Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

It was six years ago when we began the tradition of devoting this space to a fellow Team Schein Member (TSM) to share a reflection on the meaning of Thanksgiving. Each story provides a unique perspective on the holiday from a TSM who has lived outside the United States.

This year’s story comes from my colleague Jo Liang, a TSM who joined our BioHorizons implant business in 2010 and now is a Director in Marketing Planning and Analysis for Henry Schein’s Digital Revenue business.

We are so pleased to share Jo’s experience of Thanksgiving.

Here is her story:?

So many milestones in my life have occurred near Thanksgiving.

My father is an environmental scientist, which means that his work required lots of travel, and the benefit of travel has always been deeply rooted in my family, even though we call China home. When I was 17, he was asked to come to America on a two-year project, and it led him to make one of the hardest decisions a parent could make: Do I ask my daughter – someone in the middle of high school – to come along?

To him, this project was just a part of his career. To me, this was a decision that could change my life. My dad lobbied for me to come, seeing the endless paths for me in the U.S., and I’m forever thankful I said “yes” because this is where my Thanksgiving journey starts.

Seventeen years ago, we landed in Tallahassee, Florida, in mid-November. It was my first home-away-from-home and it’s where I experienced my first American holiday. Now, let me set the scene for you with some expectations versus reality. In China, we learn about Thanksgiving in English class, and I would sure like to help rewrite that curriculum today. I grew up learning that Thanksgiving was like Chinese New Year, the festive and vibrant 15-day observance. The quiet atmosphere of Thanksgiving in Tallahassee was nothing like Chinese New Year. It’s actually like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

I remember that first Thanksgiving like it was yesterday. It gave me a fresh perspective on what the “American Dream” is – not anything materialistic but instead a focus on what matters most to me – family. (Thanks to Florida, it was also something like 85 degrees in November – a learning curve in itself.) Of course, being here with just my mom and dad made me miss home, too, but I quickly realized what my dad saw when he asked me to tag along. I realized … I wanted this – I wanted the ideals of this holiday to be a part of my life forever.

Coming to America with a year of high school left and being thrown into SAT prep wasn’t particularly fun, but the work paid off a few years later when I was living in Birmingham, Alabama, and landed a job at BioHorizons – the start of my Team Schein journey.

Fast forward a few more years to 2018, and life’s quite different – I became a newly minted U.S. citizen, my husband, Chang Zou and I bought a house on Long Island, and my first daughter – Skylie Zou – was born a few weeks before Thanksgiving. I’m immeasurably happy to note that this week, we’ll be celebrating an expanded Thanksgiving with the addition of our newborn, Journi Zou.

To me, Thanksgiving was a turning point in my life – at first, it was the time where I found my independence. Now, it’s also time to pause and reflect on how blessed I am to be with the people who matter the most to me. Thanksgiving will always have a special place in my heart and this year, I know that my “American Dream” is realized.