What does an Expat do for Thanksgiving?

I'll admit it was a little weird waking up yesterday and working like it was any other day of the year. It was especially weird because Nathan is traveling for work this week and he isn't even here! (Don't they know this is an important American Holiday? Helloooooooo!:)) I did have a small "Mandy Pity Party" right when I woke up, but then I remembered that I was going ice skating and out to dinner with friends so I wouldn't be completely alone on Thanksgiving (I know bring out the tiny violin.:))

This Thanksgiving I am very thankful for the creator of Skype, the internet, computers, video cameras, and just technology in general! Yesterday, I skyped with both my families and it was great to actually "see" them! First with my parents, two sisters, two brother-in-laws, and five nieces and nephews who were all in Charlotte, NC for Thanksgiving. The kids are so funny on Skype, because you can tell that all they are doing is staring at themselves on the screen:). Davis, Missy's little boy, sang me a Thanksgiving song he learned at Deerfield- so cute! I didn't know it was over (I thought there would be a second verse) and he was like "Mandy you are supposed to clap now." Oops - sorry Davis! I so wished I could have taken a video of the whole thing! But I did get pics while they were all talking to me! So here I am "hanging out" with my family on Thanksgiving:

Unfortunately James wouldn't come in front of the camera, but clockwise from top left is (Matthew, Davis, Harlee, and Mackenzie)

I also got to talk with Bonnie, Bob, and Grandma Evy - they were all hanging out in Atlanta. Bonnie and Bob had just taken a Thanksgiving Day walk around the neighborhood to counter act some of those calories, so I don't think she would appreciate me posting a picture of her:)! It was great to "see" them too - especially since we didn't have to sit in 6 hours of traffic to do it!:)

I guess if Nathan would have been home, I would have attempted to make the "Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner" - I guess. But honestly the more I thought about all the ingredients I would need for that and trying to actually find them in Switzerland would have been a bit of a nightmare. First of all, Turkeys are crazy expensive here and I don't think Nathan would have gone for deli slices. Second, they don't sell (at least I can't find) Cream of Mushroom soup - how would I have made the famous green beans with crunchy onions on top? And Finally - if you think I was going to buy a pumpkin, carve out the inside, and actually make the pumpkin pie filling from SCRATCH you obviously don't know me. (They don't sell pumpkin pie filling in a can here.)My idea of scratch is using my mother's pie crust recipe and not buying a Pillsbury's ready to bake pie shell! So......it was probably better that I went Ice Skating at the Landesmuseum and out for a traditional Swiss Dinner at the Zeughauskeller!

Miriam, Sarah, Zann and I all met at the Landesmuseum to ice skate. I will admit they sure do things right! Look at how beautiful it was:

Okay - so I did take this from the website - but it is much better than the ones I took with my camera!

I probably haven't been ice skating in 10 plus years - which I didn't think was that big of a deal - like riding a bike, right? But when everyone was saying "don't hurt yourself" or "watch out - you're not a spring chicken anymore" (thanks Nathan) - I started to get a little nervous! Of course I was the only one of us that fell - twice - but no major damage and it was a lot of fun! The weather was perfect - cold but not TOO cold - and the setting was truly beautiful!

The entrance to the Landesmueseum

The skaters: Me, Miriam, Sarah, and Barbara

Look Mom - one foot! And synchronized - nice! And NO - this isn't when I fell!

From here Sarah, Zann and I headed to the Zeughauskeller. They had been here once before and said it was the perfect place for a feast! (You know like big portions us Americans would normally get on Thanksgiving:)). Very cool place near Paradeplatz in Zurich. I highly recommend it! It was really busy - probably the busiest restaurant I have seen here! I got the "Kalbsgeschnetzeltes" Zurich Style. In english that is - sliced veal and mushrooms in a creamy white-wine sauce - mmmmmmmm! And just so you know - they also serve a 1 meter long sausage! Wow! We'll have to make a special trip back for that - kind of like one of those eating contests - who's in?:)

This sign says "Please do not smoke - live artillery grenades stored here." Nice! I think you can guarantee that isn't something you would see walking into an American restaurant!

My dinner - it isn't Turkey but it was darn good!

All in all - a very nice Thanksgiving and I couldn't be more thankful for my family, my friends (old and new(!)), getting to experience an amazing year abroad, and for life in general!

Love, mandy
All the pictures from Thanksgiving!