Winter is crawling across Paris. The Seine has darkened to a sapphire blue in the early moonlight, and I pull my coat closer now, walking through a seemingly continuous mist of rain.
I was invited to a Thanksgiving gathering last night. One of the perks of living as an expat abroad is the hospitality of fellow foreigners. I climbed up the narrow, winding wooden staircase of the fifth-floor apartment where my friend and her husband live, practically breathless by the time I reached the door.
I left my shoes in the foyer with the other guests’ and poked my head into the living room where bottles of wine were lined up with a smattering of charcuterie and baskets of sliced baguette. There was an assortment of cultures – German, British, Swiss, French, American, Canadian, and Lebanese. Coming from an international background, these multi-cultural gatherings feel like home – with a soaring of languages and syllables united by laughs and friendly tones.
One sip into my wine and the woman sitting beside me felt she was about to faint, so she slid onto the floor and simply elevated her legs onto a chair while continuing her conversation. Her boyfriend brought her a glass of water, and we continued speaking about Paris without skipping a beat, while I loved her unapologetic lack of pretense.
We continued into the dining room, and the host emerged from the kitchen cradling a large porcelain bowl holding a purée of butternut squash and green apple with puffs of steam rising above. Then, came out the turkey, tender slices carved on a long tray with a side bowl of bright round cranberries looking cheerful and citrusy, and an array of mashed and sweet potatoes.
We spoke of food and traditions and politics and religion, international travels and discoveries. The hostess brought out two desserts – an apple cake and Far Breton – which were washed down with two uncorked bottles of Champagne.
The meal was delicious, but the gracious hospitality of friends in foreign lands in the cozy nests they build abroad is what makes Thanksgiving unforgettable.
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