Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

Two years ago, I turned this space over to a fellow Team Schein Member who shared her inspiring reflections about being an American celebrating Thanksgiving in the UK. Last year, another Team Schein Member – or TSM, as we refer to ourselves – contributed his heartwarming story about immigrating from Germany and celebrating Thanksgiving as a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, so we’ve decided to keep this new tradition going for a third year, with an uplifting story from Kabinga Pande, a TSM who grew up in Africa and now lives in America.  

Here is Kabinga’s story: 

I learned the meaning of Thanksgiving in a gas station in Iowa.

Nineteen years ago, I arrived in freezing Des Moines to attend Graceland University. Coming from Zambia, I had no idea what to expect from American life. Two months after my arrival, Thanksgiving Day was upon us. Despite my hibernation because of the frigid weather, I noticed that the school was deserted, with most students returning to their families and only a handful of us International students remaining on campus. I braved the cold and went to the gas station to buy myself a frozen burger for dinner.

While I waited in the checkout line, I said hello to a husband and wife. We began to talk, and the Andersons ended up inviting me to their Thanksgiving feast when they realized I had no dinner plans. I was not sure what to say, because I had just met this wonderful couple. Yet my interest in adventure compelled me to say yes. 

Not only was it the first day I watched American football, but dinner with the Anderson family was my first realization that this was the day when American families got together to appreciate each other and give thanks for all the good in their lives. Before the turkey was carved, everyone around the table said what they were thankful for. This was amazing for me to see because I grew up in a very communal setting and shared meals with a lot of my extended family. This American tradition reminded me of home.

Between that first dinner at the Andersons and today, I have had many more Thanksgiving dinners, and in most cases, the majority of people around the table have been from all over the world. A few of those dinners were with fellow stranded international students on campus, some in New York with friends and expats working in the United States, and even a few with complete strangers at some restaurants that stayed open. 

More than Just Football and Food

These dinners have shaped the meaning of Thanksgiving for me. It means family and the manifestation of the human spirit. I have been away from my home country for quite some time now, so the definition of family has expanded to mean my community. This new definition has opened me up to accept people whose beliefs may not align with mine, but despite our differences of opinion, we find common ground.

Thanksgiving is also a time to reflect on what I have and not what I lack. The dinner invitations I’ve received over the years and the families I have shared a meal with have allowed me to appreciate the intrinsic goodness of people.

Five years ago, Thanksgiving became even more special to me. In November 2014, while on assignment for Henry Schein in the UK, I became a father. It is the single greatest gift I could have asked for, and I will forever be grateful. I am so thankful for my family. 

Fast forward to 2019. I am now a permanent U.S. resident, making Thanksgiving even more meaningful to me. I so look forward to celebrating the day with my family and giving thanks for all the good in life.