, and a majority of the English students in the school ended up coming (which I would estimate at about 100—great turnout!). To remind you, I teach four classes total, one on each day from Monday through Thursday. My Monday and Tuesday classes (advanced level) each performed a skit representing the events of the first Thanksgiving. My Wednesday and Thursday classes (intermediate level) pitched in to buy a turkey, which we acquired fully prepared and stuffed from the aunt of a fellow English teacher at UTEZ, who works in catering. My Thursday class also made a presentation on the typical foods eaten on this holiday.

Note: Remember, Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated only in the U.S. It commemorates the “teamwork” between the Wampanoag Indians and the invading Puritan Pilgrims. I learned recently that the second official Thanksgiving was held without the presence of any Natives, instead celebrating a recent Pilgrim victory over the Indian “savages.” Anyhow, Mexico does not celebrate Thanksgiving. So I really didn’t know what to expect with the skits.

The students impressed me, going above and beyond with their preparation and creativity (there were an awkward few who neither knew their lines nor their role, but the majority was outstanding).

Here is a video of the first skit, performed by my Monday class (sorry for the poor quality):


And here are the videos of the second skit, performed by my Tuesday class (my camera’s memory space was running out so I stopped filming between scenes):

Tuesday skit part 1 (pilgrims recalling the first Thanksgiving):


Tuesday skit part 2 (arrival on the Mayflower):


Part 3 (Pilgrims and Indians' first encounter: exchanging facebook):


Part 4 (Pilgrims pray to God for sustenance and miraculously receive delivery from Domino's Pizza):


Part 5 (Indians join Pilgrims for dinner, Pilgrims- in spanish so the Indians can't understand- call in special forces to sack the Indians, "Aqui en la cena estamos"):


I missed the last part, in which the special forces come and behead the Indian chief.

In case you chose not to watch the videos, I will tell you about the most hilarious moment. It came in the second skit, when the pilgrims are huddled inside their cabin during the rough winter of no harvest. One of the pilgrims (my student Gustavo) stands up and says, “I’ll show you how we can get some food,” begins praying, asks God to send them food. All of a sudden there is a knock on the door, and in walks a Domino’s delivery man. **They actually hired a Domino’s delivery man to bring a pie of pizza into the auditorium during this scene. Like I said, above and beyond.

After the skits, the English faculty and my classes were invited to the feast. We had the turkey, corn, peas and carrots, bread, mashed potatoes, and two pumpkin pies which I bought from Costco. The highlights were the turkey, the stuffing in the turkey, which was totally a la Mexicano (ground meat, raisins, peas, and brown sugar), and the pumpkin pies.

It was a great day. I was very proud of my students.

Here are some pictures...

of the banquet:

with my boss/colleague Raquel... about to successfully carve the first turkey of my life. My students were very impressed, and couldn't believe I hadn't carved a bird before.

of me and my plate:

with some of my Tuesday students (Sergio, Alan, Alan's son Alancito, me, Gustavo):

with some of my Thursday students (Karla, me, Belén):


and with two colleagues (Raquel- my boss, and Sarita), already having fun with the leftovers:

Friday was Thanksgiving part 2 for my friend Laura and me. We got haircuts! Then we joined our friend John and Joan, a retired American couple living in Cuernavaca, for a meal of leftovers from their Thanksgiving. It was even more delicious than my Thursday meal. Complete with sweet potatoes, canned cranberry sauce, potatoes, ham, turkey, gravy, baked pineapple and more of that delicious Costco pumpkin pie.

Laura and me with our new haircuts and matching outfit (not on purpose):

The end. (I am thankful to everyone who reads my blog.)