22 Things I'm Thankful For

 
On this particular Turkey Day, I'll be teaching basic English, sweltering in the heat, and yearning for a giant roasted bird and all the trimmings. In the spirit of the day's namesake, here are 22 random things--some big, some small, some abstract, some quite concrete--for which I am thankful.

1. Birth. Despite the fact that my parents ended up being ill-suited for one another, I’m quite pleased they were together long enough to make me.
2. DNA. As with the above, if those particular two people hadn’t met, I wouldn’t have the particular genetic make-up that makes me, me. I’m particularly glad to be tall and related to a lot of tall Germanic women who live a long, long time.
3. Diversity in Family. I can’t imagine a group of people so different in their humor, interests, and overall personality than the people on both sides of my family. I am especially thankful to have had two parents who by their way of being and way of thinking both taught me many different, yet valuable lessons. In addition, I love having 3 sisters who are such interesting individuals.
4. People Who Keep In Touch. When you live abroad, it’s either “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Or “outta sight, outta mind.” It’s lonely being away from your roots at times, so I’m thankful for those who feel the former and make an effort to email me real, personal emails or fb messages.
5. Life Partner. I never imagined I would meet someone who everyday, despite spending HOURS in each other’s presence, makes me laugh, smile, think, and feel loved. It was great living abroad solo; it’s even better with a partner.
6. Cheetoes. I really, really love Cheetoes.
7. Freedom. Not only do I have the freedom to criticize my government in a multitude of ways, I have the freedom to come and go from my country without incident.
8. Boredom. I am thankful that the extent of my daily existence is not about merely surviving. Food, work, shelter are not a problem and don’t require a lot of time. Feeling bored is a privilege.
9. The Idea of God. Though I don’t subscribe to any religion or belief, I’ve seen so many people I care about receive comfort and meaning from their faith and so I’m thankful that for them, there is a God.
10. Pets. I’ve never had a pet that I didn’t love at first sight. I’ve loved them all fiercely and am sometimes astounded by how much a small furry animal can impact my life.
11. The Midwest. I’ve grown to appreciate the Breadbasket of the US and its charming little towns, lovely rolling hills, kind people, and in the case of Iowa, the swing state status.
12. English. I don’t necessarily think that English should be The Global Language (after all, it’s one of the most difficult to learn in the world), but it is internationally in demand. As a native speaker who has studied it, I’ll have work until Chinese takes over.
13. Footwear. There are few things I dislike more than walking around barefoot.
14. The Sea. I love that I can walk, run, or picnic any time at the sea. Not to mention look out the window during class and see it’s still there.
15. Food. In addition to cooking and eating it, I love reading about it, watching shows about it, talking about it, enjoying it with friends, and enjoying it alone.
16. My students. They can be sweet, keen, lazy, obtuse, but in the end have done more to teach me about their culture than any book ever could.
17. Podcasts. Putting on a podcast before bedtime is a great way to learn something, drift off to sleep, and block out not only my partner’s snoring, but also my own.
18. Dreams. About 80% of my night dreams are about people and places I’ve never encountered before. It’s like traveling without the stress or expense.
19. Books, Film, Art, Music. I’m thankful for all the producers out there who keep consumers like me always well-stocked in entertainment, knowledge, and inspiration.
20. Modern Technology. Though I don’t really understand the desire for iphones and such, without inventions like the airplane or the internet, most of the above would not be possible.
21. Friends. Old and new. Young and old. I've been lucky to meet many kindred spirits over the years and even luckier to be in contact with many of them. I was especially thankful to get reaquainted with some high school pals this year, though I was unable to attend the reunion.
22. The Multitude of Little Things. Fresh sheets, puffy clouds, kind smiles from strangers, freshly laundered jeans with money in the pockets, surprise M&Ms, lazy afternoon beers with ex-pats, Mitt Romney gaffes, kitten-filled lawns, Highlights jokes, and the amazing feeling of shedding the work clothes and contacts for the day.