Bridges International Chinese Network

Thanksgiving - An opportunity to engage Chinese students

I will never forget celebrating my first Thanksgiving in the U.S. as an international student. Days before this holiday, my friends and I were very happy to know we would have a break from school, though we thought it would be like any other break. Yet, we experienced a different reality when saw nearly every student pack up and leave for their home. Nearly all of the campus and most of the town was empty. And, my friends and I had no place to go. Feelings of sadness, loneliness and homesickness all began to sink in. Although Thanksgiving is not a Chinese holiday, it is a time when Chinese students want to be included in the celebration.They want to be part of a family so they don’t feel alone in a foreign country.

Take this opportunity to invite your Chinese friends to come to your home for a Thanksgiving meal. It could be anytime around Thanksgiving - or invite them to join you on that day. Share with them your Thanksgiving family traditions. Ask them about their family, and what they like to do on holidays. Wonder how to host and what could go wrong? Read this post on hospitality. Happy Thanksgiving! www.bridgeschinesenetwork.com/on-hospitality-an-awkward-thanksgiving/ ... See MoreSee Less

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